Highly Suspect, The Nicoteenagers @ Max Watts, Melbourne 3/12/2024
It’s Good Things Festival week and the delectable smorgasbord of quality shows to go through is a complete head spinner. Spoilt for choice on a muggy Tuesday night in Melbourne, three days before the opening day of the festival, I plump for the Americans Highly Suspect.
The named ‘sideshows’ are always top value. Sometimes at festivals you can be far away or a clash occurs, so when you get the international acts in nice cosy venues, there’s something magical, something old school, something intimate and tonight is no exception.
These sideshows often give a local band a chance to have their name out there too and tonight it’s The Nicoteenagers.
There’s is a retro old school 70’s charm to them. On the back of new single Into The Fade, the fuzz infected by funk guitars and groove are a pleasant if short start to the evening.
As the set wears on, the rhythm really does get you and those on the floor enjoy what’s being served up, or Mixed Up, which is one of the bands bluesy distorted sonic delights.
Highly Suspect, come out with a Bath Salts, a bluesy number that everyone is singing along. The leather jacket from guitarist Matt Kofos is ditched as the club gets hot. It won’t be the last garment discarded from the rock n roller this evening as fire reigns down.
Singer Johnny Stevens voice is soulful and when he solos during Mexico, well, that boy has the devil in his fingers that you pass by the percussion being played by Kofos as normal behaviour.
The band style sits predominately in bluesy rock however a heavy reggae influence and old school punk bubble at the surface. Taking of influence, who else picked up on the Mad Max reference? Nice touch.
Stevens is great frontman, not only is his voice gravel and worn, matching the style, he’s charming and jigs around the stage while playing the blues like John L Hooker.
Lydia is greeted to huge cheers and the crowd lead the singing. Having slayed New Zealand last week, it seems the next stage on the bands Antipodean crusade has Australia under their spell.
The setlist never falters, whether is straight ahead punk, a jam session of blues or an ethereal and atmospheric experience that momentarily shifts you somewhere else, this set from Highly Suspect was top notch.
I’ll be frank, I didn’t quite know what to expect, it’s been some time between Aussie drinks for the band, however I was surprised by just how great they were. The time flew by and Adelaide get them tomorrow. This guy though will be making a beeline for the bands Good Things Festival set come this Friday.
Live Review By Iain McCallum