MONGREL COUNTRY

CD LAUNCH

Hyde Park Front Bar
Friday, October 23, 2009

As far as openers go, Bonehouse did a cracker job on Friday night. On first take it may appear the act has a very straightforward pub rockin’ sound, but on closer inspection there is a subtle interaction happening between two very distinct sounds. Firstly, there is frontman Brocknroll Bonehouse on vocals, a la Jello Biafra circa-1980, in a more relaxed, booze-swilling way. Which is hard to pull off, especially considering there is a layer underneath with less punk modes, but more a blues-rock feel. The very cool sounds of BRMC-type driving chords finish it off nicely.

Although, if you wanted a little punk, you certainly got it, with a guitar being thrown and smashed at the end of the set in true rock fashion. It wasn’t a prop either and the head was snapped clean off, like a turkey at Christmas.

So if you’re not into unexpected, spontaneous acts of rock, then you would be downright uncomfortable during The Bible Bashers. For those of us that like it raw though, this is a visually hyper-happening experience. It’s not usual that anyone would admit being terrified during a rock show, but with Laith Tyranny on vocals, there were a couple of frightened looks. Especially from the older gentlemen up the front of the bar, who got more than they bargained for when Laith deep-throated the microphone, both impressive in technique and gusto.

The music is fairly hyperactive to match, and retro rock hasn’t looked so scary or entertaining in Perth for a while… sort of like The Birthday Party on crack. Hopefully punters are grateful to catch a frontman who gives his all throughout an entire performance.

Sharing the night with their own CD launch was Cat Black, presenting their latest offering, Love Is Gone. Sometimes when a group kicks off, they are so evidently talented that people automatically start gravitating closer to the stage (or stage area in the Hydey’s case). Cat Black has this ability and it is no secret this is, at least in part, due to the darkly beautiful and captivating vocals of ‘Emma’.

The band, lyrics and vocals complement each other so well, being moody and soulful but unafraid to rock out with a low-down, bluesy force. Cat Black may wear some influences on their sleeve, but they are not over the top and have a cool, alternative blend of onstage personalities to counter.

If Cat Black reeled ’em in – then Mongrel Country knocked ’em out. At this point, the front room was completely packed out with a pit forming at the front of stage. It’s no wonder, with Mongrel Country’s signature double percussion as an awesome force, feeding a frenzy of crazed mountain fiends, guzzling back the twisted sensation like moonshine. The Deliverance references don’t stop there; on entering the gig there was the opportunity to enter a draw to win a trademark mutated pig mask. Different and discordant as they are, Mongrel Country still maintain rock’n’roll accessibility which allows a crowd to really let loose. And even if you just want to sit back a watch, Mongrel Country are an exciting band to witness.

By the end of the set, there was a stream of punters coming out for air; completely satisfied and wanting a weird pig mask. Punters were spilling out onto the pavement after an intense shared experience... and what happens in the woods – stays in the woods.

Moonlight Wranglers wrapped up the night like a whiskey nightcap. The group matched the genres well and pulled off their place in the night, as the few remaining punters relaxed, enjoyed the set and got their breath back. In fact, the entire gig was put together so well, in a concerted effort to showcase some dark, seething, unnerving parts of rock in Perth, as well as some damn fine pig masks.

_LAURA GLITSOS