In a few short years, The Paper and the Plane have quickly earned a reputation for being one of the best bands in Brisbane and indeed the whole of Australia. Tonight, this reputation is reflected by the large crowd who turn up early for their set. Vocalist Daniel VanZutphen pushes out his lyrics with his usual intensity, above the shimmering guitar lines of his bandmates. At the epic conclusion of the band’s set, The Zoo is as full as it’s going to get.

Up next are The Nation Blue, who, for a three-piece, make an absolutely ungodly racket in the vein of Unwound and Fugazi. Bassist Matt’s vocals sound especially brutal when juxtaposed with the slightly more melodic yelling of guitarist Tom. Both members thrash around the stage hard enough to create potential for broken bones (or broken strings, as is the case for Tom just a few songs before the set’s finish). Plenty of audience members shout along with the catchier tracks and few seem unimpressed by the band’s meaty slab of noisy punk, despite that the group bears little resemblance to the main act.

Walking out early to set up his gear, ex- Botch guitarist Dave Knudson seems surprised to be greeted by hearty cheering and loud applause. “Play some Botch!”, one seemingly not-so-clever audience member yells, to the apparent disappointment of Knudson. Knudson is soon joined by the rest of his bandmates to thunderous cheering. Clearly, a Minus the Bear tour is something that tonight’s crowd have been pining for.

Tonight’s set is heavily weighted towards tracks from the band’s new album, Planet of Ice. Lotus, with the atmospheric synth lines of new member Alex Rose. Vocalist/guitarist Jake Snider is in top form tonight, delivering each one of his simple vocal lines to absolute perfection with little chatter in between. Erin Tate’s drumming is also extremely tight, locking in perfectly with the slinky basslines of Cory Murchy. But it’s really Knudson who stands out from the rest and everyone, band and audience alike, knows it. Mixing simple indie rock chord progressions with complex tapping and a slew of effects pedals, Knudson is absolutely riveting to watch, especially during tracks such as the excellent Knights, which makes extensive use of looping.

Having had such a great time, the audience seem almost shocked when Minus the Bear walk off after their final song. Thankfully, it’s during the encore that the set’s greatest moments occur. Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse makes for the most enjoyable song in the set, with its gorgeous chorus that begs to be sung along to, supplemented by Knudson’s incredibly catchy two-handed tapping. Pachuca Sunrise, perhaps the group’s most famous song is the set’s bouncy conclusion, summing up everything that is great about Minus the Bear in a neat three-and-a-half minute package and leaving the highly enthusiastic audience screaming for more. Snider exits the stage, expressing his heartfelt gratitude for the audience. Looking around the room, it’s easy to see that the feeling is mutual.