Mammal

I’ll be straight with you. I’m a fan of Mammal. Those avid fans following my work here at The Dwarf may have noticed. Those who’ve seen me strutting around in my Mammal t-shirt would definitely have noticed. So it would be of no surprise then that I spent the better part of a spring Friday night in the steamy, sweaty climes of the Annandale Hotel to see the album launch show for Mammal’s new and first full-length album, The Majority.

The show itself felt like somewhat of a coming of age. Since first seeing the band, and reviewing them way back in 2006, it feels like the boys have come along way since playing a nearly empty room at Selina’s. The once-famous mirror ball that adorned Zeke’s head back then has been replaced with hats and caps of many different styles, the music is tighter, the crowd prolific, and the atmosphere has to have been felt to be believed.

I’ve seen the boys at nearly every Sydney show since then, and with the exception of maybe one, it’s always been from the middle of the room, in the safe, sweat-free zone, feeling that up the front was only for the boys, or the strong of heart. Last night, I threw caution to the wind, put my elbows into gear and landed a spot in the second row. Things were very different from this perspective, and I think it will be hard to go back to watching the guys in any other way.

Up close, Pete Williamson on guitar is strikingly Pete Townsend-esque, in stature and style. Nick Adams is somewhat more attractive than he appears from back in the crowd – a devilish smile creeping across his face whenever he had the chance to step out the front and wield his trusty bass. Zane Rosanoski has some awesome tats and is a delight to watch on the drums. And Zeke. I was close enough to get sweated on. Any other time I’d be reaching for the Dettol sanitiser, but this was like a baptism of sorts, and as the line in aptly titled Religion goes – "This is my religion".

The set was being recorded for an upcoming live album to be put out by the boys, and the energy coming from the stage was electric. The crowd was whipped into a frenzied state at every mention of the live album, and video cameras peppered through the crowd suggest there’ll be a great DVD component.

The show was to launch the new album, although little mention of this was made throughout the night. Songs from the album, however, ruled the set list, with single Smash the Piñata a clear crowd favourite. Other tracks like Clear Enough and title track The Majority came across well, and it was obvious that few in the crowd didn’t already have the new album. The majority of The Majority was played over the hour or so long set, but it wouldn’t be a Mammal show without the boys wheeling out tracks like Hell Yeah and Think. Finally, breaking their own rule, or eating their words as Zeke put it, the boys graced the stage for a rare encore, pulling out New Breed Judas, undoubtedly satisfying the long-time fans.

Leaving a show soaking wet is rarely a goal nor a welcome experience, but having sweat dripping from every pore, my carefully coiffed hair in disarray, and mascara running down may face gave me unmeasurable amounts of cred as the crowd spilled out of the pub onto Paramatta Road. It was like being a part of a club, part of something bigger – part of the majority for one night only.

Those sorry folks who missed it – keep your eyes out for the live album. I may be biased, I am a fan after all, so I’m relying on those of you who were there – hey, you know how great it was, so spread the word. Mammal’s gonna take over the world!

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