IT'S safe to assume Newcastle rockers dave the band aren't used to a seated audience.
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Since releasing their debut EP Sunny Days In Winter in 2016 the Merewether lads have established their reputation through raucous '90s-inspired indie-rock. The type that inspires mosh pits.
It's exactly the reason why they headed off to Chicago in 2018 for a dream recording session with Nirvana and Pixies producer Steve Albini. They wanted their debut album Slob Stories to sound, if nothing else, raw.
Almost two years on dave the band's long-awaited album launch shows on Friday night were forced to be seated affairs, due to COVID-safe social distance measures.
The first show of the sold-out double-header at the Cambridge Hotel was an all-ages gig, but looking around the room of candle-lite tables it was predominantly an over-18s crowd.
Whitebridge two-piece Milky Thred warmed up the audience with their brand of garage-rock. Riley Gardiner is a greatly-improved vocalist after several years of touring with the likes of Hockey Dad and Press Club and playing festivals like Rolling Sets.
Gardiner and drummer Adrian Smith can write a bloody catchy tune such like Awkward and Noise and Thread, but without a bassist some songs lacked the necessary grunt.
Rightly dave the band didn't stray away from their winning formula, despite the seated audience.
Without taking breath Noah Church (vocals and guitar), Max Tuckerman (bass) and Gabriel Argiris kicked off with Ultrahard, Where You Are and Footy Socks from Slob Stories.
The tenderness of Footy Socks - a love song based around the metaphor of two socks never losing each other - was a pleasing addition and unveiled a new layer to dave's sonic palette.
Of the new material, the pop-rock of Get Smart, drew the biggest response. You can't deny the simplistic appeal of the chorus wrapped up in distorted guitar.
However, the highlights were the blistering Capsule and Endstart. Argiris' pounding drums drove both tracks. With his trademark dreadlocks and goatee beard, Argiris' thrashed the thins and created the perfect template for Church's slashing guitar.
Tuckerman was the most sedate of the trio, but his backing vocals and bass were always reliable.
After performing three-quarters of Slob Stories, dave dusted off their most popular song Eggiwegs which had the Cambridge clapping in time to Tuckerman's bass riff.
Lump In Your Throat and Juice completed the main set, before shouts for "one more song" dragged dave out to perform By A Thread, the oldest song of the night.
Unfortunately COVID will prevent dave from taking Slob Stories around Australia in the short-term. And that's a shame because the rest of the country deserves to hear one of Newcastle's best bands.