Dallas Crane, The Mess Hall,Young Heart Attack @ Hi-FiBar, 12/03/05

Sun 13th Mar, 2005 in Gig Reviews

We arrived at the Hi Fi Bar on a balmy Melbourne autumn evening at the very respectable time of 9.15pm, only to make the incongruous discovery that Young Heart Attack – returning to these shores promptly after their successive visits in 2004 – were not only the second support act, but had apparently started their set at 9pm. We quickly procured suitable liquid refreshment (can someone please ask the Hi-Fi bar manager to expand the choice of beers on offer) and rushed to the front to see the set.

As anticipated it was a rip roaring set: the visual aesthetic combines mullet-female high school bogan (Jennifer looks too much like half the female population of my 1987 Year 11 class) with mid-1970s Frampton Comes Alive hard rock chic. The sneers, the head thrashing, the big rock moves… it’s always happening in spades. The band’s undeniable enthusiasm for their craft is enough to diminish any lingering suspicion concerning musical depth. Unfortunately we missed the title track of the band’s recent album, but the opportunity to sing ourselves stupidly hoarse during the cover of MC5’s Over and Over was more than adequate compensation.

Next up was Mess Hall. I will admit to a smidgin of disappointment over the D4’s decision not to play tonight’s show. But I will admit not a skerrick of disappointment at The Mess Hall as replacement act. A couple of my companions had seen a previous incarnation (“there was some old guy drumming”); this brand new version – its stripped back guitar-drum combination a perfect contrast to the Young Heart Attack rock metal theatrics – captured the crowd with nothing more than brutal rock brilliance. Visually the guitarist was part Dennis Wilson, part Tim Rogers, part anyman rock legend. The drummer looked vaguely like Phil Lynott, and dominated the sound like Keith Moon. The music itself was a rich blend of You Am I and Kicking Giant – and a very potent blend it was too. The band muttered something about a forthcoming album; there’s something to look forward to.

The timeless sunny harmonies of Brian Wilson’s Smile signalled the entry of Dallas Crane to the stage. It’s taken me too long to get around to seeing Dallas Crane live. And the wait has been worth it. In contrast, to other Oz Rock revivalists like The Casanovas (and to a lesser extent Jet), Dallas Crane balances its blues rock bread and butter with a pop sensibility that can be traced back to The Who and The Kinks.

The band’s set, beginning with Sit On My Knee, was bouncing, bruising and bloody good. This was early 1970s Rolling Stones blues jamming iced with Pete Townshend subtle bouncing pop. Not a beat missed, not an unhappy soul in sight. The crowd bayed for an encore; the band responded with a return at least five songs long, including Under The Moon, Sold Me and Wanna Be. By the time the gig finished (sometime around 1.15am) there was nothing left to do, no mountains left to scale.

In aggregate, this show was the rock equivalent of the Three Tenors – all different, but all good. This show will go down in my memory as one of the great gigs.