Those longnecks went down well

It’s not often that a high profile band will give up the opportunity to entertain under a widely know name that is revered by their loyal fans. However this is exactly what Melbourne legends The Living End have been doing in recent years while playing under the pseudonym The Longnecks. This disguise has given them the freedom to play material off their upcoming albums to smaller and more intimate crowds. Despite this subterfuge their recent gig at Ruby’s Lounge was sold out which only goes to show that their renown still preceeds them no matter where they go.

Turning up to Ruby’s at 9.30 I assumed that I had missed the support bands and was all set to catch The Longnecks in action. I was therefore surprised to catch the remaining few songs from the first support band of the night She’s The Driver. While this two piece act delivered moody slightly generic rock it still managed to get me tapping my toes.

I’m still not sure how to pronounce their name but next on the bill was Yves Klein Blue. This four piece shaggy haired band from Brisbane has only been played together just over a year but it certainly didn’t show during their set that mixed elements of indie rock/pop with a slight rockabilly vibe. A couple of songs containing jamming guitar riffs and keyboard accompaniment started to get the crowd going but before I knew it their short and entertaining set was over.

After a long wait loyal fans still hadn’t decided whether to start chanting for The Longnecks or The Living End and instead opted to cheer when the signature upright bass was dragged onto the stage. Another 15 minutes later they finally appeared to a rousing reception and burst straight into a couple of new and untitled songs off their upcoming album. While the first few had everyone jumping around, it wasn’t long before everyone just settled back to see what else they would pull out of the bag.

There was plenty of songs that had instant radio hit written all over them including 21st Century, Kid and Loaded Gun. Nearly all of the new material hit the mark with great AC/DC style rock riffs mixed with Living End own signature style. They also played a few untitled tracks including an Anzac themed song and another with a galloping beat, that got the crowd going. Their most catchy number (Suzy?) had everyone chanting the chorus of ‘Come On, Come On’ with fists raised in the air. There was plenty more crowd participation when bassist Scott Owen announced it was his birthday which resulted in the audience singing the loudest happy birthday song I’ve ever heard.

My favorite song of the night was called Rats (keep your ears open and your teeth clear). As Chris stated, this song sounded simliar to The Room which was released way back in 2003 when fellow Melbourne band Jet were still huge. The rumbling bass line and ebb and flow style gave this song an epic sound that stuck in my head long after the gig had finished.

Other highlights of the set included a free form hillbilly jam session that incorporated aspects of rock, blues, jazz and ska. They successfully played off one another to great effect and highlighted how tightly knit the band were. There was also plenty of solo opportunities that allowed each member to shine.

Chris Cheney’s renowned guitar playing skills were showcased when he carried out his patented trick of strumming the frets with a full beer bottle, which he then polished off and sprayed into the crowd. At one stage he also jumped on Scott’s upright bass guitar and they both proceded to belt out some tunes to great applause.

Thankfully they were only joking when they said they wouldn’t be playing any of their old material as they closed their set with classics Roll On and West End Riot. These oldies proved as popular as they were 5 years ago and had everyone in the venue bouncing up and down with their hands in the air shouting every lyric.

After The Longnecks intimate and fantastic 1 ½ hour set I cant wait to hear their new album in full. Here’s hoping that it goes multi platinum and wins five #1 singles as Chris has said the bands next step will be to take over the world.