Monster Session 2011

raising money for M.S. Australia
with the Fuck Fucks, The Kelpies, Poppin Mommas, Seminal Rats, Asylum, Splatterheads, Screamfeeder, Grong Grong, Lime Spiders, Bored!, The Meanies, Cosmic Psychos, X
I did not see: Depression, Vicious Circle, The Fireballs
Esplanade Hotel, Saturday 21st May 2011

I had been looking forward to this for a while as I had heard about this gig and wondered why they didn't hold it down in Melbourne in previous years. Most of the bands were before my time but there were a few that I still see around town and I rarely get the chance to see this many bands in the one day outside of a festival environment.

There were really too many bands to talk about each one, so I'll just give my highlights of the day. The first one was the atmosphere, it almost felt like the Espy when I first started coming there and the audience were all the old fans of the bands with not as many of the younger crowd as I thought would make it, their loss as they missed some great music.

The bands really wanted to play this day and everyone put in their best effort, special mention must go to Asylum who got a fill in bass player just for the day and lead singer for Grong Grong who broke his back the week before and still managed to sing.

Although I ended up missing a couple of the bands until I worked out the best way to get between the Gerswhin Room and the Lounge Bar (leave 10 minutes early and sneak through the men's dunnies), I did try to see all of the other bands until I just got too tired by the time X came on and had to leave. It was disappointing that I couldn't stay to see the Cosmic Psychos as the crush was too much as it was the first time I had seem them play that stage since the Rockdogs night in 2006 when Robbie was still alive.

The best of the bands I had not seen before were definitely Bored!, powering through a set that got the crowd pumping and the band threw down their gear and walked off stage at the end.

I didn't want to try and see the Fireballs as I knew it would be too crowded, but I am sure everyone enjoyed them.

Some of the bands ended up doing 40-45 minute sets as the day went on and the Fuck Fucks started early so they got to do an hour, which was good to see.

Cheers to everyone I saw on the day and sorry to everyone I missed due to the crowds and the running between bands.

It was a great day and I am looking forward to next year's show already.

Links:
http://zombiedogentertainment.com/events/monster-session
http://www.myspace.com/thekelpies
http://www.myspace.com/poppinmommashere
http://www.myspace.com/seminalrats
http://www.myspace.com/splatterheadsbornsick
http://screamfeeder.com/
http://www.myspace.com/mentaltortureband
http://www.myspace.com/officiallimespiders
http://www.themeanies.net/
http://www.myspace.com/thecosmicpsychos
http://www.myspace.com/xaustralia
http://www.fireballsaustralia.com/