It’s been a long wait for fans of The Vasco Era, but earlier this year Oh We Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside more than lived up to expectations. With national airplay turning them into the talk of the town, the boys nearly sold out the Zoo on Saturday night, and delivered yet another incredible musical event, one that will never be forgotten by those in attendance.

Local grungesters Violent Soho have also been getting a bit of attention lately, with regular touring and big name support slots. Tonight the Zoo is nicely full as they begin, and after one or two songs, the infectious power rock drags the crowd from the bar at the back to front-and-centre. The boys play only one song from their Pigs And TV EP, but feature some songs from their new EP to be released soon. Between the Sonic Youth and Bikini Kill tshirts of the band members, and the power grunge rock on display, this could be a scene straight out of 1992. The boys always seem to be on the verge of losing control, and part of the beauty of their live show is seeing them take it to the edge, and then bring it back again. As they finish, the crowd gives them the racous applause they’ve definitely earned.

Whiskey Go-Go’s blend of southern rock is perfectly complimented by percussionist P.Bone Pebbles afro-and-moustache combination, although he needs to remember that if he doesnt hold his various percussion implements up to his mic, we can’t hear them. Frontman Matt Hutchison sounds like a long-lost Kings Of Leon brother, both in vocal delivery and lyrical content. The Go-go’s play excellent rock, which gets even those audience members who clearly don’t know the band shuffling and dancing around. However the Go-Go’s are at their best when they stray from their own path – one song (featuring the lyrics “she stole my heart and soul”) features Pebbles sliding the marracas over the top like a rattlesnake’s tail, while the visceral thrash of We Will Stand And Fight You is like a hit to the gut, after the relatively calm rock earlier in the set. They wrap up with an extended version of new single True Love, including clapping along in the bridges, and a drum break. It’s a great way to end an excellent set.

By the time The Vasco Era take the stage, the venue is nearly full, and the anticipation hangs in the air. The boys do their own soundcheck, adding to the DIY aura which this band has always carried proudly. Frontman Syd O’neill starts with a cover of Bob Dylan’s Girl From The North Country, before his brother Ted and drummer Michael Fitzgerald also take the stage. The band rip into two of their chunkiest rock songs, When We Forgot To Ask Ourselves Why It Came, and When You Went. Ted thrusts himself around the stage, while Fitzgerald is a master of thrashing the drums. Syd’s vocals are as excellent as ever, and the three combine to put on a stunning show. Every chord, every bassline, every cymbal smash resonates with the crowd. They show a softer side too; Sid croons his way through the mournful When We Tried To Party To Forget About It, which slides easily into a cover of The White Stripe’s I’m Lonely But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet. The medley’s not over yet; this turns into album opener When It First Shows Up, which THEN turns into a cover of the Beatles’ Happiness Is A Warm Gun.

After debut EP centrepiece Kingswood, When We Were Gettin’ To Forgiving You also gets the extended treatment, with Sid bashing out some riffs on his lap steel, his fingers disappearing into a flurry of movement. Sid also takes some time out to play on the set of snares which have been set up on stage for him, and finishes the song playing his lap steel on the ground. Set finisher Honey Bee (When It Was Making Wierd Love Songs) is the best song on the album, and possibly one of the best live songs of the year. In between choruses which rise in intensity as the song goes on, the band thrash out riff after riff, desperately flinging themselves around the stage in a fit of chaos. Even Fitzgerald gets into the spirit, kicking his seat away to drum standing up, delivering violent crashes on his kit with his arms raised high above his head. As the song finishes explosively, Syd explains that they are finished for the night. The crowd doesn’t believe it, expecting an encore, but when he starts disassembling the set, and the house music comes on, the message is clear, even if people are still hanging around looking a little befuddled. Major kudos go to the Vasco Era for avoiding the obligatory encore.

Passers-by, heading past the Zoo that night, could be forgiven for wondering where the roof of the venue had gone, but all those in attendance know it was ripped completely off, with almost nonchalant ease, by the best live band in Australia.