The Vasco Era’s sophomore album Lucille might sound a little more refined than their debut, but fans can rest assured that the trio from Apollo Bay is still playing the same explosive shows that punters know and love.

At the album launch at the Corner Hotel, opening bands Big Scary and Simon Carter (formerly of The Cops) played solid sets, but as the red curtains closed around the stage and the eager audience edged closer, it was clear who the crowd had gathered for.

After waiting what felt like an eternity for the Vascos to emerge, Sid and Ted O’Neil (vocals and bass, respectively) and Michael Fitzgerald (aka Fitzy; drums) exploded onto stage with a cover of the Beatles’ ‘Why Don’t We Do It In The Road’.

The band had plenty of home town support. Towards the beginning of the set, Sid thanked “half of Apollo Bay for turning up here tonight and making it look like we’re popular.” But a sold out crowd, who sang and danced the night away, suggested that the band’s fan base stretches well beyond the surf coast.

The set was a mix of old and new songs, with a few covers thrown in for good measure. But it was obvious that the band was eager to show off Lucille. Although the power and raw noise of the Vasco Era’s debut, Oh We Do Like To Be Beside the Seaside (2006), is still evident, Lucille feels more structured, and shows the band has grown lyrically.

The concept album tells the story of the relationship between Lucille, a stripper, and Sam, her somewhat more conservative boyfriend – influenced by a real couple Sid met one night at Crown Casino. Performing a concept album live, as a collection of standalone songs, can be risky, and I had my reservations prior to Saturday night’s performance. But my fears were unfounded — live, Lucille blew me away.

‘They’ve Already Won’, ‘Not Stuck Here’ and the title track were standouts. Sid’s vocals were as impressive as ever — he still knows how to scream — but the addition of keyboards (played throughout the tour by one half of Big Scary) and backing vocals (performed by Ted and, during one song, Fitzy, from behind the drums) were excellent additions to the Vasco’s live show that I have not seen before.

Highlights from OWDLTBBTS, which has always sounded best live, included ‘When You Went’ and ‘When It First Showed Up’ (intertwined live with ‘Happiness Is A Warm Gun’ – another Beatles cover). The singalong power of the crowd showed how many long-term fans were present.

I left the Corner with a feeling of pure joy. The old songs were as noisy and in-your-face as ever; the new songs were a pleasant surprise; and the covers they chose to perform – also including ‘I Know It’s Over’ by The Smiths – demonstrated their versatility.

For me, one of the highlights of the night was the song ‘Oh Sam’ – full of emotion, angst and Bruce Springsteen references, this song is made for radio, and one of my favourite Vasco Era songs ever. The best thing, though, was that the band seemed to so enjoy what they were doing. They threw themselves around the stage – Fitzy’s drum kit had to be put back together towards the end of the set – and, constantly smiling, it was clear that they were truly in their element.

As the band walked off stage to ‘Honey Bee’, leaving the crowd wanting more, I could only hope that The Vasco Era would return to Melbourne soon. Definitely a band not to be missed.

Little Red have come a long way since I first encountered them as a small support act for the Whiskey Go Go’s and Vasco Era two years ago. New and exciting,  the band had a sound that, though obviously influenced by 50′s and 60′s vocal groups, was something fresh and innovative for the Melbourne scene. Now, after mass airplay and two solid years of touring, Little Red have become a firm favourite in Melbourne, so it was no surprise that their show at the Hi-Fi Bar had completely sold out. The band is about to take some time away from the road to record some new material, and it seemed that no-one wanted to miss out on seeing them live before they take a break.

As I made my way downstairs at the Hi-Fi, the shambolic sounds of the Ground Components greeted my ears. Not at all familiar with their music, I had no idea what to expect. Although my pop and r’n'b-inclined companions were not so keen, there was a lot of love about for the band. And the sight of Little Red’s Dom (guitar, vocals) in the crowd, dancing and waving his arms about, was a perfect example of this.

While the Ground Compoents certainly had a lot of supporters in the crowd, it was clear that everyone was there for Little Red. When the opening set came to an end, it was kill-or-be-killed in an attempt to secure a good spot in front of the stage. We then had to endure a half-hour wait, and discovered that, though winter has definitely begun in Melbourne, it has not – and possibly will never – hit the Hi-Fi bar. It was hotter than hell in front of the stage. Just when we thought we were going to melt into the floor beneath us, Little Red strolled out, picked up their guitars, and the party started.

‘Fight Song’, an oldie from the band’s debut album, Listen To Little Red, showed the crowd that they had made the right decision in coming along to the gig. Within seconds the room was filled with the sound of screaming girls, an excited crowd enthusiastically clapping along, and of course, the sweet, sweet sounds of Little Red. If it wasn’t for the undeniably 21st-Century clothing adorning the room full of fans, the scene could have been mistaken for a doo-wop gig of the 1960s.

As the crowd danced the night away, Little Red provided some amazing tunes – album tracks ‘Witch Doctor’, ‘Misty, I’ and ‘Fool’ sounded as solid as ever, while ‘Speedo’ allowed Adrian (guitar, vocals) to display his vocal talents (this song was missing from the setlist the last few times I’ve seen the band). The show was an equal mix of old and new songs. The new stuff was very well received, and, given the amount of people singing along to some of the new songs (of which there are no recorded versions available), it seemed that there were a lot of serious Little Red fans in the crowd (myself included, I must admit).

New track ‘In My Bed’ was a highlight, as was ‘Rock It’ – allowing Dom to put down his guitar and join in the dancing. The crowd loved it. Another highlight (if not musically, then certainly in terms of entertainment value) was when Ground Components – and various friends-of – joined Little Red onstage for a rendition – duet, almost – of ‘It’s Alright’. When the main act disappeared off stage, it was not long before they returned for an encore, and ended things with a sweet, sugary bang – crowd-pleaser, ‘Coca Cola’. It was also pleasing to see them save their first single, ‘Waiting’, for later in the set – it’s one of my favourites.

It’s impossible to have a bad time at a Little Red gig. The vibe is always amazing, and Friday night at the Hi-Fi didn’t disappoint. Towards the end of the set I turned my head to see just how full the venue was, and couldn’t believe just how many people had turned out to support this talented young band. Their music is infectious and happy and it’s clear they love what they do. A look from Quang (bass vocals) or Tom (vocals, tombourine, harmonica) is also enough to make any female fan’s heart melt, while it’s difficult not to crack a happy grin at the sight of Taka smiling from behind his drums.

Little Red don’t have to try to make the crowd dance or have fun. Their ‘doo-wop punk’ speaks for itself. They are a live act that just keeps getting better, and, though we may be about to endure several months without any live shows from the boys, I am sure that their next recording – and subsequent tour – will be worth the wait.