Sunday is always a strange night to go to see a band. The remnants of a big weekend collide with the impending start to the working week. Being the eve of what looks to be yet another dismal Melbourne winter didn’t help things, but the thought of seeing …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead went a long way to washing all such negative thoughts away.

Touring the country for the first time in some seven years on the back of their sixth release A Century Of Self, Trail Of Dead were playing for the second night in the same city for (apparently) only the second time in their history. As such it was a night for the band to let loose, to play some songs they don’t often play, and certainly to get the drinks in.

If Sunday is an odd night for the punter, then it was with all due sympathy that the writer arrived in time to see opening act A Friend Of Mine. Playing to only a handful of people from the side stage, A Friend Of Mine more than held their own with a mix of thumping bass lines and drumming, dirty rock and vocal harmonies. Perhaps not yet the polished article, but with a host of onstage effects and well worn instruments, this is a band that is looking to get somewhere, and they may well do it.

My Disco wowed the crowd at Golden Plains. It was a sunny day, and their thudding dance noise rock was the perfect accompaniment to some afternoon beers and some frisbee on the hill. Down near the stage they had the festival crowd dancing their little butts off. But on a cold dark night those same tight rhythms and chainsaw guitars didn’t quite sit right, especially as the set, and indeed each song, seemed to drag on just a little too long. Nevertheless My Disco know what they are doing, and the now almost full Corner band room responding accordingly.

But there was no doubt who the punters were here to see. Perhaps a little jaded from not getting into the sold out show the previous night, it did take the Trail Of Dead a couple of songs to warm the crowd up. Coming onstage and starting with the piano intro Invocation but choosing not to continue the refrain into It Was There That I Saw You from their classic album Source, Tags and Codes was indeed a little confusing . Nonetheless the band were hell bent on winning over the crowd, and indeed themselves on this – œday of rest’.

Punching through a variety of songs from their rich history, it didn’t take long for the night to tip the scales toward out and out rock chaos. The band were on fire, exuding a confidence that can only come from being completely organized and talented, yet drunk and over the top all at once.

We were told is was vocalist/guitarist/drummer Jason Reece’s birthday, and indeed he was having the most fun of pretty much anyone in the room. Crowd surfing early in the set, he later started singing Caterwaul from the crowd. Having disappeared from view initially, he suddenly appeared, mic in hand, on his way to the back bar. Climbing atop it, he continued to sing, then jumped down, ordered himself a shot, went and hugged some guy, fell on the floor, went back and raised his shot in the air as he bustled his way back to the stage, all the while delivering vocals to one of the highlights of the set.

At any given point there were three vocalists, three guitars, two drums, piano, bass, booze, sweat and such disparate songs as Homage and How Near How Far (both from the same album mind). It were a great set from beginning to end, showcasing both the individual personalities and talents of each member of the band and the unique and amazing songs that band has written, and delivered on the night.

Clearly impressive, and clearly the correct way to start the week – too bad for all of those at home on the couch with the heater on watching some crap TV show dreading another week at work. The punters left with ears still ringing and a smile on their faces, safe with the knowledge that even a dreary Sunday can be broken by a damn good night of rock in a sweaty pub in Melbourne by one of the better bands you will ever see, hear, or drink with.

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