The Hungry Kids of Hungary are a band that I’ve always managed to miss in action when they’ve toured through Adelaide. Funnily enough, the last time they were here, I found myself drunkenly dancing to Devo and Rage Against the Machine with HKOH’s Dean McGrath, when the band partied on in town post-gig. So understandably, I was keen on actually seeing this bunch of musicians play a full show. Playing The Gov as part of The Final Escapades Tour, the crowd which had already assembled shortly after doors had opened, showed there was a good portion of Adelaide’s punters here whose attention was focused on the bands to take the stage, not some British couple who were tying the knot halfway across the globe.

The first support act for the night came in the form of Sydney’s Andy Bull. Opening with the pleading "My Street", Bull’s silky vocals gradually caught the attention of the large crowd. Having seen Bull play a more intimate show at the Grace Emily Hotel near the end of 2010, tonight’s show really showcased facets of Bull’s talent as a musician that I hadn’t really caught a full grasp on the previous time. Performing alongside Slow Down Honey's Alex Bennison and also an added drummer, Andy Bull fought the bad sound quality which comes along with playing The Gov to win people over. Treating the all-ages crowd to his brilliant Like a Version cover of the 1985 Tears For Fears hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and some refreshing new material, Bull closed the set by highlighting his freakish vocal talent through "Nothing To Lose".

By the time Bull had exited and the stage had been reset, the people inside The Gov had grown considerably in number and it was clear that drinks were flowing steadily and the audio failures which would continue to plague the other sets didn’t impose too much on what seemed like a fun night out. When Perth’s The Chemist broke out into their guitar heavy fusion of indie-rock, it was amusing to see the reactions of the first few rows - which were predominantly teenage girls. Having found some comfort in the dulcet and crooning quality of Andy Bull’s performance, the looks of sheer awe and swoons upon being shocked out of their haze by The Chemist was priceless. The frenzied and erratic nature of this band’s music could be seen throughout the set, which as I found out later, was mostly raw new material. In Ben Witt’s vocals there was something a little bit unnerving which I’ve found refreshing each time I’ve seen these guys play. Keys man James Ireland took multiple instrument duties once more, furiously playing the tambourine (I saw the blisters he was rewarded with as a result) as well as showcasing his skill on the keyboard. For a band that comes across as relatively quiet, it’s always a great time to see them let loose and get chaotic onstage.

I was outside in the beer garden when the Hungry Kids emerged onstage, it was actually better to listen to the music outside the venue than inside and amongst the crowd, as I found out. Playing tunes off their acclaimed debut album Escapades, the Brisbane four-piece let loose on the Adelaide crowd with their feisty indie-pop. With tonight being the third gig on a month long tour, I could tell that the band was still at that stage in the tour where they were just enjoying what they did to the maximum. Although the bands are driving around the country, the Hungry Kids of Hungary didn’t seem worn out in the least; Kane Mazlin and Dean McGrath lead the band in powerful harmonies and vocal work. A definite highlight was when Andy Bull returned to perform "Last Waltz" with the band, the song which they had collaborated on to be featured on Bull's The Phantom Pains EP. If anything, the live collaboration showcased the outstanding calibre of Australian musicians on the scene at the moment. The hits "Wristwatch" and "Coming Around" prompted the most crowd reaction and it was only taken to another level when the band returned with a surprisingly entertaining cover of the Smashing Pumpkins tune "1979".

The vibrancy the band brought with them extended further than just the stage on which they stood; even though I wasn’t in amongst the crowd, the satisfied and excited expressions on the people’s faces as the venue began closing for the night proved that they got what they wanted.