Backseat Downunder

Sydney is getting hammered by rain, and it somehow feels appropriate. Inside the Hordern Pavilion, The Gnomes kick the doors open with scrappy, straight-ahead rock’n’roll, warming up a crowd that already feels feral from the weather outside. Private Function follow with the kind of unhinged, all-or-nothing set that’s made them infamous, turning their final Sydney show into a joyous mess of noise, sweat and confrontation. By the time Viagra Boys hit the stage, the room is primed for release. Their satire-soaked post-punk lands heavy and absurd in equal measure, cutting through the storm with precision and bile. It’s a night where chaos feels earned — inside and out.