with Gold Member
Metro City, Perth
Friday, November 18, 2016
It’s a Friday night and Northbridge is well and truly buzzing. Australia’s most exciting band, Sticky Fingers, are playing Metro City, a two and a half thousand capacity 90’s rave club that serves as the pinnacle gig of many local bands’ careers.
Latest Album, Westway (The Glitter and the Slums) debuted at #1 on the album charts, containing arguably their strongest work to date. With the show and accompanying tour sold out you’d need a pretty good reason to dispute this lot being the biggest band in Oz right now.
With lines of punters spreading around the block early on chanting StiFi numbers, flasks in hand, you could smell the anticipation. History says you never quite know what to expect from these boys in the live setting, with stories of mayhem and vice as synonymous as the bands distinctive reggae-rock music. But tonight they sent all the sceptics packing. This was euphoria en masse.
Sydney’s Gold Member opened the evening and set the pace of the night, exciting the swelling crowd with their whacky blend of electro-skank-hop.
Straight off the bat Sticky Fingers had the audience in uproar, hanging off the venue’s rails, dancing and bellowing every lyric in tune with frontman Dylan Frost’s shamanic croon. Sad Songs was the early highlight, a mammoth tune that’s both uplifting and introspective, showcasing bassist Paddy Cornwall’s expert command of indie groove. And what a star that guy is – the new haircut resembling a rare Liam Gallagher/Bon Scott hybrid.
In fact, the whole band oozed charisma and capability with Frost out the front confidently leading a gang of individuals. Guitarist Seamus Coyle kept the licks coming with impeccable solos while drummer Beaker Best nailed every pulsating rhythm leaving keyboardist Freddy Crabs to wrap it all up with his trademark flourishes. The sound was impressive; the road team behind the scenes definitely deserve a mention.
The hits came fast with Caress Your Soul, Gold Snafu, Liqourlip Loaded Gun and the modern classic Australia Street all rapturously received.
One by One and Our Town got airings and even Rum Rage got an outing. With the crowd demanding an encore the best was saved until last with a near-naked Freddy Crabs proceeding to leap into the crowd upon a giant inflatable crayfish, biceps adorned with children’s floaties. You can’t make this shit up.
Journos often name check StiFi as the new Cold Chisel but if they carry on like this, with the tunes to match the swagger, they may even eclipse them. They’re certainly defining the lives of many young Australians. The riffs are sexy-as-fuck, the swagger contagious and the lads sound tighter than they ever have. The booze, drugs, sex and chaos still swirl around them, but now it seems they’re masters of their destiny.
BEN JAMES
Photos by Mikaela James Photography
