Cosmic Psychos

Our excitement for this event was so massive that for the first time ever I forgot the tickets!! To make things worse we got stuck in the traffic and turned the wrong way out of Perth. Our total madness was soothed by entering the Amp Bar and soaking up the atmosphere that makes the place unique. Maybe its cause of the open top in the middle, or the small stage, maybe even the great area they have for merchandise and to chill out and meet the band, and maybe it’s the space invaders machine, or the large TV screen (usually playing old movies or cartoons, tonight it was Planet of the Apes). We were totally amazed by the large crowd the Cosmic Psychos and Celibate Rifles had attracted and were very pleased with the results. The crowd’s attire was a mixture of leather and denim, it was a very different crowd than I'd seen at other events... seems the Cosmic Psychos and the Celibate Rifles had bought a few fans out of the closets.

Local Perth band the M16’s were just starting when we arrived, we had never even heard of them before, so we wandered around the corner to the stage... and it seemed quite a few people knew this band.. Lead Singer Ken “Killer” Watt was in long stripy flares and they surely did look the part... good aussie tunes and well presented indeed...when the M16’s had finished their set a short break followed. The rain was on and off, forcing people to stand under the roofed areas, but definitely not dampening the mood which was now in full swing awaiting the Cosmic Psychos to come on stage. It didn’t seem like many people would be turning up in the crap weather but then all of a sudden the joint filled up too nearly as many people as the Suicidal Tendencies gig!! Not quite but. We noticed a few very OLD Cosmic Psychos t-shirts and quite a few old school thrashers.

When the Cosmic Psychos hit the stage, there was a great roar from the crowd. Wearing true Aussie yobbo style Ross had on a Hard Yakka shirt and Johnny Onya a blue bonds work singlet, Dean seemed the only one a bit dressed up in a Killerbirds t-shirt!! I heard that this band was the support for over east and are very good. We moved around the crowd and through the middle to get ourselves right up the front of stage. At first it didn’t seem that anyone would get into it, but after about 10 mins the place started Rockin!! When the Psychos started “Dead Roo” the crowd broke into a frenzy, forcing me back as a copped a fist in the mouth!! There was beer and slam dancing going berserk... one guy was in amongst it all in a wheel chair enjoying the ride!! Another guy was riding peoples back’s like he was on a bucking bull, it was total madness... and the crowd was loving it!!

After a few songs Ross announced to the crowd “Im so Fucking Happy to be in Fucking Perth tonight! Id be in Fucking South Africa if I could! Cause my Fucking Missus is giving me the Fucking Shits!!” making the crowd roar with laughter!! He then told us that they’d play a few new songs off the new album out calledDung Australia. “20 Pot Screamer” and “Bee Sting” were played next. The Cosmic Psychos surely did put on a WOW of a show. Also Johnny Onya, who was asked to replace Robbie “Rocket” after his tragic death on last years tour, on the lead guitar was a perfect choice. As soon as they left the stage we walked over to congratulate the guys on a great set. Chatting to Johnny Onya, I told him he has done a brilliant job in taking Robbie’s spot, he replies “well they were huge shoes to fill you know”. We got some good photos with Johnny and Ross and then retreat to the outdoor part to have a ciggy. After a long wait the Celibate Rifles get on stage… this was a band I had never heard live before, so this was hopefully going to be good.

Damien Lovelock was in full attire with a shirt that looked like the cover of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Blood Sugar Sex Magic CD cover, however five piece Celibate Rifles rocked out some good ‘Sunday Beer Garden’ tunes to an exhausted crowd. They belted out some old favorites plus some newer tunes. I am guilty of not watching all of the Celibate Rifles set as Dean and Ross were at the merchandise stand so we took full advantage of this and decided now was the time to purchase their new album Dung Australia (which is damn brilliant) and a tour T-shirt. Reminding them of the last tour we had seen them on (Darwin 1996) we reminisced on old times, and also got them to sign our newly purchased items. So we were very happy campers!! We left this gig with some NEW Cosmic Psycho memories, disappointment as the next night they were to play was in WA, and we wouldn’t be able to go. Margret river’s community was about to be invaded with two of Australia’s greatest rockers. And the only bad thing about the night was, they never played “Thank Your Mother For The Rabbits”

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