The reason for Tone Deaf to be here to see Kyuss Lives on a Sunday night can be attributed to criminally underrated local band The Fauves. Late in 1996 The Fauves guest programmed an episode of Rage and Andy Cox’s preamble to Kyuss video for “One Inch Man” resonated in such a way that it necessitated the purchase of one of Kyuss’ CD’s. Coxy said at the time that listening to Kyuss made him feel like a man, and such was Kyuss’ influence on The Fauves, that they wrote a song about them, “Understanding Kyuss”.
Kyuss disbanded in 1995, so Kyuss literally haven’t visited our shores for 26 years. The shows sold out months in advance, so The Metro was bursting from its majestic seams, with punters filling every level, crevice and viewing space imaginable.
From the moment Brant Bjork starts pummelling his skins, to opener “Spaceship Landing” the speakers are vibrating with an epic volume that is louder than fuck, just the way we need to hear influential stoner rock/metal pioneers Kyuss Lives, and the crowd are in for an unforgettable night. The punters nod their head in appreciation, whilst other members make their way onto the stage; Nick Oliveri on Bass, John Garcia on lead vocals and guitar virtuoso Bruno Fevery, making Josh Homme’s absence unnoticeable.
The precedent is set, and from now on it’s a non-stop orgy of note perfect, dirty stoner metal. This is the best way to see Kyuss Lives- in the flesh. Their recorded material doesn’t do justice to the awe inspiring sound scapes that are being created tonight. Hits flow forth in quick succession, “Hurricane”, “One Inch Man” and “Asteroid” are highlights, but it’s hard to choose from chestnuts punctuated with Bruno Fevery’s Wah Wah effects pedal, Bjork’s machine gun drumming, Oliveri’s gargantuan bass lines, and John Garcia’s bone crunching vocals. Garcia doesn’t address the crowd directly until about an hour in, saying they really appreciate them coming tonight, but no one seems to mind the lack of between song banter- the songs speak for themselves.
Atmospheric lighting on stage enhances the theatrical effect, and the aroma of jazz cigarettes permeates the upper levels. After “100 degrees”, Kyuss Lives leave the stage, only to return for 2 encores; featuring “Molten Universe”, “Allen’s Wrench” and then “Green Machine” for the second encore. This is definitely up there with the top 5 gigs of the year, and unlike Coxy, females might not necessarily feel like a man after watching Kyuss, but after seeing this mind blowing gig, everyone knows what he meant.
– Anna Megalogenis
