‘HELL FK YEAH!’
Violent Soho immortalised that phrase for a whole generation of Aussie music fans, and it’s easily the loudest, proudest moment of what is their last festival performance before they go on indefinite hiatus.
Mansfield’s Mayors of Shred do have some hometown shows lined up in September, but the significance of this performance - their fifth appearance at Australia's biggest winter music festival since 2010 - isn't lost on them.
"This is 12 years on from then, which is like an entire school life, so welcome to our graduation," guitarist James Tidswell jokes with the swelling crowd.
The four-piece’s decision to scale back Soho in order to focus on family and other career prospects signals that they’re a little older and wiser but the passing years hasn't dulled their ability to whisk up a moshing frenzy from their sweaty followers. And Saturday evening's show is no exception.
Their career-spanning set opens with Hungry Ghost opener ‘Dope Calypso’, a sure-fire way to light the powderkeg - complete with bassist Luke Henery's signature windmilling hair.
They then power through ‘In The Aisle’ and 'Viceroy’, noting of the latter, "this is the third last time we'll ever play this song.".
Hearing their grunge gems back-to-back reminds you not only how many great mosh-friendly tunes they’ve amassed over almost 20 years but just how vital they sound onstage.
The crowd needs little encouragement to participate, needing zero prompts from singer-guitarist Luke Boerdam (sporting a Screamfeeder tee in a nod to his hometown roots).
The lighting show relies on stark colours - deep reds, black and whites, strobes - to light up the sprawling crowd, with telltale puffs of smoke popping off from all corners of the hill.
There's a reason Violent Soho are widely regarded as one of Australia’s best rock acts. There’s no gimmicks or bells-and-whistles - they don’t need them. Just a tried-and-true approach: play loud, play hard, and give back to the audience tenfold what they're giving you.
Coming up in the ‘00s in the Brisbane scene, Violent Soho have always felt like the missing link between Australia’s alt-rock ‘90s heyday - Silverchair, Grinspoon, You Am I, Spiderbait - and a newer wave of guitar-driven groups who they’ve no doubt influenced: Dune Rats, DZ Deathrays, Tired Lion, Hockey Dad, Skegss, and many more.
That lineage alone shows the significance of Soho’s legacy. Despite ongoing ‘Rock is Dead’ conversations coming in and out of popular conversation every few years, they've remained a constant of the Australian music scene, their merch a regular sight at gigs and festivals the nation over.
To their credit, Violent Soho have managed to stay relevant without messing with their sound too much.
Their last album, 2020’s Everything Is A-OK, managed to weave in more heartfelt material and *shock!* acoustic guitars in the mix while still providing plenty of the ripping immediacy fans expect.
The Splendour crowd is treated to a sample of the latter - A-OK cuts ‘Canada’ and ‘Lying on The Floor’ - as well as Hottest 100-charting single 'Vacation Forever’ (#69 in the 2019 countdown, and their 8th Hottest 100 appearance overall).
They also give parting single ‘Kamikaze’ its live debut, and it sounds just as good alongside embedded fan favourites like ‘Saramona Said’ and ‘Like Soda’. The latter, lest we forget, sparked a 2015 petition to make it Australia’s National Anthem. And it has that energy tonight, providing a huge sing-along.
The set isn't without a few lulls but if it feels flat, it's because Violent Soho "don't have to impress you guys anymore," as James jokes at one point. ""Must admit this is the least stressful show we've ever played ...Because we quit."
But the crowning moment, naturally, belongs to ‘Covered In Chrome’, the closing number that ranked #4 in triple j's Hottest 100 of the Decade (behind heavy-hitters like Tame Impala, Gotye, and Arctic Monkeys).
It’s become Violent Soho’s signature anthem - a classic dose of explosive quiet-loud grunge rock dynamics tied to a hook so strong yet so, so simple. “HELL F**K YEAH!”
Splendour crowds have bellowed that chorus many times before but it takes on a new significance tonight, band and audience acknowledging it’s among the last chances they’ll get before Violent Soho put down the tools and go on hiatus. The atmosphere enhanced by erupting C02 jets and a light rain speckling the hillside.
It’s an undisputed early highlight for a weekend stricken by safety concerns, cancellations, and mud (so much mud).
‘Covered In Chrome’ also beautifully crystalises what makes Violent Soho so beloved: blasting back at life’s shitty moments and urbane strangeness with distortion pedals, ferocious choruses and a helluva lotta vitality.