CHECK OUT ALL THE CROWD-SURFING, WALL-SHAKING ACTION IN THE SYDNEY MAMMAL GALLERY.

I arrived at The Annandale with high hopes of seeing a terrific show. I’d heard many great things about Mammal’s live performance, and the fact that the show was declared FasterLouder’s Gig Of The Week set my expectations even higher.

First up was Sydney band The Third Cycle. Almost from the moment that they stepped out onto the stage, I found their performance lacklustre. I had listened to their music beforehand, but their live show was a real disappointment. Live, Jess Donnellan’s vocals were weak, and she looked like she was trying hard to channel Evanescence’s Amy Lee. In the end, her performance came off as awkward, and despite vocal support from their friends and fans in the crowd, I found my attention wandering to the posters behind the bar.

Thankfully, that was the only disappointment of the night. Melbourne band .hinge made a deceptively quiet entrance onto the stage, before quickly setting the tone for the rest of the night by getting down to the business of blowing our eardrums out. Rich, intricate guitars and amazing vocal acrobatics courtesy of frontman Glenn Johnstone quickly won over the crowd. There were several moments during .hinge’s set where the vocals were so impressive that I was left stunned and speechless. The entire band was dynamic and riveting to watch, their energy invigorating the crowd.

After this show, I can honestly say that the hype about Mammal is perfectly justified. From the moment that Ezekiel Ox and co. roared onto the stage, Mammal’s auditory assault was loud, brash and uncompromising. Some killer bass playing by Nick Adams, along with the crazy dance moves and masterful vocals by Ox, made for a very entertaining show. Ox’s interaction with his audience was refreshing. He didn’t restrict himself just to the devotees at the front, but performed to everyone in the room by jumping onto the bar and crowd-surfing across the room.

For a spot of fun, comedian and musician Eddie Perfect was brought out for a great duet on Burn Out. At the end of the set, the audience demanded and was given an impromptu encore, before they finally let the night’s headliners go. Overall, the night lived up to its Gig Of The Week plug, with Mammal’s exhilarating performance ending the evening on a very high note.