After 20 years and seven albums, Brian Molko could be forgiven for wanting to change things up a bit. But while throwing a proverbial spanner in the works this late into your career would divide fans, Placebo have done the opposite.
Just as 2013’s Loud Like Love proudly displayed, the London three-piece are content with sticking to their own mold rather than drastically broadening their scope.
Placebo’s live show runs very much in the same vein.
While labelling their ‘sidewave’ performance at the Palais Theatre as ‘predictable’ would be accurate, the negative connotations that can be associated with that phrase would be unkind.
The word ‘reliable’ would perhaps be a more suitable term, depending on your view of how strictly consistent a band should be to their recorded material during a live show.
Because for better or worse that is how Placebo, as a live five-piece, sounded.
That is besides the mid-set ‘Meds’ though, which was bookended by a drawn out pace and suffered from the missing “the sex, the drugs, and the complications” chant that defines the song.
Palais’ seating might have upset the band’s live formula. The large number of sideshows and Melbourne’s lack of large venues forced the choice of the unsuitable gig space, as happens when most big festivals roll into town.
However, Molko quickly drew the audience onto their feet after the opening renditions of ‘B3’ and ‘For What It’s Worth’ so they could “usher in the funk”.
As noted by the tones of sarcasm in the frontman’s voice, the funk did not come, however Placebo did send their trademark gloom-rock reverberating throughout the venue to near perfect consistency.
The only sound issues came earlier in the night during the opening set of Brisbane four-piece Little Scout. The support act were mostly solid, aside from Melissa Tickle’s vocals being somewhat amiss amongst the band for the first half of their set.
The headliners, though, barely put a foot out of step. While much of their set consisted of songs from their seventh album, Loud Like Love, the remainder was filled with the crowd pleasing highlights of their discography.
The likes of ‘The Bitter End’ and ‘Special K’ provided singaalong moments, while their 2006 Meds LP showcased some of their finest work.
Long pigeon-holed as a foreboding band of androgynous tones, ‘Space Monkey’, ‘Blind’, and ‘Post-Blue’ saw Placebo flourish in their own brand.
Molko might have “too many friends” that he’ll never be “there for”, but his band have become a steadfast old companion to their fan base during the two decade run.
Setlist
B3
For What’s Worth
Loud Like Love
Twenty Years
Every You Every Me
Too Many Friends
Scene Of The Crime
A Million Little Pieces
Speak In Tongues
Rob The Bank
Purify
Space Monkey
Blind
Exit Wounds
Meds
Song To Say Goodbye
Special K
The Bitter End
Encore:
Teenage Angst
Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush Cover)
Post Blue
Infra-Red