The Murlocs, Beans @ The Gov, Adelaide 28/4/2023
Adelaide has been well and truly spoilt for choice in terms of live music over the last couple of weeks. One that could have easily flown under the radar could of been Melbourne indie rockers The Murlocs. Six albums in and formed back in 2010 and they continue to build their illustrious career. There is that much creativity running through the veins of this band it isn’t funny. So much so that drummer Matt Blach went back to back opening with his other band Beans who were freaking incredible. Not knowing one iota about this Garage-Psych band called Beans I’m on a mission to find out more. The highlights from their impressive set was singles Groove, Comfortable and the Edwyn Collins cover A Girl Like You. It’s an awesome thing to walk away from a show like this with potentially my new favourite band.
The Murlocs have really come in to their own in recent times and whilst some might say that this could be perceived as a side project given that Ambrose Kenny-Smith and Craig Cook are kept well busy with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard I think that would be disingenuous. Their newish album Rapscallion has seen a much tighter and concise sound which has translated in to their live show and if their new music from forthcoming album Calm Ya Farm, due next month, is anything to go by there is some genuine reason for excitement.
It was a fiercely loyal and die hard supporter crew at The Gov to see The Murlocs, It would be have great to see a few more there to experience this show. It was off to a cracking start with Living Under a Rock. Both Virgin Criminal and Wickr Man were stellar with front man Ambrose Kenny-Smith acknowledging it had been a while since they were last in Adelaide. Their set debuted new songs Initiative, Undone and Ashamed and Queen Pinky. Pick of the bunch from the new album for me played on this very night was Russian Roulette. Hot damn! Fans should get excited as those songs were killer.
As you would expect a good chunk of the set list focused on newish album Rapscallion with the likes of Subsidiary, Bellarine Ballerina, Bowlegged Beautiful and Bobbing and Weaving really standing out. What If ? was about one of those moments of waking up in the middle of the night wondering that exact question… what if! After Comfort Zone made the interesting comment that they were a Credence rip off band, maybe a tad harsh. The remainder of the set returned to more familiar territory with Compos Mentis, Growing Mentis, Skyrocket, Reassurance and making a barnstorming finish with Rolling On. Great show!
Live Review By Rob Lyon