Fans of The Living End, do not despair – the boys have not disbanded and reunited under another name, or anything else to do with the current trends sweeping the industry. Pending the release of the upcoming album, The Longnecks undertook a Victorian tour to test-drive the new tracks to their fans and Living End fans alike.

Opening proceedings on the night were the Runaway Boys, of whom, musically, were strongly reminiscent of The Longnecks and visually an amalgamation of early-era Midnight Oil outfits accessorised with Mohawks. ‘Hot Rod Woman’ was a popular track, despite sounding like it was lifted directly from an early era Living End song, as well as a feeling that perhaps, they were trying to achieve too much in one song.

The vantage point I had staked out from the bar proved to be a popular one, as The Longnecks themselves perched but a mere step away, the crowd oblivious to their presence. ‘Falling Down’, one of the closing numbers was punctuated by a sing-a-long which slowly gathered pace and finished the set on a high.

Yves Klein Blue was up next with their recipe for entertainment. Elements of Franz Ferdinand, Spoon and The Strokes blended with a touch of desert stoner rock and a charismatic frontman in the form of Michael Tomlinson. For a relatively young band, their on-stage presence, quirky tunes and laid-back yet entertaining performance garnered a lot of appreciation from the audience, if not a new sleuth of fans.

Living up to the hype, and exceeding my expectations, the band appeared to enjoy every minute they are on stage, and sneaking a quick glance at The Longnecks’ Chris Cheney, he too was impressed with the boys he had been touring with for the past two weeks.

Shortly after Yves Klein Blue left the stage to rapturous applause, a rush to the bar for pre-headline drinks was in order, pending the next slot.

Cheers, applause and whistles announced the appearance of The Longnecks, who’s intention tonight, was to run their next album through fans for a feel of how it would work in a live setting, as well as to obtain feedback. Two songs had previously been played at their Prince Bandroom gig late last year, and was well received, so there was nothing but optimism floating in the atmosphere.

The new tracks signal a change in direction for the boys, from their trademark mental, mashing sound to a more mellowed, intricate sound that nevertheless still carries undertones of classic Living End riffs. ‘Loaded Gun’ was a great example of the new direction, whilst including a short foray into the desert rock sounds. ‘Have a Little Faith In Me’ (no, not the George Michael number much to my initial concern and relief) was a quirky, upbeat number that somewhat reminded me of Battles, and put a huge grin on the face of many who were dancing around, drinks in hand. ‘Moment in the Sun’ followed, which was a popular number with the crowd, some whom had obviously heard the track (most likely on the other dates of the tour) singing along loudly.

Chris Cheney was his usual charismatic self, dedicating the track ‘November’ to the ANZACs; not entirely inappropriate considering the state of the world. The moment of the first broken guitar string of the tour during ‘November’ ensued an interlude of banter whilst Cheney sorted himself out, before launching into the set closing ‘21st Century’.

A change of shirt for Cheney, a long instrumental where he downed a longneck in one go cheered on by the crowd, and the transformation was complete: “We are The Living End!” Cheney bellowed before launching into ‘What’s on You Radio?’ with gusto. Set closer ‘West End Riot’ incited a uniform movement in the front of the room, with those at the back craning their necks to see the band jumping on speakers.

The new album appears to be promising, as work well in a live setting. However, with the energy and the presence brought to the stage by the boys (regardless of their identity at the time) the setlist could have perhaps been re-ordered to blend in heavier tracks between mellow tracks to keep interest levels up high. There were moments where one could feel the drop-out from the crowd, especially as it was unfamiliar material.

Overall, it was an enjoyable night, with the band really focused and tight, despite the unfamiliar material. However, from the looks of delight, joy and exuberance on the audience (new material or not) The Longnecks/Living End are still one of the most entertaining and energetic live acts Australia has produced.

Check out the pics from this show here courtesy of Damage.