Review: Skegss supported by TOTTY and Mini Skirt at Forum Theatre, Melbourne, July 14th, 2019
No matter how you look at it, the last year has been pretty wild for Byron Bay rockers Skegss. Having released their debut album – My Own Mess – in September, the group added to their hectic touring schedule with a couple of entries in the Hottest 100, before announcing a national tour for July.
Soon enough, demand for the shows grew to wild levels, causing the band to add more dates to their tour, and eventually finding themselves tasked with an ambitious three gigs in two days at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre.
Five months later, the waiting had come to an end, and on July 14th, Skegss took to Melbourne’s Forum Theatre to deliver a mesmerising 18+ show – mere hours after another sold-out gig for the younger crowd.
On paper, the very notion of a Sunday night show by Skegss is a daunting one. After all, they’re a loud, raucous rock band, and one you’d prefer to see in an intimate club show on a Friday night, rather than the grandiose confines of Melbourne’s Forum on a Sunday evening.
However, the school-night gig was not one that deterred the band’s dedicated followers, with their third appearance at the venue in just over 24 hours commanding a line around the block from fans.
Everywhere you looked you were met with Jack Irvine-designed graphics, those now-iconic Thrasher-inspired flames, or other indications that the evening was going to be a powerhouse of intense Aussie rock.
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Check out ‘Up In The Clouds’ by Skegss:
As 8:30pm rolled around, Aussie comedian Aaron Gocs darkened the stage to help fulfil his role as the evening’s MC. After a brief introduction, the sound of D12’s ‘Purple Pills’ filled the air as we welcomed Byron Bay’s Mini Skirt to the stage.
With barely a word to the crowd, the group kicked into an intense set full of garage rock gems, as frontman Jacob Boylan paced around the stage, wrapping the mic lead around him, and belting out lyrics as if he was the frontman to the legendary Eddy Current Suppression Ring.
With clear influences from some of the great post-punk outfits, the four-piece ripped through a far-too short set, throwing down throbbing basslines, pounding rhythms, and slick guitar lines that switched from melodic to gritty at the drop of a hat.
Giving off the air of an unhinged punk outfit, it was clear that they were in full control at all times, ripping through stunning tracks like ‘Dying Majority’ and closing things off with a blistering cover of the The Mekons’ ‘Where Were You’.
With Boylan screaming out the lyrics “do you fucking love me?”, it was clear some in the audience had scored themselves a new favourite band, and indeed were offering up the love that the band were searching for with those final lyrics.
Check out ‘Dying Majority’ by Mini Skirt:
Following a brief comedy routine from Aaron Gocs, the evening kept with its theme of stunning walk-on music, as Alice Cooper’s ‘Feed My Frankenstein’ signalled the arrival of Wollongong outfit TOTTY.
As the P.A. faded out, the sound of rock music soon came blasting from the stage speakers, with the ferocious strains of TOTTY filling the venue. When the stage lights lit up the stage, punters were met with the minimal setup of only guitar, bass, and drums, with the band’s sound sounding far more expansive than their modest setup implied.
Before long, the crowd were hooked on every single sound coming from the band, with crushing chords and powerful vocals helping to prove that alt-rock is far from dead on Aussie stages.
Even despite a ruined speaking voice (three shows in 24 hours will do that to you), vocalist Kelly Jansch managed to power through, dishing out stunning chorus after chorus, with catchy hooks keeping everyone in attendance in awe of what they were seeing.
After topping things off with their latest single ‘Lucky’, the band had clearly won over some of the evening’s crowd, with a few screams of protest soundtracking their exit from the stage.
Needless to say, if TOTTY aren’t your new favourite band after tonight’s show, you clearly weren’t paying attention.
Check out ‘Lucky’ by TOTTY:
While Rubert Holmes’ ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song)’ closed out the trifecta of perfect walk-on tunes, you could tell by the sound of punters singing the band’s songs before they even appeared that Skegss were about to – in clinical terms – get pretty bloody messy.
With rapturous applause greeting their very appearance, the trio looked shocked and humbled by the reception, thanking us for coming out on stage, before a simple “let’s do this” kicked off the riotous sounds of ‘Spring Has Sprung’.
It was hard to believe that barely a minute earlier, the stage was empty, with the mosh pit now looking like more of a war zone than a collective of music lovers. With sweaty limbs sticking at awkward angles, and the red stage light penetrating the smoke machine, this throbbing mess of bodies were looking more like extras from a horror movie as the tune pumped through the speakers.
Moments later, some brief flashes of the house lights actually showed us that punters were sporting grins bigger than the Forum itself, with Skegss’ feel-good tunes clearly doing what they set out to do.
Before long, fans were going hard to the great ‘Smogged Out’ (which felt as though it was making an appearance far too early), while the chorus of “I fucking hate it here” couldn’t be further from the truth for the crowd.
Check out ‘Smogged Out’ by Skegss:
While bassist Toby Cregan joked that we’d all be feeling a bit hungover for the morning, Mini Skirt guitarist Jesse Pumphrey joined the band for a rendition of ‘Need To Do’, while ‘Save It For The Weekend’ served as a taster for the band’s new album.
(For those playing at home, its slick and catchy nature might help Skegss crack the top ten in the 2019 Hottest 100, with fans singing along as if it was already a bonafide anthem.)
As the set continued though, it was clear that there would be a few bruises formed in that wild mosh, with performances of ‘New York California’ undoubtedly making the band feel like rock stars, and their Like A Version rendition of the Pixies’ ‘Here Comes Your Man’ providing singalongs for the alt-rock crowd.
As the evening came to a close with the dazzling trio of ‘Got On My Skateboard’, ‘Up In The Clouds’, and ‘L.S.D.’, it became obvious that literally every song in the Skegss oeuvre is a verified banger, making the band’s shows feel like something of a ‘greatest hits’ set – despite the fact that their debut album isn’t even one year old yet!
Some folks might wonder how a humble group like Skegss could have achieved so much in such a short time, with many likely finding it hard to believe that the band could sell out multiple shows at a venue like The Forum.
However, one listen to their live show proves that they deserve everything they have achieved, with bands three times their age dreaming of pulling off a show like this.
Needless to say, Skegss are one of the most fun live bands you will see anywhere, and any self-respecting music fan should make it their goal to catch them at a venue nearby whenever the chance should arise.
Check out ‘L.S.D.’ by Skegss:
Skegss @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne 14/7/19 Setlist
‘Spring Has Sprung’
‘Infinity’
‘Smogged Out’
‘Mustang’
‘Glow In The Dark’
‘Need To Do’
‘Save It For The Weekend’
‘Road Trip’
‘New York California’
‘My Mind’
‘Here Comes Your Man’ (Pixies cover)
‘Heart Attack’
‘Slayer’
‘Paradise’
‘Got On My Skateboard’
‘Up In The Clouds’
‘L.S.D.’
Skegss National Tour ’19
(Remaning date)
With special guests Aaron Gocs, Totty & Mini Skirt
Saturday, July 27th (Sold Out)Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
