MusicJournoCosmic Psychos show!
October 4th 2006 10:36
This is a review I wrote after seeing the Cosmic Psychos play in Sydney late last year. Sadly, the guitarist from the Psychos died just recently, so this was probably the only time I'll ever see them.
I was hanging out to see the Cosmic Psychos (in case you don’t know, they’re the greatest ‘punk’ band to ever come out of Australia, and one of the most genuinely Australian-made garage-rock bands ever) ever since some friends of mine recommended them to me a few years ago. Anyways, between then and now I’ve gathered together all five of their studio albums and salivated profusely over the prospect of seeing them live. Well finally this year they came back to Sydney (I don’t think they’ve been here for 3 years)… I was all primed to go watch them. Unfortunately the band I’m in had a show on and duty called, so I had to just forget about.
Fortunately I happened to be in a band with the mighty Cameron. We played this show and it turned out to be pretty empty and shit but because we played first and the Psychos’ show was nearby… well, it was a possibility. And Cam seemed to make it his mission to make sure I got to the show. If it was down to me, I wouldn’t have bothered, but Cam is such an awesome guy and he wouldn’t hear of it and if it were biologically possible I’d have his babies as a thanks for his valiant efforts… so anyways, we bolted after we played and we made it to the venue before they played.
Unfortunately it was sold out. We scoped out the back and our chances of sneeking in, but it was impossible. I got lucky though, some dude sold me a moshtix card for $20. Easily worth it. I was worried the card would be a scam but it worked out fine. I had to run back out to get some money from the ATM - cause you can't watch the Psychos without enjoying a beer. It's like going to catholic church and not having the sacrament - ie. I'm sure it's fine, but it's just not the same. I had a great spot to watch the Psychos too. And fuck me - they were excellent.
They kicked off with 'Pub' and everyone started cutting sick. I needed to take a piss and I held out for five songs... I seriously considered just taking my dick out and pissing on the floor. That’s not hyperbole, I wasn’t completely sober and my adrenalin levels were high enough for me to consider it. No one would've known. Except me. I caved (afraid that someone would feel me drizzling on their leg and would act out on me somewhat unappreciatively as a result) and went to the toilet when the Psychos played one of two songs I didn't recognise. I lost my spot but I managed to squeeze another decent vantage point in on my re-entrance (this was sold out remember, about 150-200 people I'm estimating all jammed into this tiny room, it was fucking hot and smelly). The Psychos also played 'Rip n Dig', 'Go the Hack', 'Dead Roo', 'I'm Up You're Out', ‘She’s a Lost Cause’, 'Back in Town' and 'Rabbits'. I was hoping they'd play 'Loser' and 'Elle' as well but I got 'Dead Roo' so I was fairly satisfied. They didn't play much off their last two albums I don't think, so 'Chainsaw' was a no-go either (dammit). They finished but the crowd wouldn't let 'em go. The sound guy had to stop packing up their stuff so they could do an encore, and they fully cut sick again with 'Hooray Fuck'. They were gonna do one more but the Meanies and the P.A. guy got a bit miffed I think and wouldn't let 'em... what a bunch of cunts. Fuck the Meanies, I like 'em and they'd be great to watch, but seriously - as if the Psychos aren't a million times better and more worthy. Biggest spinout of the night - Australian theatrical icon and actor John Waters (Breaker Morant, Play School, Homicide, Looking through a Glass Onion, etc, etc) was there, about 50 odd years old, in an indie-rock style suit, rocking out to the Psychos, right out the front, punching the air and singing along. Oh man, it was so great.
Anyway, after that I hotfooted it back to the Metro (I’d like to see the Meanies but I felt obligated to at least watch the last band at the show we’d played). I hear the Psychos have a new album coming out in 2006 so hopefully they’ll come back to Sydney – and oh man, it will be awesome. I don’t get to watch many shows aside from the ones I play it (and I’m not usually the biggest fan of these sort of shows) so I think I’d have to dub this show my ‘show of the year’.
I was hanging out to see the Cosmic Psychos (in case you don’t know, they’re the greatest ‘punk’ band to ever come out of Australia, and one of the most genuinely Australian-made garage-rock bands ever) ever since some friends of mine recommended them to me a few years ago. Anyways, between then and now I’ve gathered together all five of their studio albums and salivated profusely over the prospect of seeing them live. Well finally this year they came back to Sydney (I don’t think they’ve been here for 3 years)… I was all primed to go watch them. Unfortunately the band I’m in had a show on and duty called, so I had to just forget about.
