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This must be Die Roten Punktes third or fourth visit to the Adelaide Fringe, and while I have seen them do – œspots’ before as parts of other shows, tonight was the first time I have seen a whole show. I haven’t stopped slapping myself since I got home. What was I thinking, avoiding them for so long?!? Otto & Astrid Rot have some things in common with that other brother and sister duo, The White Stripes. They both wear a lot of black, white and red, the line-up is the same, Astrid on drums and Otto on guitar. They look a bit unusual and they have very catchy tunes. Similarities end there. Especially since over the last few years Jack White has disappeared up his own art-hole, and has spent too much time believing the people who call him a genius. He has turned from a lovely quirky blues playing oddball into…well something else, doing Coke adverts and Bond themes and being FAR too serious by half. No such danger with Otto and Astrid. They bound on the stage of the Bosco: Astrid looks like a member of Voice Of The Beehive (go and look them up) gone wrong and Otto looks like a tall nine year old who’s got into mum’s make-up bag.

They launch into Rock’n’Roll Monster, a glorious blur of buzzsaw pop, with a ton of punky elements. After some introductions and discussion of Astrid’s recent “lifestyle changes”, Otto croons Straight Edged Girl to a girl in the audience, which is followed by Astrid taking a shine to a guy in the crowd and singing a startling song to him. 4.15 To Spandau is a complex and disturbing tale – they claim Nick Cave provided the English lyrics to this tune (and it’s possible…). Their neo-Kraftwerk Euro-pop song Ich Bin Nicht Ein Roboter (I am a Lion), is catchy as fuck (I’ve had it on repeat on their MySpace all day). Astrid’s Drinking Song has some groovy audience participation as does Rock Bang which could easily be a Triple J hit given half a chance. Through it all they unfold their family dynamic with deft comic timing, great material and marvellous results. At times it’s hard to decide if this is a good band doing funny songs or a comedy act with great tunes, but either way Die Roten Punkte is one of the best shows this Fringe.

I suspect any show with – œpunk’ in the title will scare some people off, but while the music has some cartoon elements of The Ramones or The Buzzcocks, the songs are awesome, catchy and very funny – it really is a brilliant comedy show.

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