The Bronx last toured Australia for Meredith 2008, and evidently had not quite satisfied their appetite for the crowds down under. This time round, Australian fans were treated to an entrée of Mariachi El Bronx, followed by the main course of The Bronx accompanied by a generous side serving of Melbourne’s Ouch My Face.

The highly anticipated Mariachi El Bronx didn’t disappoint, with the band decked out in traditional charro outfits, albeit minus the wide-brimmed hats. Performing a selection from the eponymous album including Cell Mates, Slave Labor and My Brother the Gun.

It was a refreshing difference to see Matt Caughthran stay in one place for such a long period of time. Known for his energetic, bounding antics on stage, the mariachi set was subdued, and in that, intriguing. The enthralled audience clearly appreciated the first offering for the night, and following the end of the mariachi set, the anticipation began to build in earnest.

Local three-piece set Ouch My Face, having secured a coveted support slot for the sold out room set out to incite and excite the crowd before The Bronx returned. Drawing heavily from their debut EP, Ouch My Face are best described as a lump of coal. Not in any degenerative manner, mind you. The somewhat insane trio are raw and unrefined with the potential to turn their art/experimental/punk styling into a gem.

The intensity of the band, coupled with the banshee shrieking from the diminutive frontwoman Celeste Potter is where the charm lays tonight, yet one can’t help but think that Ouch My Face are better suited to more intimate, left of the middle venues – in a venue of this size, its too easy to space out and become disillusioned.

While waiting for The Bronx, crowds are treated (in the broadest possible sense) to a one-man magic show that was not only a waste of time and space, but irritated the crowd to no end. Punters gathered near the bar could be overheard asking for glass bottles to hurl at the tragedy that was unfurling on stage.

Fortunately, the boys from California were not long in taking to stage and wasted little time in inciting chaos in what was to be a spectacular set. In the space of half a minute, two punters had already crowd surfed, and Caughthran wasn’t far off in following them.

It was mesmerizing to watch the activity in front of the stage – photographers earnestly vying for the best shots whilst trying to avoid being hit by crowd surfers who in turn were trying to avoid the security guards, who had one eye on the crowd and one eye on Caughtran who spent a third of the set off stage and in the pit.

Fan favourites including Shitty Future, Past Lives, White Guilt and Kill My Friends all became anthemic moments as punters sang their hearts out, occasionally drowning out Caughthran.

The Bronx, whilst a phenomenal live act, could have been even better tonight with wireless instruments – Caughthran’s in stage insanity was restricted by the mic cord when he ventured out into the crowd to jump on top of a bar table. Holding the fort on stage, bassist Brad Magers and guitarist Ken Horne rocked out as if their lives depended on it, granting pit-based punters a complete 360 degrees view of the band.

Closing the set with Knifeman which just about caused a riot up front, The Bronx cemented their status as one of the best live acts around, and judging from the sweaty, satisfied punters filing out of the venue clutching their limited edition tour posters, they’re more then welcome back here anytime.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE