Ryan and Scott from Black Water Station opened the night and to their credit they did a good job, the uncomplicated major chord rockers keeping their groupies really happy. But ultimately, and by their own admission, their songs were “usually pretty heavy” and the acoustic context probably didn’t do them the justice they deserved.

Andrew Ewing, more famous for his work with The Devil Rides Out, was more of a seasoned and polished acoustic performer and filled his set with both solo and DRO tunes. Following The Man I Never Was one young lady suggested that he sounded like the bloke from Crash Test Dummies or, maybe Hootie and the Blowfish?

But that was unfair. His intensity was awesome, This Is Your Life showcasing his passionate bellow and some intricate guitar work. Similarly, The Demon’s malevolent intent heightened with Ewing’s guttural howl. But much like Black Water Station, the DRO material on display needed some volume and grunt.

The essence of a musician’s song craft will come through in an acoustic performance. Its kind of like the difference between the life and death of a song, either it’ll cut it or it won’t, because there are no effects, no production and generally no band to shoulder the burden. It is about as naked as a performance can get. With that in my mind, a man, who is no stranger to public nudity, strode on stage.

Nick Oliveri has a resume that reads like a who’s who of cult rock n roll bands. His latest solo album Death Acoustic is more like a “Dummies Guide to…” the myriad of acts he has contributed to or been influenced by over the last 20 odd years. Tonight’s performance beautifully captured the essence of the man: at times open, genial and pleasant and at others menacing and totally unhinged, a total scumfuc.

Opening with Kyuss classic Love Has Passed Me By, Oliveri had the crowd in the palm of his hand, every punter knowing that this was going to be a pretty special night. John Garcia (Kyuss’ singer) never sounded like this, Oliveri having adding a new level of spite to this jilted love song. The fact that this was an acoustic performance seemed to be lost on the crowd.

I’m Gonna Leave You was the first rousing sing-along of the night, a classic pop song with soulful vocals, cut with razor sharp edges of malice and bitterness. Back to Dungaree High (originally by Turbonegro) embodied the polarized personalities of Nick Oliveri, violently intense during the verse and utterly melodic in the chorus, the boys all loving the line “I’ve god a headache in my pants”.

The crowd went bat-shit crazy for Kyuss’ Green Machine. There may as well have been John, Josh and Brant on stage with Nick, the good time intensity was phenomenal, and Mr Oliveri was totally stoked with crowd’s vocal assistance. You Think I Aint Worth A Dollar But I Feel Like A Millionaire lacked some of the oomph that it had on record (no shit?), but Another Love Song (about a “fuckin bitch”) had the singer in a giggly mess, the crowd involvement truly making Nick’s night “fuckin fun”!

Ode to Clarissa’s raucous strut reinforced Oliveri as the ultimate cunning linguist, a good time tune with a filthy mind. Auto Pilot, was the most sonically beautiful point of the night, a toast to the higher things in life, a pretty remarkable sing along ensuing, the Pilot being pretty stoked with the performance of his passengers.

Adelaide speed clearly helped with the intensity of the performance of Quick and to the Pointless, screams don’t come as terrifyingly wonderful as Mr Oliveri’s. Outlaw Scumfuc (originally by G.G. Allen) finished off a night that the faithful wont soon forget, Nick thanking the audience “so fucking much” and with that he was off to have another line. But even if he does smell like a meth lab, he’s still the best we ever had!