Live Review: Kingswood, Drunk Mums

Melbourne larrikins Drunk Mums, are ocker as. Their unashamedly Aussie accents just ooze station rat, voicing their own smooth take on bogan humour. The disorderly four-piece play tight, no frills Aussie rock.

Before Kingswood themselves materialise, their video montage hits the screen: They are cruisin’ the streets of Melbourne on motorbikes. Event security push punters back to clear the way for the band as they cruise up to the market stage on, you guessed it, motorbikes. As the throbbing bikes are silenced, a brief, awkward pause ensues before Jay-Z’s 99 Problems blasts through the PA. Four rowdy rockers ascend the stage. “We’re really cool, aren’t we?” Singer Fergus Linacre primes the vocal crowd, who mutter back their approval. Launching into a fast rock number, Linacre sways with the microphone and commands the stage. Guitarist Alex Laska begins Suckerpunch with a crunchy octave tone; bassist Jeremy Hunter and drummer Justin Debrincat enter providing ample girth on the crowd-pleaser. Laska makes his way centre stage to rip out an impeccable solo and Linacre shakes his tambourine through the outro. Continuing the stage banter, Linacre announces, “The next song is a sexy dancing song, so I want to see some sexy dancing”. Laska takes the reins on lead vocals with Linacre supplying tight harmonies.

As frantic spotlights scurry across the stage, the boys roll out the pop-rock, spinning it into a summer twist. The band are as changeable as Melbourne’s weather and slip into a sombre song, but their fluidity unravels in its dark, unstable tempo. Laska breaks out solo one, featuring flamboyant hair flicks that are more numerous than the notes he plays. As this lengthy song reaches its second guitar solo, Laska is in his happy place; head back, eyes closed, as the guitar work carries it all home. While completely self-indulgent, Kingswood do not isolate the crowd, who respond enthusiastically to their track. When Debrincat channels Black Sabbath’s hard-hitting anthem Paranoid, the lads wear their influences on their sleeves. The copious head banging continues when QOTSA’s Feel Good Hit Of The Summer is seamlessly mashed into a Kingswood original, which keeps the crowd feeling good. First Aid Kit’s My Silver Lining makes an appearance in a sweet, country-rock fusion that echoes Kings Of Leon. Kingswood give a royal command performance for their hometown homies in honour of Melbourne Music Week.