Leftover Crack@ The Hydey backroom, Perth (13/11/09)

Tue 17th Nov, 2009 in Gig Reviews

See just how loose

This was as loose a punk show as you will get in Perth and if it hadn’t have been it would have been a disappointment. There were four local supports- all of the hardcore punk variety, blasting two minute bursts of filth that ricocheted around the room like a bouncy ball in a bathroom. Then there was Leftover Crack, one of the only true anti-establishment acts left in the world. It might have only been two official members of the band- the rest had – œwork or study’, but hey they’re not on a major label (they’re hardly even on a minor label), they don’t earn much money and doing a tour of Australia is damn expensive. The mutants that rocked up to see them were just happy the band was there in some form and some looked particularly happy that $5 scotch and colas were on offer- that’s unheard of in this day and age.

Who knows how the 100 odd psychos knew the band was coming, the gig only got announced a few weeks prior to Friday the 13th and had little coverage. It seemed good old word of mouth had been working just as it used before the days of information overload. Although there was actually a facebook event invite, but word of mouth sounds a little more punk. By the appearance of those that made it- everyone that should have been at this show was. There was old-school punk, new school punk, plenty of studded accessories and some dude with Short Stack hair that really needed to reconsider it. The only person missing from this Friday the 13th crowd of horrors was Jason. A bouncer appeared concerned at the types that were rocking up and could be heard asking one of them what their purpose at the show was. “I’m here with mates to see a show”. What fuckin’ else would someone be there for?

The best thing about these shows is you know you’re not going to get any once a year punters who might have heard a song once. You know you’re going to get a room full of loose units who know how to have a good time in a pit.

There was plenty of chances for the punters to get pumped too, with sets from Surprise Sex Attack, Decay, 3 Days Later and The Proletariate. There wasn’t too much action up at the stage for the earlier bands, but they tore shit through everyone’s ears. That room is so damn loud, but that’s how these shows have gotta be- loud and messy. Things got a little bit busier for 3 Days Later, people know who this band is and they delivered their usual shotgun pellets of power. The Proletariate have been steadily building a fanbase around town through regular gigging and they were rewarded with a main support slot for Leftover Crack. With a title that looks as though they’ve been getting suggestions from Marx, there was really no other band name in town that could go next to the anti-capitalist Crack.

The Crackcity rockers took their sweet-arse time arriving on stage but when they did, absolute mayhem ensued. Stza had some insane inkwork and was wearing his customary trucker hat. There’s pits and then there’s pits and this was a pit. If there was a photog there with a fish-eye lens and grey scale switched on, one of those classic punk scenes would have been captured. There was at least 3 people getting pulled up off the ground at any one time and anyone trying to crowd surf was getting absolutely pummeled… and getting up to do it again. They treated the crowd to some Choking Victim tracks and at one stage cast a vote which resulted in their hyper-ska anthem Crack Rock City getting some airplay. Infested from the Crack Rock Steady/Squatta’s Paradise split EP went right off. One Dead Cop prompted the fist shaking, vocal cord grating shout-along that was to be expected from it. Rock the 40 Oz was chaos at its purist. It sure was punk-fucking-rock straight from the piss-stained gutters of NYC’s Alphabet City as Interpunk once described them. New York produces some fucking good bands.

Leftover Crack’s genius infusion of punk, hardcore, ska and reggae was amazing live and those gnarly little bass riffs of theirs remained in your head for days; even if you were too drunk to remember the specifics of the show. Bodies were aching the next day but the blood stained shirts, ripped clothing, scratched faces, aching joints and welts were the sprinkle of crack on the snow cone.

See just how loose