CLOWNS // Lucid Again Hits Brisbane

CLOWNS // Lucid Again Australian Tour

w/ Night Birds (USA), The Cutaways and Walken
Friday June 9th, 2017 – The Zoo, Brisbane

 It’s a crisp winter’s evening as we stroll in to The Zoo to catch Melbourne fuzz-punks Clowns this evening. Our friend Geoff is game enough to don a hoodie, however The Zoo makes this need for an accessory functionally mute, with the venue trapping enough residual body heat from the early throng of eager punters to keep everyone pleasantly toasty. Nevertheless, we plan for the capacity crowd ahead and take up position near an open window, gazing out over Ann Street with a frothy beverage as the room begins to fill.

There’s a small but enthusiastic crowd up front as openers Walken take to stage. The three-piece get the crowd warmed up with a set that sounds like the soundtrack to a devil’s three-way of grunge, punk and pop. The band even go as far as to list “Steve Buscemi’s far left knuckle” as a musical influence on their Triple J Unearthed, and from tonight’s performance we certainly can’t fault the impact said appendage has had on the band’s genesis. At times, their grooves rock like the weightiest Rage Against The Machine banger, replete with a rap-rock vocal style (and the cheeky inclusion of a Forget About Dre verse), while at others, there’s a fuzzy misanthropy that recalls Nirvana’s hey-day. The crowd is very much enjoying this early 90’s Seattle-sound nostalgia, and the band soak up their adoration and shout out to Clowns for chucking them on the bill. As the band closes with the crunchy track Even If It Kills Me and then briskly files off stage, we glimpse a sour-looking dude in the crowd wearing a Venom t-shirt, and the juxtaposition is as pleasing as it is surprising.

Next up are The Cutaways, who waste little time in upping the stakes with their heart-on-sleeve punk rock. While it’s clear that the four-piece worships at the altar of The Boss, there’s enough variation in tempo and composition to please even the casual fan of contemporary groups like The Gaslight Anthem and The Menzingers, or old staples like Rancid and The Police. With the band fresh off a much-coveted support slot with Against Me! last month, front-woman Emmy Haora’s vocals are impassioned and gravelly, while percussionist Jeff Paton hits the skins with ruthless efficiency, driving the band through the lofty choruses and rhythms from the group’s debut self-titled EP.

We’re excited to see U.S. act Night Birds take the stage, and in lieu of our feverish anticipation, we decide to indulge in some cheap espresso martinis for some much-needed pep, at the behest of Hysteria’s very own paparazzi Matt Warrell, who’s already elbow-deep in one as we approach the bar. Sufficiently caffeinated, we watch as Night Birds hit The Zoo like a shotgun blast, ripping in to the title track from 2013’s Born To Die In Suburbia. There’s plenty of energy on and off the stage, and vocalist Brian Gorsegner cuts a figure not unlike a Fight Club-era Meat Loaf (his name definitely not being Robert Paulson however), fixing the crowd with a fierce gaze as he wraps the mic around himself before attempting to bite through the lead as if it were a delectable live wire. The band blitzes through tracks like Modern Morons and Golden Age of TV from their Mutiny at Muscle Beach record, while also indulging in fan favourites like In The Red/In The Black and the Lovecraftian ballad Miskatonic Stomp. As the band wraps up their furious set, we refill our beverages and watch some yuppie, non-avocado-eating baby boomers navigate the ballistic collisions of an incredibly average game of pool in the back of the room. Perhaps they could use an espresso martini too…

Night Birds // Photo by Matt Warrell

And then finally, the main event begins. There’s a haze of smoke surrounding the stage as hardcore punks Clowns bounce on to the stage. The Victorian ensemble (rounded out by new member and Brisbane’s very own Hanny J on bass and vocal duties) kick off with Like A Knife To A Gunfight, and follow it up with Figure It Out from 2015’s sensational Bad Blood. Thankfully, the transition from a quartet wrecking ball to a quintet of tie-die fanatics on newest album Lucid Again, hasn’t sucked any of the energy from the Clowns live show, and new cuts like Dropped My Brain and single Pickle go down a treat with the Brissy crowd.

Hanny J of Clowns // Pic by Matt Warrell

Vocalist Stevie Williams saunters across the stage, effortlessly singing, screaming and just generally vibing all over the place, and with the back end of their set being very Bad Blood-heavy, he’s in fine form this evening. Hanny J keeps the grooves coming thick and fast, while drummer Jake Laderman does his best to keep the hair out of his face between snare assaults and cymbal attacks. As the band swan dive towards the set’s end, cuts like Dead In The Suburbs and personal favourite Euthanise Me are positively electric, with Williams surfing across the outstretched hands of a clearly inebriated front row. Closing with the raucous Destroy The Evidence, Clowns bring it all down with swirling riffs, throaty vocals and just enough sweat to turn The Zoo into a makeshift sauna. Not bad for a Friday night indeed.

Jake Laderman of Clowns // Pic by Matt WarrellCatch the remaining shows below:

June 10, The Small Ballroom, Newcastle NSW
June 11, The Imperial Hotel, Sydney NSW
June 15, Enigma Bar, Adelaide SA
June 16, Brisbane Hotel, Hobart TAS
June 17, The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC

Tickets available here.

Get Clowns latest album Lucid Again here.