Live Review: Japandroids, Velociraptor

It's a slightly reconfigured version of local behemoth Velociraptor which greets early arrivals tonight but the eight-piece still make a thunderous racket, somehow tougher-edged than before but still displaying plenty of their trademark verve and catchiness as they kick off with the evergreen Hey Suzanne and older track Oh Yeah. Energetic Frontman Jeremy Neale resembles a greaser in leather jacket and cap and this look suits the new sonic direction, the four guitars now sounding slightly more punk than garage, while the band's live show is as arresting as ever. Riot and Walk On By both make an appearance, and Julien James takes over the vocal reins for raucous renditions of Mystery Man and Do The Ruby, before the wide-eyed and fervent Neale returns to the fore and they close a typically fun-filled set with old chestnuts Cynthia and In The Springtime.

The stage soon goes from full to empty and is effectively dismantled – the drum riser tonight relegated to a repository for speakers, amps and cases – as Vancouver two-piece Japandroids get ready for their first ever club show in these parts (following their inaugural visit for Laneway Festival earlier this year). The massive crowd goes nuts as guitarist Brian King makes an impassioned plea over the intro of Press Corps for the crowd to “fire up!”, before he and drummer David Prowse power into the anthemic and unifying Adrenaline Nightshift. The pair are in perfect sync from the get-go, smashing through the discordant The Boys Are Leaving Town and the pummelling Fire's Highway like their lives depend on it. King handles the bulk of the vocals but the supporting “oohs” and “ahs” from Prowse flesh the sound out wonderfully, and they continue with the brooding Art Czars before King begs again for audience participation and the throng don't let him down, nearly singing the roof off for The Nights Of Wine And Roses. Proswse offers hometown homage Rockers East Vancouver, before King dedicates Younger Us to Laneway and they follow-up with Wet Hair and a slightly restrained Evil's Sway. They dust off Crazy/Forever and explain that it's a bit of a live rarity – they're clearly pumped to be in the home stretch of 18-months touring last year's Celebration Rock album and are up for a bit of fun – and segue it into Sovereignty before dropping the pace significantly for Continuous Thunder. After I Quit Girls King gets into the spirit of Father's Day by throwing down some awful, albeit well-intentioned 'dad jokes', before they lift the intensity another notch with Young Hearts Spark Fire and the catchy clap-along The House The Heaven Built. They spruik once more how stoked they are at the reception for their first tour before offering a brilliant finale with a version of The Gun Club's For The Love Of Ivy, the night ending with the band and crowd all united in mass jubilation, arms upraised and grins galore.