Spice level: Sriracha. Bleeding Knees Club vs together PANGEA

Nothing gets me buzzing like the chance to flail around in a sweaty mosh. Bloody noses, beer splayed, a dude’s foot in your face as he gracefully glides over the crowd; a pastime beloved by many. While Sydney boasts a burgeoning underground punk/ garage/ post-punk scene, there are a handful of acts who epitomise this experience. Bleeding Knees Club is one of them.

The four-piece threw their hiatus on hiatus last year with the release of new EP Chew The Gum, follow up anthem Case, and a decent vinyl bundle to boot. It was a nice segue into the news that they would be bringing Los Angelenos together PANGEA to our shores for the first time ever. The Cali punk outfit also recently signed off on a new project, their fourth studio album Bulls and Roosters.

On record, these guys are cornerstones of their respective scenes. Get them together on tour though, and God help us all.

Sydney lofi bunch Fritz sauntered in with a mellow shoegazey opening spot, quipped with lots of great banter in between songs and some good old-fashioned social experimentin’ (“Nobody clap at the end of this one”).

Following that brief applause ban, the Californians arrived to a warm reception. Like a fresh bottle of Sprite, things got spicy as the crowd packed in and the thrashing ensued. Lapping it all up while they screamed down their mics, they were joined in no orderly fashion by the BKC boys Alex, Mikey, Gio and Nick like the big fam that they are.

Together PANGEA had barely left the stage before BKC launched face first into their gritty set and we suddenly hit Sriracha level. No fancy face paint like they donned for the Brisbane leg but that didn’t matter. We knew the place was about to explode anyway. Down with shoeys and up with stage dives. At one point the band ignited a chant that encompassed the entire venue and the crowd managed to keep a punter afloat for well over a minute. An easy feat for the most dangerous band in the world.

Photography © Dani Hansen follow her on Instagram