Peter Bibby’s Dog Act @ Lynott’s Lounge
w/ Dennis Cometti, Sweat
Saturday July 9, 2022
Peter Bibby’s Dog Act hit up Lynott’s Lounge on Saturday night for the final leg of their national tour in support of their third long-player, Marge. Having been released in 2020, the celebration of Marge has been pushed back several times due to COVID, and so it was with great expectation, and a certain sense of celebratory relief, to see Bibby and co. make it back to Perth in full health and ready to roll.
First up on the night were four-piece Sweat. Following on from their successful self-titled EP launch at The Bird in June, Sweat were, as their name implies, full of energy and fight, powering through a set of raw, punk-ish numbers that recalled equal parts Bikini Kill and Elastica. Frontperson Rosemary Irwin, resplendent in Kappa track pants, was a dynamic stage presence that led the band through set highlights Parking Fine and Sport.
Continuing the sporting theme, Dennis Cometti, named after the GOAT of Australian rules’ commentating, took to the stage next. Changing into their band uniform of AFL jerseys and short shorts on stage to a few cheers from the crowd, the trio wasted little time getting down to business. The audience really warmed to the raucous (I H8 THE) CBD and the anthemic Footy With The Boys saw the first break out of the night of some serious Sparkies-styled dancing on the dance floor.
Fan favourite, Pint Police, was a real high point of the set with its chorus of “Pint Police!” heard throughout the venue, as was the slow rocker On the Sauce from the group’s 2018 EP of the same name. Ending the night, the trio rolled out RTRFM’s most played song of 2020, WAXIT, to the delight of punters.
It was now time for Peter Bibby’s Dog Act to take centre stage, and show West Australian audiences just what exactly they had been missing over the past two years which Bibby acknowledged with his intro “how’s it fucking going? Bloody good to see youse!” The return to West saw a slight change to the touring Act, with drummer “Dirty Dave” Taylor reclaiming his role alongside Bibby and bassist “Strawberry Pete” Gower, while touring drummer and album producer, Mitch McDonald, moved to guitar to add weight to the band’s sound. This increased sonic depth was evident on opener Oceans while the rockabilly punk of Stressed and Fuck Me showcased the sheer tightness of the Act’s rhythm section.
The group temporarily slowed down for the more reflective Your Mum and the more laid back indie-rock of first LP’s Goodbye Johnny before delving into standout Marge track, Whyalla, which came complete with an extended version of Bibby’s half-tribute, half-inspirational speech to just some of the unsung heroes of Whyalla.
Fan favourite Cunt was next before the band left the stage for Bibby to perform the lilting romance Red XF Falcon on his own. This solo effort was by far the tenderest moment of the night, showcasing the emotional heart that sits at the core of the Act’s engine. The band then returned for Medicine, which included a crowd led sing-along before tearing into choice Marge cuts Undereducated and Calcium. To draw the set to a close, the suburban love tale of Craigieburn was a perfect fit with its multiple parts and epic sprawling nature. And with that, the band departed leaving the clear consensus; two years between drinks with Bibby is simply far too long in anyone’s books.
MICHAEL HOLLICK
Photos by Linda Dunjey
