Converse sure know how to throw a party. There was pizza being handed around, a never ending supply of Budweiser and Sailor Jerry Dark ‘n’ Stormies, and people taking to the dance floor to shake it out to some loose rock’n’roll.
May St Warehouse, St Peters
Thursday June 13
Converse sure know how to throw a party. Descending into the steamy narrow room of St Peters’ May St Warehouse, there was pizza being handed around, a never ending supply of Budweiser and Sailor Jerry Dark ‘n’ Stormies, and people already taking to the dance floor to shake it out to some loose rock’n’roll. Oh, plus there were at least ten photographers and videographers circling the room, followed by anxious assistants clutching release forms, for the whole free party was in aid of Converse sourcing material for their next TVC. Not that anyone minded – we’ll all happily take on roles as extras in an advert for a night of free liquor and great tunes. By 9pm folk were already playing up to type, throwing down impromptu dance battles and posing with aplomb, hair whipping about and beer bottles held high.
Palms are one of the finer acts to emerge from Sydney’s explosion of scrappy, shambling punk-type bands. Ripping through their still-modest catalogue, Palms were a lot tighter than compatriots like Raw Prawn and Straight Arrows, and sounded incredible in the tightly packed room, with the catchy quiet/loud dynamic of ‘This Last Year’ a fitting closer to a toasty warm-up set.
Canadian hellraisers The King Khan & BBQ Show were coming by the Converse party after playing at Goodgod that night, which meant a bit of a wait for the faithful – luckily there was plenty of beer left to see us through the gap.
The jangly punk duo has a well-deserved reputation for causing chaos – their last show at the Opera House dissolved into a food fight and precipitated the temporary break up of the band. Luckily for us, they’ve patched things up and are ready to get loose once more, with King Khan taking to the stage shirtless and garbed in an amazing, sparkling, psychedelic crown and cape combo. I’m sure Converse wanted things to get riotous, and they picked the right band, because they had the crowd howling at the roof and preparing for a very painful Friday morning by the time they’d finished tearing through their set of doo wop punk rock. Thanks for party, Converse!
Nick Jarvis
