Here Comes The Rooster @ The Aardvark
w/ Queen Hyena, Unicorn, and Them Spacey Dogs
Saturday, September 4
Here Comes The Rooster have graced our ears and stages since 2017 with their distinct style of rock and two self-titled EPs. Now two years after their last recording, the local rockers released their newest EP, Godzilla Illa Illa, which is a fine slice of rock packed with catchy melodies.
In celebration, Here Comes The Rooster’s EP Launch had a distinct theme, hosted at The Aardvark and accompanied by other rock bands with animal-themed names.
The night started with Queen Hyena rocking the stage. They were unapologetic as they played on stage and danced wildly, but together, drowning in their own fun. They swayed across the stage, threw their heads back, hunched over their instruments, and spun as if they weren’t being watched. Their style of rock is like them; punk, passionate and filled with energy.
Next on the stage was Unicorn, who were a little more chilled but just as passionate as the last performers. The songs had an angsty tone to them with plenty of hooks thrown in, and young revellers were front and centre fist-pumping the air to their garage pop-rock sound.
Here Comes the Rooster brought the entire crowd to the front. The set started with a slow but steady build-up with Well Maybe, Yea hyping up the crowd. By the time they played Probation, the people were standing chest to back, shoulder to shoulder, from corner to wall.
The EP tracks shone through in the band’s polished performance, and they even threw in some new tracks which were a pleasure to hear. The front of house sound was bang on for their set, mixing every element of the band perfectly in a tight cohesive sound. The highlights of their performance were EP single Deadline and George Costanza, a live-only fan favourite.
To finish the night Them Spacey Dogs stepped up, albeit a little late due to technical issues, which resulted in cutting out one song out of their performance. Despite this, the group proved that good music doesn’t always need lyrics – just zeal, emotion, rhythm and shredding guitars!
Here Comes The Rooster’s EP launch was a really great night and stood as a testament to show that live original gigs are still alive and kicking, drawing solid attendance and showcasing high-quality homegrown talent.
KWANWOO HAN
Photos by Adrian Thomson
