BATTLESNAKE + JOHNNY HUNTER – DUST, BRIGHTON 24.9.24
Battlesnake are an Australian metal band whose fun and spectacularly theatrical performances have been winning over audiences within and beyond the heavy rock milieu. Formed as a 7-piece in 2018, they have released a self-produced EP and two full albums, securing tour supports with KISS and The Smashing Pumpkins. Equally impressive was a music video in partnership with Xbox promoting the video game ‘Total War: Warhammer III’.
They played in Brighton at ‘The Great Escape Festival’ back in May, going down a storm in the big tent of The Beach Stage, and now they are back in the city on the first date of the UK section of their European tour. Tonight’s show, promoted by Love Thy Neighbour, was originally scheduled for The Prince Albert, but generated so much interest that it was quickly moved to the larger capacity Dust in East Street. Needless to say, it is long since sold out.
Having been treated to a fine set of gothic-tinged post-punk by Johnny Hunter, which is described below, it’s time for the main event. The narrow nightclub-style venue seems particularly full, and is fair buzzing with excited anticipation for the arrival of Battlesnake.
Shortly before 8:45pm, an intro recording starts up. It sounds like a plainsong chant of the traditional Latin funeral rite “Pie Jesu domine, dona eis requiem” (“Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest”), complete with tolling bell. Unless you are particularly religious, you’ll most likely have come across this in the film ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’, where chanting monks self flagellate by slapping themselves over the head with planks of wood. The band members of Battlesnake process solemnly through the crowd to an enormous cheer. Their stunning stage costumes of white robes, lavishly decorated with gold studs, give them the air of some weird medieval cult. Lead vocalist Sam additionally sports a headdress adorned with high-rise studded horns, and keytar player Billy is designated “flag bearer”, with two wing-like banners attached to a harness on his back. It’s an utterly striking look, and a brilliant start to the show.
There are six players tonight, and having crowded onto the relatively small stage they strike up ‘A Blessing Of Fire And Speed’, the introductory piece from their recent album ‘The Rise And Demise Of The Motorsteeple’. Delicate keytar gives way to massive chords and tom hits, and we’re into the urgent chug of ‘Motorsteeple’. Other than drummer Nick, all the band members are free to roam, utilising wireless transmitters. There are no floor wedges or pedalboards to trip over, and no backline amps cluttering the stage, so everyone has in-ear monitors and any necessary effects are presumably added and controlled from the sound desk. This facilitates a particularly dynamic performance, with much swapping of places and generally going for it.
The music is gloriously over-the-top heavy rock, overblown to the point of silliness, but in a wonderfully entertaining way. The lyrics conjure a fantasy world of video game battles, gods and devils, priests, kings and monsters. I suspect it would work equally well as earnest fare for serious metal devotees, or taken as tongue-in-cheek pastiche. Rock really isn’t my thing, but I’m loving every moment of this and so are the crowd around me. The show has drawn a diverse audience with an impressively broad range of ages, and they all appear to be having a whole lot of fun.
Moustachioed guitarist Ben shakes a shock of curly hair and leads the big riffing of ‘I Am The Vomit’ on a genre-appropriate Gibson Flying V. Bursts of white strobe accentuate dramatic stops. There’s a spectacular jumping dance to accompany ‘The Rotten Priest’, with vocalist Sam in particular getting some serious air beneath each bound. It would be hard not to love a song with the title ‘Pterodactyl Firehawk’, which manages to cram in pretty much all of the band’s lyrical tropes. “I am the golden god,” sings Sam, arms outstretched, reminding me of an amusing scene with Billy Crudup in the film ‘Almost Famous’.
The crowd are encouraged to crouch down for the slow and moodily dramatic opening of ‘Alpha And Omega’, accompanied in the front rows by guitarist Dan and bassist Elliott. We forego the traditional synchronised jump-back-up for a free-form return to a standing position in time to admire the massive pomp rock conclusion.
“I want everyone to put their horns on their head,” Sam implores, demonstrating the classic rock gesture of extended index and little finger. “Because my horn’s gone flaccid, I need everyone else to do it for me.” The crowd obliges, dutifully. One of the horns on Sam’s head gear has indeed developed a bit of a droop, weighed down by its ornate decoration.
We’re back to full tilt with the urgent ‘I Speak Tongues’, and there are plenty of shapes being pulled in the flickering strobe that accompanies the chugged rhythm and insistent beat of ‘Motorgut’. The crowd are encouraged to get down again, as Sam reads from what looks like a bible. The words appear to be a rewrite of chapter 13 of the Book of Revelations, with “the beast” now representing the age of machines taking over from humans. This time we do jump back up en masse, as the reading reaches a dramatic climax with the famous number beloved of all metal-heads: “six hundred and sixty six.”
‘The Battlesnake’ has a massive stomping beat and a glorious ascending twin guitar riff that reminds me of Thin Lizzy. Sam leaps from the kick drum to make a foray into the crowd, and Billy on keytar has managed to locate the only cables anywhere near the stage, his flags getting tangled in the leads coming out of a flown speaker cabinet. The flag harness is discarded for high-velocity number ‘The Key of Solomon’, and Sam divests himself of his flaccid-horned headgear for ‘The Atomic Plough’, a super-fast freak out that sees both guitarists up on the venue’s bass bins.
