If there was any doubt that the Australian live music scene was back, it was well and truly blasted out of the water by Perth fivesome Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ explosive gig at Sydney’s Factory Theatre as part of Jack Daniel’s and Secret Sounds Live At Last tour.
As the doors opened and the Jack Daniels began to flow, the eager crowd were given a taste of what was to come in the form of support act, Sydney garage rockers The Buoys, whose infectiously enthusiastic performance served as the perfect appetiser for the Perth-based Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.
Following The Buoys’ epic performance, the Crumpets then took the stage, quickly sending the crowd into full-throttle as punters moshed and crowd surfed their way through the band’s set, which included fan favourites “Keen For Kick Ons?” and “Acid Dent”, releasing the tension that had no doubt built up after two years of a subdued live music scene.
Rounding up the energetic set was the crowd-pleaser “Cornflake”, which had the audience exploding into one final mosh party that had the boys going out with a bang.
Seeing the group in all their glory, it’s clear that relentless live shows prior to lockdown have allowed the Crumpets to hone their talents on the live stage and grow their profile as a presence on the local scene, with the hungry crowd having a ball as they rocked out to the group’s heavy, sweaty music.
Their electric live performances truly embody what it is to see a rock ‘n’ roll show, and according to member Luke Parish, creating such an atmosphere for their live shows is a critical element of what it means to be the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets.
“I feel there are two elements to the band,” Parish explained to Rolling Stone Australia of what could be the group’s mission statement. “I think the live show is its own thing entirely. A lot of the recordings are almost unachievable live. The live show is bringing all the energy of the records to people in the best way you can. It’s like two projects. You’ve got one recording project, and then the live thing is like a whole other project altogether.
“I’d say there’d be two different mission statements, which is making stuff sound really good in the studio, and then putting on the highest energy level set you can without going to hospital.”
Their first run of East Coast shows in two-and-a-half years come just after the April 22nd release of the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ fifth album, Night Gnomes, with guitarist and vocalist Jack McEwan calling it the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ equivalent to Radiohead’s Kid A/Amnesiac left turn.
“When we were doing SHYGA!, it was so pumped up from the previous tours,” McEwan told Rolling Stone Australia. “With Night Gnomes, we were very much settled in quarantine in Perth. We just wanted to make some songs that were nicer, a bit more melodic.”
Fresh off their latest shows, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are also set to premiere Levitation Sessions, a concert film and live album recorded at the Gnomesville tourist attraction in south-western WA. McEwan wanted to optimise the listening experience on Night Gnomes, but Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are still in their element as a live act.
“Just hearing [Levitation Sessions] back, hearing the mixes, you’re like, ‘Oh, actually, these songs are playable live,’” he says. “I just feel a little bit more confident, and I feel like we’re just such a better band in terms of musicianship.
“I’m pumped to go away again and play some shows.”
In addition to Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Jack Daniel’s Live At Last tour also included shows from Pond in Maroochydore, San Cisco in Brisbane, and Ruby Fields in Melbourne.
Proceeds from Jack Daniel’s Live At Last ticket sales are going to Support Act, the music industry charity that provides crisis relief services to musicians, managers, crew, and other industry personnel.
