Celebrating the long awaited release of their debut self-titled album, Brisbane monolith Velociraptor are currently touring the country with Sydney’s Bloods, and Friday night took them to Sydney’s Newtown Social Club (formerly The Sandringham Hotel, for those playing a home) for a show that happened to coincide with their Album Release Date (read our review of the record HERE).
Sydney trio Bloods were well into their set when I arrived – which unfortunately meant I missed Spookyland and Paul Conrad who opened up the night. But the home town crowd treated them well, serving forth their usual amount of great energy which the crowd seemed happy to deliver right back to them.
As Velociraptor hit the stage, the crowd surged forward and got their dancing shoes on for an evening of rambunctious rock and roll. The first thing you noticed is that the group were playing as a paltry seven piece, thanks in part to Simon and Shane from DZ Deathrays touring Europe and the UK – including this weekend’s appearances at Leeds and Reading Festivals (on ya!). With up to seven dozen members* on stage in past experiences, it may have been a stripped back version of the group, but it was no less energetic nor entertaining. Though I never turn down an experience with an array of some 235 guitars*.
“Hey Suzanne” came early, one of their old favourites, as did another oldie-but-a-goodie in “The Walk On By” and “Riot”, which sees frontman Jeremy Neale channel Pele from The Hives in an explosion of energy. An explosion which is made all the more impressive when they have 235 guitars* on the stage – but I digress. Jeremy isn’t the only man to channel his inner rock star frontman mojo throughout the set, with drummer Jesse Hawkins switching places with Neale for a track, as does guitarist Julien James for another. Both had winning screams and excellent rock and roll mojo.
There was plenty of their latest album thrown into the mix, and the new tracks blended in perfectly to their self-attested “greatest hits”. The grungier “Leeches” was a standout, as was “The Right to Call You”. “Monster Mash” was claimed to be their most emotional song on the record, and Sweetie from Bloods helped out on backing vocals. Ending things up with their more recent single “Ramona” along with some other fan favourites, the audience joined the band on the stage to help bring the night to an end.
Indeed, with their debut self-titled LP now released, and the crowd up on the stage, it all felt something of a victory for a band who call themselves an “admin nightmare”. With dozens of members* and thousands of guitars*, it’s of little surprise. But this seven piece version – none the less complicated, nor impressive that all of them manage to show up as it is – simply know how to get it done. And tonight was no exception.
Great success!
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Velociraptor perform at The Brightside in Brisbane next, on the 29th of August, before playing the following remaining dates of their national album launch tour. Velociraptor is in stores and online now.
Saturday 30th August – The Cooly Hotel, Coolangatta
Saturday 6th September – The Causeway, Perth
Sunday 7th September – The Newport Hotel, Fremantle
Saturday 20th September – Pirie Street Social Club, Adelaide
*Not Accurate.
