Bluejuice @ The Espy,Melbourne (21/08/09)

Tue 15th Sep, 2009 in Gig Reviews

They told us in 2007 to give it a little bit of vitriol, and now Bluejuice is back to burn holes in stages all around Australia. Many people thought that they might turn into a bit of a one-hit-wonder; but all you have to do is see one of their shows to confirm that these boys will be sticking around for a whole lot longer.

Bluejuice operates like a manic robot. There is a frenzied intensity to their performance, yet they remain tight and in control throughout. Despite there being absolute panic in the moshing crowd, duo lead singers Jake Stone and Stav Yiannoukas keep their effortless, coordinated cool. And perfect harmonies. Their neck veins reach bursting point, sweat streams off their chests like the Niagara Falls, and they burn more calories that Ussian Bolt. Sometimes mechanical, sometimes fluid, always erratic, Stone warns between songs that “if you put your bags on the stage, I will stomp the shit out of them”.

Between them, they guide the audience through a 17 song set lasting well over an hour. These guys run like Energiser bunnies. They pick out those who weren’t moshing hard enough, and at one point, actually climbed into the centre of the heavy pit to up the energy that little bit more.

Every second was an opportunity to prance, with Stone doing his Mick Jagger impressions. “Feel free to dance and get naked” Yiannoukas screams before disrobing. Some eager girl in the audience did, flinging her bra on stage. It was absolute chaos, with the photographers at one point running for cover in the corners, huddling their expensive cameras like new-born babies.

Don’t think that just because these guys are awesome performers that they’re not backed up musically. Bluejuice sound incredibly tight without being over rehearsed. The only downside to this is that it sounds a little like you’ve just plugged their CD into your computer, and have turned it up really, really loud.

There are definite similarities to fellow Australian rockers, and AMA winners Eddy Current Suppression Ring in both their energetic stage performance, and their beats-heavy songs. If you put two Brendan Suppressions on stage, took off their gloves, added a synth and two-way vocal harmonies, a bit of that vitriol sulphuric acid, and shook it up, you might get something a little like Bluejuice.

Their funk-punk is more hip-hop than pop. Your feet just don’t know what to do. Is it the Melbourne Shuffle, or the twist? A two-step or dub-step? It’s your choice.

With five members and no standard guitars, it’s amazing how big Bluejuice can build their sound. The consistent double vocals acts almost like a lead guitar, with Jerry Craib’s key skills acting as the solid rhythm backing. James Hauptmann’s brilliant control over the drum kit, especially the creative use of the hi-hat cymbals, left many punters agape. In lieu of shredding guitar solos, Yiannoukas instead shreds his clothes off his chest.

Stone and Yiannoukas may exude male ego, energy and pectorals, but it was the subtle sexiness of quiet bassist Jamie Cibej that caught many girls’ attention. With more hair on his head than Yiannoukas had chest hair (which was a lot), he was the refreshing eye-candy in the middle of the storm.

Speaking of appearances, one of the most distracting aspects about Bluejuice initially is the striking resemblance that Stone bears with SNL ‘I’m-on-a-boat-motherfucker’ Andy Samberg. Except a little less Jewish. And if we’re drawing comparisons here, then Yiannoukas looks a little bit like the hirsute Harry from The Cat Empire. Except a lot less chubby.

Despite the lookalikes, Bluejuice truly are unique. There is no doubt that they are slowly solidifying their place in the Australian music scene. Not many bands could handle 40 drunken punters swarming the stage in the opening bar of Vitriol, and still stay in time and tune. Stone had two topless men hanging around his neck as he braced himself on the foldback amps, while Yiannoukas couldn’t even be seen through the throng.

Good luck, and they didn’t dare give up: they gave a little bit of vitriol.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE