Project Description

XXXX Live At The Brewery

@ XXXX Brewery

16/11/19

(Live Review)

Reviewer: Tammy Whitelaw

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Confidence Man // Photo – Pete Gardner

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In the age of craft beer loving hipsters, XXXX beer has become known as the drink of choice for old men in RSL clubs across Brisbane.  Now, just like the unpopular kid in high school, XXXX have thrown an epic house party in a bid to score some new (younger) mates.  26 years since Mr Fourex last opened the gates to the brewery, he invited Brisbane music lovers to the inaugural Live At The Brewery festival.

Held inside the grounds of the iconic Milton brewery, the festival was quintessentially QLD – the bands, the weather (stinkin’ hot) and the venue itself.  With a line-up curated by the fabulous West End record store, Jet Black Cat Music, XXXX Live At The Brewery was the perfect way to start the summer festival season.

Walking into the venue and seeing the stage set up under the towering XXXX silos was quite the picture.  It was clear from the get-go this was going to be a truly unique event.  Punters arriving early chilled out on pallets and long tables under the shade of the keg room, throwing back those first cold Gold’s of the day.  Ping Pong tables got a workout, though it wasn’t long before ping pong turned into beer pong.

Young local group, First Beige kick things off, delivering a nice dose of funk to soundtrack the sweltering afternoon.  After some slight technical issues, Melbourne’s Mildlife set about bringing the flute back to Oz rock.  Next, Brissie band Good Boys inject a whole lot of energy into the crowd.

DJ sets between the main stage acts provide a nice break for punters to grab a beer and have a boogie.  The festival even had its own cheerleaders!  Dressed in glitter leotards and carrying metallic pom poms, they led the crowd in a choreographed dance routine to Bowie’s Let’s Dance.

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Custard // Photo – Kerrie Geier

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It becomes clear most of the older punters are here to see Custard as they creep towards the stage for their set.  Dave McCormack aka Bluey’s dad (if you know, you know) is always a joker.  From randomly shouting out Brisbane suburbs, to declaring 2019 “the year of the whistle”, he knows how to get a laugh out of the crowd.  The band’s hits Apartment, Music is Crap and Girls Like That still hit the mark 20 years since their release.

As the sun finally sets, Holy Holy begin their set.  “This has to be the most Brisbane gig we’ve ever played” declares lead singer, Tim Carroll.  Just to make the show even more Brisbane, they invite local gal Tia Gostelow onstage.  Tia provides vocals for their Like A Version cover of Lorde’s Green Light and their own hit, True Lovers.  Tim’s voice is faultless even as he dances around the stage.  Sentimental and Monday along with newer tracks Faces and Maybe You Know are all standouts.

By the time Confidence Man take the stage, the bar is almost out of beer (only in QLD would a festival held at a Brewery run out of beer).  It just means the crowd well and truly have their dancing shoes on by that point.  Janet Planet bounces onto the stage dressed like a Fembot from Austin Powers and dancing like she just graduated from  The Lindsay Lohan in Mykonos school of dance.  It’s fabulous!

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