Reviewed on Friday November 27 (photo by Ashley Mar)
Wet Pensioner are a bizarre Molotov cocktail – shaken, not stirred – of hardcore punk, avant-garde noise and songs that are so funny they come full circle and must be taken deadly seriously. Their costumes of choice – one a monstrous cop, the other a mad scientist – certainly assist in the matter, but even with the aesthetic taken out of the picture, Wet Pensioner do things unlike any other. Their triumphant closer – an ode to so-bad-it’s-good action classic Face/Off – seals the deal: even those who had walked in indifferently are left screaming “I’m John Travolta / And I’m Nick Cage!”
Adelaide duo The Hard Aches might have been thought to be an odd choice to go in tandem with tonight’s headliner; perhaps a little on the serious side for what is ostensibly a party. All doubts are swept aside, however, as they launch into their brisk single ‘Loser’ (sadly not a Beck cover) and brandish their unique take on honest, forthright melodic punk with its alt-rock and Bragg-ian twists. Rather than serve as a blunt contrast, they’re a complement – they’re just as passionate and bring just as much energy, albeit in a different part of the spectrum.
Every time The Bennies play, frontman Anty Horgan asks the crowd two all-important questions: “How you fuckin’ feeling?” and “Do you feel alive out there?” The answers to both are always a resounding, unanimous yes. You only need to watch The Bennies for a matter of minutes to see why they elicit such a response – theirs is a show full of righteous, rambunctious and rollicking songs that celebrate life’s simple pleasures, although we’re talking more sniffing glue than sniffing the roses.
Tonight’s set is all-encompassing – it goes from the band’s first album (with the skank-ready ‘Acid On Me Brain’) right up to a taste of the latest (the stomping, big-business ‘Party Machine’). A packed room screams along whenever it’s told, fans heaving and clamouring on top of one another in the process. It’s less a commanding presence and more an inviting one – The Bennies are having the time of their lives when they play, and you’re very welcome to do the same as a spectator. ‘Hold On’ sees the night out, with bassist Craig Selak leading the crowd in a warm, arm-in-arm sing-along. The vibe is through the roof, the smiles are mile-wide and the party rages on.
