The only prior knowledge I had of the Residents was a cover of Sinister Exaggerator by Primus, an interview with what could have been one of the group in street press and the promotional photos of a figure in tuxedo, top hat, and… an eyeball head? So when asked to review their live performance, I jumped at the chance. Half an hour before heading in I looked up the start time on the festival website to find not only would I be getting to experience this live phenomenon of a band I would also be getting to see Australian group Severed Heads and Chicks On Speed.

On stage, Tom Ellard and Alison Cole of Severed Heads begin, playing to an appreciative audience that was spread out through the venue. Alongside the music, which was reminiscent of Kraftwerk’s performances in Sydney a couple of years ago, were visuals on a screen behind. The last few releases have included a series released on CD and DVD titled OP v.1.0, (OP v.1.1, OP v.1.2 which were downloadable versions) and finally they have released OP v.2.0. Works from v.1.2 have become part of their live show with accompanying animated videos. Ellard has also just scored the music to the film The Illustrated Family Doctor.

The songs had very electronic, defined crisp and yet bass heavy beats. With filled out keys and synth lines on top there was Sozzled Squirrel, sounding like Industrial Disease by Dire Straits. Ellard projects his humour on stage, telling a running joke throughout the set that would be interrupted by the songs. Strong 3D imagery had most of the audience simply sitting and watching the beautiful screen as the music played. Other tracks that I recognised were Nigella Type B a delicate ambient and broken beat tune with great green birds flying over grey and white stripes and circles behind. The music and video fitting seamlessly. When Pilots Hate You was playing, I could only imagine what a scratch turntablist would make of this sort of music, it would be the most awesome sounds used in the most unusual of ways.

There are all types in the crowd with retro clothing, facial hair, well fed, ex-party people who dig the farout sounds, and the Chicks On Speed introduce themselves with a We Will Rock You sample and day-glo robes flowing across the stage as they launch into their performance. With tracks like Mind Your Own Business we see quick-change outfits and an energy filled performance. It looks like fun. After Ninety Nine Cents we are confronted with bold vaginas shown on the screen as they include some crowd members screaming into the mic. We Don’t Play Guitars rocks out with it’s industrial alternative rock.

Nearing the end of the set the What Are Words Worth lyrics had to be read by one of the Chicks. Using a synthesising machine that reacts with brushing hand over your hand over, one of the group had a play around and turned to the microphone to comment “It’s a noise festival, what can ya do?”.

As the show progresses the day-glo eye shadow of Australian group member, Alex Murray-Leslie runs in a scream like pattern below her eyes. It was a 45 minute set which finished with a blistering amalgam of sound, running on the spot, DIY and fuck all and any rules.

The Residents start off behind translucent blue constructed screens. While not packed, it’s a medium sized crowd. Memories by Barbara Streisand is the first sample used, cut and messed around until it begins the first song. On stage are the band, three figures in cotton tasselled abominable snowman costumes, replete with eyeball heads, a handyman with miners get up and two other cotton tasselled costumed and masquerade masked singers.

Two of the band are behind tables of electronic and computer gear and a guitarist adds to the trio with just the right volume over the rest of the music. The guitarist plays mainly short, evolving riffs that match what seems like music made by Roger Waters doing a dinner theatre. With songs like Be Alive the performance gives over a great creeping tension but there is a feeling that that’s all it will be.

The performance was extremely kooky with the vocalists prowling about the stage in their floppy fright wigs and crooked nose masks. At one point during the hour and a half performance the chatter of some in the crowd becomes almost amplified in quiet moments of songs. At moments they seemed meant by the band. The stage show included the use of the screens that the band began behind, these would be swapped and moved about the stage as necessary. A bendable ladder made to look like a financial graph makes for a very handy set piece. All this has for most the show a blanket of orange lit faces staring in wonder and amazement. Ending off with Let Me Be Your Teddybear for an encore I left the venue feeling stunned, with the one thought running through my head, “that was really odd”.

Being a music/noise festival this was the perfect trio to place together, each group giving their own individual ideas as to what music and performance can encompass and each group simply having very individual ideas as to both.