There’s something about standing in a room full of people screaming “I will lick your arsehole” that will never cease to amuse.

Regurgitator are back in the wonderful land of Oz; touring with, (according to bassist, Ben Ely) “My favourite band in the whole world!” Devo. Anyone who caught them at their side-show gig did not go home disappointed; as they rocked the Indie Bar like it was 1999.

The Indie Bar was created as a nice, casual, local bar; attached to a hotel; with a pool and a pool room, a bistro, and a low-ceilinged, dark, pillar-filled bar area. This is all fine and dandy if you’re sitting back, having a pint and watching a folk singer, but if you fill that room with a few hundred Regurgitator fans; you’re asking for trouble. The music inspires frantic jumping around, pointed fingers raised; barely missing the roof, and definitely not missing the low-hanging stage lights. Putting aside the low ceilings however, the sound is surprisingly good – courtesy of the wonderful rich wood panelling and carpeted floors, it’s just a shame the vision is so limited.

There was noticeably less computer-game-style keyboard sound than expected, this may just be the way they do their live shows, or perhaps they decided that people actually did like their old stuff better than their new stuff. Although, considering that song was released in 1997 their new stuff has effectively become their old stuff, and those tracks are always crowd favourites; stirring teenage memories of dancing in ugly pants in the comfort of their lounge rooms in suburbia.

It makes you wonder: do they ever get tired of every song being everyone’s favourite song? With so many hit singles spanning 12 years and 7 albums (8 if you count Unit Re-booted; which no one does), it’s no wonder Regurgitator gigs are always extraordinary. Even those who thought they didn’t like Regurgitator anymore, realise that the music is timeless and always rocks, always gets you jumping around like an idiot, and always sends you home pleasantly surprised, if not rushing out to buy all the albums after Unit that you you didn’t get when they first came out.

Congratulations must be given to the band for their wonderful step away from the norm, as they appealed to the crowd to let them stay on stage and play the whole set list, instead of leaving the stage, (at the designated line on the set list,) for an apparent “encore” which is going to be played regardless of whether the crowd is insatiable or not. In the words of Ben Ely “You’re not stupid! You’re not sheep!” Besides, as singer/guitarist Quan Yeomans pointed out; there really wasn’t exactly anywhere for them to go while they waited for the encore anyway, they might as well keep playing!

As for support act, SPOD, well, one Regurgitator fan summed up their show quite well saying simply; “I can’t believe that just happened!” SPOD certainly prove that the punk’s not dead; although it sounds like it might have a painful, terminal illness. With streamers and masks, a pocket-sized Theremin and a very memorable cover of a 2LiveCrew track; We Want Some Pussy; no one is going to forget the set in a hurry, although a few people may wish they could.