Review - Thorn + Rumblefish
+ 1000 Slimy Things
@ The Lewisham Hotel,
Lewisham 23/4/98
I walked into the room just as 1000
Slimy Things were starting their set. They’re good at what they do
which is a mix of all things heavy and weird; a kind of speed metal/jazz-thrash/impro
combo, a little like Sultana Mahummed and Desensitised.
I tuned out fairly quickly because the unintelligible lyrics and general noise
quotient were a little high for mine. The stand-out of the set was one “song”
that had the Hits from the Bong/Ain’t Goin Out Like That bass line/s
from Cypress
Hill, but that’s only because the bass-line made me sit up and
listen. 1000 Slimy Things score ¶ for this alone.
Rumblefish had the task of following this mayhem up
with their brand of Aus Pub Rock. It seems in the 18 months since I’ve seen
them they’ve been to Melbourne, they have a trip to Adelaide planned, there’s a
video (Bad Disease which was shot in Melbourne) on rotation on Rage and they have recording plans for
June/July this year. On top of all this, the set they pumped out tonight had
only three songs from 1997’s “Up Ya Go”
and most of the others have been written since then. I’ll admit I was waiting
for Psycho Society and Driv’er, their strongest tracks for mine
that will apparently will be on the album - this year’s recording project is
another EP. But they only do these songs every now & then, so I’ll have to
listen more to that demo I have!
They have added lyric-lines here, changed
harmonies there, included more stage-movement, retained the old-fashioned
“perform to the audience” standard and the rock-solid sound for the show. The loyal fan-base is still there too!
Standouts of the set include the three “Up
Ya Go” tracks Outta Time (a
scratchy start thanks to the ‘flu for Curly), Rolled and Bad Disease as
well as new songs Thunder, Revolution, Road Rage and the old ACDC
track Whole Lotta Rosie which
highlights Curly’s vocal roots.
Overall, a couple of slips would have marred
the set for anyone who knows the songs better than the band, but the set pumped
from flu-effected start to pump-action finish. Apparently Larry lost his FX-bank in
the first song when his amp-mic fell over, but that’s rock & roll.
Rumblefish score ««««
Thorn were the headline act, but they’ll have to wait for
another time. To see Rumblefish in full flight like that
was worth the $6 alone!!