The opening of 610 Ann Street to live music has got to be one of the better things that has happened to the Brisbane music scene in quite sometime. It’s central location, all ages and BYO policies and protection from noise hassles make it a venue that Brisbane definitely needs if the scene is to thrive through its current hardships.

Musically, tonight’s bill offers a little bit of everything with bands from all parts of the world playing music as diversely as could be imagined.

Toowoomba’s Blonde Cobra kicked off proceedings with a set of no-wave tunes not dissimilar to the likes of Sonic Youth and Shellac. The chemistry and musicality of the band made them an impressive outfit to watch and certainly a band to look out for on the scene in the future.

I’m not entirely sure what happened next. New York’s Black Panda played a three-song set that took just under five minutes. It was loud, trashy and awesome with members jumping around playing and screaming to a backing tape of brutal, thrashy rock and roll. But why did it only go for five minutes?

The Night Crash have been the subject of a fair bit of hype of recent times, but this is one band who deserve it. This two-piece is as technically proficient as musicians come making their style of Jazz/Hardcore nothing short of jaw dropping. The communication between the two members while the fiercest noise howls through the amp is just as stunning to watch as their musicality. They don’t have the recipe for commercial success, but if they don’t become an underground hit then something i most definitely wrong.

Synth punk favourites Death:Wolf! were next up and it became obvious quite early that they are one of the more popular bands in Brisbane today. With a lineup consisting of bass, guitar and synth with backing tracks providing the beats, Death:Wolf! come across as a hybrid of early New Order and modern synth acts like The Rapture. With songs like Potatoes, a tribute to Neil Young “because he hates faggots” and the crowd pleasing Death:Wolf! Means Parti the pink clad gentlemen keep the crowd entertained. They may be sloppy and trashy, but at least they’re a whole lot of fun.

Tonight’s headliners Die! Die! Die! have been receiving rave reviews of late, so it was with great anticipation that the crowd awaited their set. The New Zealand trio is a brash, noisy punk band with a stage presence that is dynamic without being seeming contrived. The songs worked well in the sweaty, claustrophobic environment of 610, and while the band wasn’t completely tight, they were entertaining all the same. The crowd seemed to be in two minds about the band, with some people dancing and screaming along – joining the frontman in his antics, while others looked on, baffled. Die! Die! Die! certainly aren’t for everyone, but you’ve gotta admire their energy.

One can only hope that shows like this will continue in the future, free from restrictions of all kinds that are currently plaguing our very valuable scene.