Posted by kluster on October 19, 2009
How often does a reviewer start off by saying they arrived late and missed half the show? How often does this make them sound like a lame wanker? Well, that’s exactly how this review starts too.
Interestingly enough arriving late to this show didn’t mean one missed all that much. Apparently the set was stopped mid way due to some bogan hurling drinks on stage and involving themselves in fistfights. While The Mess Hall were clearly pissed off, they still gave Melbourne’s East Brunswick Club a fair old shake.
The usual duo added the well-worn rock ‘n’ roll keyboardist Stevie Hesketh to the lineup. Although the ex-Jet member’s rolling arpeggios sometimes detracted from The Mess Hall’s garage roots, he undoubtedly helped fill out their sound. While also adding some flair to the newer, very country-influenced material.
The set was dominated by more recent works (a fact the band repeatedly mentioned), but it was the oldest of their hits that really got the crowd excited. Finishing the two-song encore with ‘Lock and Load’, The Mess Hall managed to get the requesting punter very excited while simultaneously whipping a packed East Brunswick Club into an absolute frenzy. A very fitting close.
Check out this picture and more on the Kluster gallery
the mess hall, east brunswick club, stevie hesketh