“Who’s going to play bass?” It’s Friday night and the crew from The Gin Club have again invited us to join them at a gig that feels like you’ve walked into their jam session. Returning from a Canadian tour, these much beloved Brisvegans are relaxed and in good spirits. Each a multi-talented musician, band members swap instruments between songs – sometimes not knowing who’s playing what until they work out which song they’ll do – which adds even more cred to the performance.

Thanking the growing crowd for coming along early to see them, on the third song they let us know that it’s lead singer Ben Salter’s birthday. Passing his guitar to Scott Regan and taking to the drum kit, Salter echos this information by announcing that playing with The Drones as the best birthday present he could wish for. The set is characterised by The Gin Club’s meloncholy folk rock country sensibilities, soulful strings intertwined through picturesque lyrics, perfectly layered harmonies and finely executed guitar solos. Saving the best ‘til last, their most successful single to date, Drugflowers lights up the atmosphere and closes their set on a high.

Grinding her hips on stage as she croons dirty nothings into the microphone, Dimi Dero Inc.’s set starts with an unknown female vocalist knocking out two songs that offer moments of distortion greatness in terms of guitar work, but are somewhat lacking in melody or lyricism. Nevertheless, the siren’s stage presence has garnered the attention of some of the DRB’s (dirty rock boys) listlessly resting their coronas in hand waiting for the headliners, so much so that a few make movements away from the bar and toward the stage.

The sound is never good in the Columbian and tonight it’s just way too loud for such a small space. Forced to move away from the front for fear of contending with tinnitus for the remainder of the weekend, the rest of Dimi Dero Inc’s set is lead by Dimi himself and the tone goes from saucy to hard french nouveau rock in the kick of a distortion pedal.

What Dimi Dero Inc has isn’t easy to define. Between the chest vibrating lyrics and tres chic cool of french rock showmanship there were a series of glimpses of emotionally-charged musicality; yet there was also a constance to the wall of sound that masked these hopeful intricacies. Again, the engineering was not great so justice may be served in a bigger venue that can take a fuller sound.

The Drones take to the stage to thunderous applause. The room is now full of side-burns, plaid shirts, vintage dresses and dirty jeans. Searing dark vocals are Gareth Liddiard’s signature and no fan could be disappointed by them this evening. Although treated to a number of tracks from the new album Gala Mill throughout the set, it is the favourites from Wait Long By The River And The Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By that hold the crowd’s attention. Shark Fin Blues renders the punters as close to silence as they’ll get all evening, the instantly recognisable noise-laced riff chainsawing its echo through the dimmed atmosphere. Again moving further away from the eardrum-tearing volume of the white noise from the PA, about two-thirds into the set the songs start to sound the same and more than a few people, who have obviously seen their favourite tracks played live, start to wander out onto the street. The Drones ply the darkness with sound, the bass and guitar duelling it out for aural supremacy on numerous occasions. Lyrically, when they can be made out from under the white noise, this band is startling in their honesty and the breadth of subjects they cover, particularly in their new offerings. From politics to history and the tragedy of our society’s excesses, tonight is certainly a demonstration of why they are touted as one of Australia’s most important bands. And an awesome live act to boot.