Reviewed on Saturday May 2 (photo by Vasili Papathanasopoulos)
After their national tour, Lepers & Crooks are coming back down to earth. Their performances, regularly filled with charisma and bravado, have earned them loyal fans and friends along the way. As they return home to Sydney for a final show, they’ve reconnected with their mates and packed the lineup with local acts.
Surprise addition Raindrop open with a psychedelic guitar melody that matches the lead singer’s shirt. It’s a sprawling display topped off with an impressive falsetto. Frontman Miles Devine noodles away on his Vox Phantom, jamming with his band while they sing about perceptions of reality.
Things heat up as KHNZ whip their audience into a frenzy with their electronic rock anthem, ‘Wolves’.“Let’s get weird,” incites frontman Themba Thompson, and the crowd roars the chorus to ‘Lost Control’. It’s a performance filled with wolf howls and infectious drum beats, but is laced with a bittersweetness that Thompson brings to the songs about love and friendship.
Next The Mountains get analogue with their mix of country and surf rock. Alternating between bluegrass picking and the strumming of alternative rock, the trio delivers an easygoing set that is equal parts Earl Scruggs and Beach Boys. After they leave, the curtains draw closed and the fans wait in anticipation for the returning champs.
Amidst a flurry of lights, smoke and cheers, Lepers & Crooks are here. They’re exuberant and grandiose, but they’ve toned down the signature cockiness so you can see how happy they are to be home. Sam Baker, their lead vocalist, occasionally catches the eye of someone he knows and breaks out in an unabashed grin. “You guys are fucking beautiful,” Baker cries, and they launch into new single, ‘Her Kiss’.
The punters are loving it, and the band relishes the chance to shred through the sounds they’ve been influenced by. A cover of ‘Territorial Pissings’ goes off, and a bloke without a shirt runs onto the stage. Guitarist Pat Reuter-Town steps in front of the security guard to protect his semi-naked fan from ejection, and is met with cheers. As they churn through the night, Lepers & Crooks pay the price for their initially strong set and their songs begin to blend together, but a funk rock finale brings things to a riotous close.
It’s rock music for those who like their rock classic, and it’s part of why Lepers & Crooks have garnered a reputation for hard work. Their effort shows – they love the tropes and they’ll fight hard to protect them.
