Live Review: Parquet Courts, Straight Arrows, Destiny 3000

There are not many all-female rock bands around these days and so it was refreshing to see that that’s exactly what Destiny 3000 are. The Sydney five piece let loose well and truly with their grungy guitar and raspy vocals.

Straight Arrows were a visual crowd pleaser with their red sparkly guitars that conjured memories of those magical ruby red shoes Dorothy wore in The Wizard Of Oz. It Happens Again impressed all with its garage guitar sounds and sweet harmonica finish. Frontman Owen Penglis warned the crowd that things were going to get a little spooky with Haunted Out resulting in Penglis and Al Grigg violently thrash-dancing around, so much so that Penglis broke a guitar string. They wrapped up with their latest one Make Up Your Mind, which had the audience jumping and bumping and generally feeling good.

Finally the four-piece that formed in New York, Parquet Courts, began their set barely getting into the second song when a mosh formed at the front of the crowd. Instant Disassembly demonstrated the varied range of musical abilities that Parquet Courts have while bass player Sean Yeaton’s signature head-shaking dance move caused the audience to feel dizzy, yet no one would dare look away. Sunbathing Animal, the 2014 album title track, with its lyrical speed had members of the audience crowdsurfing, however, it was at the first sounds of Master Of My Craft that the audience let out a cheering roar, proving it was the one everyone had been waiting for. Parquet Courts delivered a full set of Brooklyn garage-punk paradise and the only thing they got us wonderin’ now is when they will next be in the country.