Rocket Science @ BecksFestival Bar, Sydney, 17/1/04

Tue 20th Jan, 2004 in Gig Reviews

A Rocket Science gig is one of those rare events where you can dance the night away down the front or, just as easily, lean against the bar and enjoy the spectacle of commanding front man Roman Tucker, shaking the Hammond organ the way others can only shake their hips.

It doesn’t sound particularly attractive but it strangely is. Perhaps it’s Roman’s carnival-esque keyboard sounds and extra-tall body that flip flops around centre stage. Or maybe it’s just the refreshing break from the typical guitar focus. Whatever it is, the Becks Bar audience is hooked as Rocket Science unleash an old favourite, Copycat, a psychedelic swirling mess of Theremin sounds, eerie keyboards and marching-band drums.

When you breakdown the Rocket Science formula it’s pretty simple – dark surf, sixities and rock and roll sounds all rolled into one. Confident, but not arrogant, they know they’re onto a good thing, ripping through Burn In Hell, the riffs are big, loud, fiddly and the momentum tight. It sounds like what you imagine The Hives to be if Nick Cave stepped up for lead vocals.

Playing to a backdrop of live video footage of their own stage that night, and shot from a strange angle, Rocket Science complete their invigorating live sound by looking awesome. It’s obvious the past year of touring and playing overseas has polished their stage show. There’s also a surprisingly large number of people paying almost twenty bucks for a homegrown act, which by Sydney standards is usually limited to CD launches or big venues.

At the end of the gig the crowd wait quietly for the ever-predictable encore stimulated only by a few odd claps here and there. When Rocket Science re-take the stage, it’s to the tune of One Robot, their latest single release, a simpler and slower tempo for these guys with considerably less mayhem on stage. Perhaps a change of pace is a turning point for a band like this and you can only wonder where their next album will take them?

Rocket Science music is strong, fun and in the moment, but their lyrics are somewhat of a letdown. A bit like The Vines, they don’t have much to say. Highlight of the night is the world’s weakest guitar smash by bass player Dave Gray.