Fortunately I happened to be in a band with the mighty Cameron. We played this show and it turned out to be pretty empty and shit but because we played first and the Psychos’ show was nearby… well, it was a possibility. And Cam seemed to make it his mission to make sure I got to the show. If it was down to me, I wouldn’t have bothered, but Cam is such an awesome guy and he wouldn’t hear of it and if it were biologically possible I’d have his babies as a thanks for his valiant efforts… so anyways, we bolted after we played and we made it to the venue before they played.
Unfortunately it was sold out. We scoped out the back and our chances of sneeking in, but it was impossible. I got lucky though, some dude sold me a moshtix card for $20. Easily worth it. I was worried the card would be a scam but it worked out fine. I had to run back out to get some money from the ATM - cause you can't watch the Psychos without enjoying a beer. It's like going to catholic church and not having the sacrament - ie. I'm sure it's fine, but it's just not the same. I had a great spot to watch the Psychos too. And fuck me - they were excellent.
They kicked off with 'Pub' and everyone started cutting sick. I needed to take a piss and I held out for five songs... I seriously considered just taking my dick out and pissing on the floor. That’s not hyperbole, I wasn’t completely sober and my adrenalin levels were high enough for me to consider it. No one would've known. Except me. I caved (afraid that someone would feel me drizzling on their leg and would act out on me somewhat unappreciatively as a result) and went to the toilet when the Psychos played one of two songs I didn't recognise. I lost my spot but I managed to squeeze another decent vantage point in on my re-entrance (this was sold out remember, about 150-200 people I'm estimating all jammed into this tiny room, it was fucking hot and smelly). The Psychos also played 'Rip n Dig', 'Go the Hack', 'Dead Roo', 'I'm Up You're Out', ‘She’s a Lost Cause’, 'Back in Town' and 'Rabbits'. I was hoping they'd play 'Loser' and 'Elle' as well but I got 'Dead Roo' so I was fairly satisfied. They didn't play much off their last two albums I don't think, so 'Chainsaw' was a no-go either (dammit). They finished but the crowd wouldn't let 'em go. The sound guy had to stop packing up their stuff so they could do an encore, and they fully cut sick again with 'Hooray Fuck'. They were gonna do one more but the Meanies and the P.A. guy got a bit miffed I think and wouldn't let 'em... what a bunch of cunts. Fuck the Meanies, I like 'em and they'd be great to watch, but seriously - as if the Psychos aren't a million times better and more worthy. Biggest spinout of the night - Australian theatrical icon and actor John Waters (Breaker Morant, Play School, Homicide, Looking through a Glass Onion, etc, etc) was there, about 50 odd years old, in an indie-rock style suit, rocking out to the Psychos, right out the front, punching the air and singing along. Oh man, it was so great.
John Waters
Anyway, after that I hotfooted it back to the Metro (I’d like to see the Meanies but I felt obligated to at least watch the last band at the show we’d played). I hear the Psychos have a new album coming out in 2006 so hopefully they’ll come back to Sydney – and oh man, it will be awesome. I don’t get to watch many shows aside from the ones I play it (and I’m not usually the biggest fan of these sort of shows) so I think I’d have to dub this show my ‘show of the year’.
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Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
I have a urine related story about the Psychos too. It was one of my first gigs as a young'un and the band were playing with Magic Dirt (when they were awesome) and Fur and Strutter at an old church that used to be the Chelsea here in Brisbane but is now called the Rev. I went to take a piss in the stall because I've got a bashful bladder but someone was in there and I was about to piss myself so I went to the trough and was trying to take a piss next to Bill Walsh, the drummer from the Psychos. I couldn't piss and Bill was looking at me like I was some sort of freak which made me nervous and somehow I managed to drop my bus ticket in the piss trough. I was pretty ripped at this stage so I bent down to pick it out of there with piss all over it because I couldn't afford a cab home. I ended up going back to the stall when it became vacant, but my dignity was next to non-existent by that stage.
I think that's the kind of drunken shenanigans that a Cosmic Psychos show is all about.
Comment by Luke
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