If there is any doubt the audience has been completely won over, it is dispelled by the spontaneous “la la la” chant in response to the waltz time keytar motif introducing ‘The Nightmare King’. The players cluster at the front of the stage for some monstrously heavy riffing that concludes the song and the setlist. The crowd are ecstatic, and they don’t need to ask for an encore as the band launches straight into a lively cover of the AC/DC classic ‘Let There Be Rock’. Billy has discarded his keytar and his robe to reveal a pair of white “budgie-smuggler” Speedos. He hoists Ben onto his shoulders and bears him aloft through the crowd, running up and down and pirouetting in circles as the guitarist solos on his Flying V. Not to be outdone, vocalist Sam is also stripped to a pair of black trunks, and is swinging from the ceiling beams like a gymnast. It is an utterly spectacular finale to an outstanding set.
Battlesnake’s outrageously exaggerated music and performance are so irresistibly entertaining that they transcend their genre. It’s easy to imagine this band achieving very widespread popularity, especially with their live show. They’ve had a glimpse of the big stages with previous support slots, and I wouldn’t be surprised if one day they are the main attraction in their own right. I’m very glad I caught them in this intimate setting.
Battlesnake:
Sam Frank – vocals
Ben Frank – guitar
Billy O’Key – keytar, flag bearer
Daniel Willington – guitar
Elliott Hitchcock – bass
Nick Zammit – drums
Battlesnake setlist:
‘A Blessing of Fire and Speed’ (from 2024 album ‘The Rise And Demise Of The Motorsteeple’)
‘Motor Steeple’ (from 2024 album ‘The Rise And Demise Of The Motorsteeple’)
‘I Am The Vomit’ (from 2023 album ‘Battlesnake’)
‘The Rotten Priest’ (a 2021 single)
‘Pterodactyl Firehawk’ (from 2024 album ‘The Rise And Demise Of The Motorsteeple’)
‘Alpha and Omega’ (from 2024 album ‘The Rise And Demise Of The Motorsteeple’)
‘I Speak Tongues’ (from 2024 album ‘The Rise And Demise Of The Motorsteeple’)
‘Motorgut’ (a 2022 single)
‘The Battlesnake’ (from 2023 album ‘Battlesnake’)
‘The Key of Solomon’ (from 2024 album ‘The Rise And Demise Of The Motorsteeple’)
‘The Atomic Plough’ (a 2019 single)
‘Nightmare King’ (a 2019 single)
‘Let There Be Rock’ (AC/DC cover)
Support tonight is provided by post-punk 5-piece Johnny Hunter, also from Australia, although the band has recently relocated to the UK. They also played ‘The Great Escape’ last May, and they seem pleased to be back in Brighton. They open with ‘Want’, the title track of their 2022 debut album, its soaring chorus hook propelled by a briskly insistent beat. Lead vocalist Nick is very much the focus of attention and favours a gothic-inspired look, with improvised ghoul makeup and a long black skirt. His default stance seems to be with arm outstretched towards the audience.The rest of the band members have a more standard guys-on-tour look of vests and T-shirts.
A huge plectrum slide by bassist Dakota launches ‘Lipstick’, and there’s dual riffing from guitarists Xander and Mason during a breakdown that we exit via a massive snare roll from drummer Gerry. The sound is big and expansive, and I’m reminded slightly of 1980s rock like U2 or The Mission. ‘Life’ has a moody start, its steady-paced chug leading to a big chorus with chanted backing vocals. A swirl of effects hangs over the more strident ‘Pain & Joy’, and Nick is really getting into his performance during ‘Frustration’, striking some cool poses. Bassist Dakota is doing his bit for the visuals too, with a foot up on the bass bin. Nick urges the crowd to come forward for current single ‘Hot Mess’, a hugely satisfying electro-glam racket and the band’s current single.
We go full goth with ‘The Floor’, a glowering number that manages to be doom laden and urgent at the same time. “Et tu Brutus? I can’t do this,” is the standout hook amongst a parade of dark imagery. The set concludes with ‘Try As You May’, moving along nicely with chiming guitar over busy hi-hit. I’ve been impressed with Johnny Hunter. They have a fine set of songs and a strong visual focus in Nick Hutt. It’s been a good start to the evening.
Johnny Hunter:
Nick Hutt – vocals
Xander Burgess – guitar, vocals
Mason Lewtas – guitar, vocals
Dakota Fisher – bass
Gerry Thompson – drums, vocals
Johnny Hunter setlist:
‘Want’ (from 2022 album ‘Want’)
‘Lipstick’ (unreleased)
‘Life’ (from 2022 album ‘Want’)
‘Pain & Joy’ (from 2020 EP ‘Early Trauma’)
‘Frustration’ (a 2024 single)
‘Hot Mess’ (a 2024 single)
‘The Floor’ (from 2022 album ‘Want’)
‘Try As You May’ (from 2020 EP ‘Early Trauma’)
