The Bloodhound Gang, Less ThanJake, Innerpartysystem @Billboard The Venue, Melbourne(25/02/09)

Sun 1st Mar, 2009 in Gig Reviews

The warning sign was literally on the walls as punters headed down the stairs into Billboard – - œThe Bloodhound Gang’s performance can contain nudity and lude behaviour’. It didn’t seem to faze many of the ticket holders, who swarmed in early for what was effectively a Soundwave’s triple-bill, with The Bloodhound Gang being joined by Florida ska-punks Less Than Jake and electronic rockers Innerpartysystem. A clusterfuck of a bill? Oddly enough it wasn’t, but it was clear to see which bands liked to joke around more than others.

The thumping electro beats of Innerpartysystem opening the evening slightly earlier than expected, getting into things with Die Tonight Live Forever. A quick look on their website suggests that synthesizer player Jesse Cronan designs the lights for their live shows – if that is true he should be kept away from a lighting rig from now on. For the majority of the show the band are maroon shadows playing in nothing but pinks and reds, and when the trigger for white light is finally pushed, it’s shot out at the audience instead of the band. Vocalist Patrick Nissley throws himself back and forth around the stage, releasing distorted lyrics from his mouth and pressing buttons on a blue illuminated sampler. Guitarist Kris Barman may have a guitar but it’s more of a fashion accessory, slung around his shoulder while he runs back and forth to a drum machine. It all sounds a tad forced – you’re essentially listening to pop-rock with enough bass to get your nose vibrating. It’s a sound that’s being done a lot more interestingly by other acts, and has been done for a few years now so forgive me for the lack of excitement.

From Wellington, New Zealand (at least according to Chris DeMakes) came the ska-punk stylings of Less Than Jake. Claiming that tonight’s performance was on his 29th birthday, DeMakes had alcohol on his mind complaining that the bar wouldn’t give the band Jager shots to celebrate and forced him to drink Mexican beer (while his bandmates got locals). He tries to incite the females in the crowd to get on their boyfriend’s shoulders and moon the band during The Science Of Selling Yourself Short only to get the odd large cheeked guy to do so instead. DeMakes performance of Short Fuse Burning gives a moment to show off some guitar skills, but the real star in this performance trombone player Buddy Schuab. From the moment he jumped on stage you could see in his face the look of joy he gets from performing. He’d jump around the stage, dancing and hi-fiving the crowd full of enthusiasm, or provide backing vocals and talk to the crowd between songs. Closing with All My Best Friends Are Metalheads, the performance showed that while ska may have fallen out of interest, it’s not dead by any means.

With a few crowd members already gone from Billboard, the evening’s headliner The Bloodhound Gang stepped on stage one by one to large cheers. The band opens with Balls Out where DJ Q-Ball plays Flavor Flav to Jimmy Pop’s Chuck D, even getting in a long – œawwwwww yeah!’ towards the end of the third chorus. Jimmy Pop and bass player Evil Jared quickly turns the show into a battle of who can say the funnier/stupider thing in order to introduce a song. Jimmy Pop speaks of meeting a girl with a penis then going to Skumshine to smoke crystal meth until 5am leading into Wish I Was Queer So I Could Meet Chicks. Jared mentions that the band has been away – œlonger then Oliver Newton-John’s boyfriend’ and mentions that America was the country behind The Simpsons allowing for a quick-start to Ralph Wiggum.

Following the reveal of a Carlton Football Club gurnsey worn by Jimmy Pop, we get that nudity we were promised early (with a bit more). Jared decides he is thirsty, and after stripping to nothing and attaching a metal chain to his penis, slowly walks backwards to pull a wheeled cart onto stage. Sitting atop is a jug of beer, so Jared skulls half the jug before vomiting onto Jimmy. He then resumes sculling the rest, proceeding to give the crowd a taste. Hopefully those standing near him had their mouths closed. The show continues on as the band gets in a few more of their well known tracks – Three Point One Four has Q-Ball rapping choruses from Jay-Z’s 99 Problems and Dirt Off Your Shoulder, and when Jimmy says ‘I want to dance’ you knew what was coming – namely The Bad Touch.

After a self-described smoke break, The Bloodhound Gang regroups on stage for a few extra tracks. Jimmy unsuccessfully juggles apples during Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss, and repeats the crowds call of – œsweet as the punch’ during Along Comes Mary. A lifeless performance of Fire Water Burn ends things, but to be fair the original was pretty lifeless too. The crowd gets what they want – screaming along – œBURN MOTHERFUCKER BURN’ and Jared leads the crowd in swaying their arms. Jimmy Pop thanks the crowd and they exit the stage, while the rest of us try to all run up the stairs together.

Was it a good show? It was okay – the stage dynamic between Jimmy Pop and Evil Jared was fascinating to watch, but musically there isn’t much there. It’s clear that The Bloodhound Gang have found a formula that works – putting a focus into on-stage chaos and witty lyrics and pushing everything else into the background. After all, there were a heap of fans standing out the front and going crazy for everything the band did. But they didn’t prove that they have any repeat value – if they come back sooner than the nine years it took them to return to Australia, I question how many people in attendance tonight would return for more of the same.

CHECK OUT THE PIX FROM THE GIG HERE