Dukes of Windsor seem to have gone the reverse of most other bands, adored by the teenybopper crowd early on for their dance infused mega smash hit The Others, before slipping back under the mainstream and away from the gimmick-loving tastes of that sometimes resented sub-fifteen-year-old fan base with second album, Minus. Whatever their path to date, those aristocratic indie kids roared back into town, dragging some friends along for the ride, to show that great sticky-floored, suburban watering hole, The Annandale Hotel, they’ve still got it.

Opening up proceedings were Kiwi lads Midnight Youth. Sounding straight out of 1990s, with those ultra-melodic, ultra-infectious chorus lines, these guys could very well be the New Zealand version of Everclear. Apparently, they’re already the shit back in the land of the long white cloud with a couple of Top 20 tracks on the NZ charts, but judging by the packed stage room as I wandered in for tonight’s show, it won’t be long before they catch on over here in Australia as well. Frontman Jeremy Redmore is an absolutely phenomenal vocalist, and was in perfect pitch the whole performance, while the heavier-than-usually-amplified drum kit allowed the audience to actually feel the music. The only downer was, a perhaps, a few technical issues with the bass guitar during what was still a classic rendition of Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love. Otherwise, flawless.

Next up were local boys Trial Kennedy, and from the moment they hit the stage it was clear it was not the headliners who everybody was here to see. Probably the least pretentious band I’ve ever seen, guitarist Stacey Gray engaged in some cheerful banter with the crowd; at one point even accepting a drink from a couple of hardcore fans. But the thing that stood out the most for me was definately Tim Morrison’s voice. My God, that guy’s got a set of lungs on him. Some of the most acclaimed singers in the world would not have the staying power he does. Finally, after close to an hour on stage, the band wrapped things up all guns blazing with their three biggest hits to date, Colour Day Tours, Sunday Warning and Neighbours.

It’s a fine line between treat and insult for fans when a band decides to test out a whole heap of new material during a live show, which is exactly what Dukes of Windsor did for tonight’s outing. To the delight of the committed scattering of fans on hand, it was most certainly the former, with the Melbourne five-piece providing an appetite-whetting sneak peak to a possible new Dukes record in the next year or so.

Bounding out in all their eccentric glory, frontman Jack Weaving’s bright red blazer did not last long all – a matter of two songs (God, it was toasty inside). Familiar track The Others got an early start, exciting a number of females at the back of the room, before the band broke into what was really a work shopping exercise, with Weaving actually stopping mid-show to ask for feedback on what he described ‘as still mainly sketches’. Regardless, Weaving’s cluster of minions loved it, and let him know so.

Nearing midnight, Weaving took a step back from his sole stage move – the invisible treadmill – to let the remaining four Dukes to thrash out one of the heaviest interludes I have ever heard, before returning to his post to punch out Minus closers Runaway and the only track in this year’s Triple J Hottest 100 to come in at a number consisting of three digits, It’s a War. The band then returned for a pointless single song encore, but otherwise a rather fine effort. Dukes of Windsor take a bow.