:: The Mess Hall / The Silents - East Brunswick Club, Victoria - November 2007

By: Mark Rasmussen

Ah gotta love it when we‘re the only state in Australia to receive a public holiday for a horse race. So what better way to celebrate than check out the best live band in the land - The Mess Hall. With a brand new album ready to launch upon us tonight, I'd have to keep my excitement temporarily in check as The Silents took to the stage. From the start these West Australians lacked any venom or punch and their set really did just meander along. Besides the recognisably good track, 'Nightcrawl’, the rest failed to ignite a growing crowd. The lead singer looked about fourteen and the set was same-same simple rock stuff. While there's been a little bit of a build-up for these guys, they weren't the best band to employ to hype a crowd.

Thank God for The Mess Hall. By the time this dynamic duo (though strangely a three piece tonight) took to the stage in front of a packed house - this gig sold out days ago - they came on in typical blistering fashion. First up were new songs ‘Lorelei’ and ‘Pulse’ before favourites ‘Pills’, ‘Disco 2’, ‘Metal & Hair’ and ‘Lock and Load’ really cranked things up.

The new tracks from the album ‘Devil's Elbow’ came off sounding great, with their other songs ‘City of Roses’, ‘Cookie’ and my new fave, ‘Keep Walkin’ working an absolute treat. Although they didn't play as tightly as usual, once the extra player left the stage Jed and Cec really hit their straps. Why they felt they needed a second guitarist tonight is beyond me because when they play as a twosome, there are no better live bands in the land.

With a good mix of songs from their two albums - six from the new one and five from ‘Notes From a Ceiling’ - plus one from their brilliant EP, though I would have liked to also have heard ‘Shake Shake’, it all made for a great night and good way to bring in the public holiday. The set perhaps finished a little too early for most but that's the great thing about The Mess Hall - they always leave the crowd wanting more.

There's a reason why these guys are my favourite Australian band. If you've not seen them live yet, make sure you do the next time they're in town because believe me, there is absolutely none better or more exciting to watch.