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Live review: Robot God, Pilots of Baalbek & Witchskull live at Crowbar, Leichhardt, September 1, 2023
By PERRY GRAYSON
Photos by Tanya Catelli
HEAVY rock is alive and kickin’ in Sydney, as evidenced by this triple bill. It’s not often you get to witness three all killer, no-filler bands in one gig. First up, hailing from Sydney, were doomy stoners Robot God featuring bassist/vocalist Matt Allen (ex-Mother Mars and Los Hombres Del Diablo) and drummer Tim Pritchard (ex-Mother Mars) and guitarist Raff Iacurto. Stylistically speaking, Robot God comes across as a potent spacey cocktail of Pink Floyd, Sabbath, Hawkwind and Kyuss. Their tunes are slow, deliberate and psychedelic. Iacurto’s axe-grinding channels David Gilmour, dripping wet with reverb and delay, squeezing every note for all it’s worth. Allen’s bass is super fat and fuzzy, while Pritchard bashes the drums with Bonham-like abandon.
Second band of the night – representing Canberra – were super group Pilots of Baalbek, an all-star proto punk/heavy glitter rock act consisting of guitarist/vocalist Adam Agius (Alchemist), second guitarist Mel Walker (ex-Pod People), drummer Lachlan Paine (ex-Looking Glass) and bassist Leah Molluson. Judging from their previous outfits, one might expect to hear some sludgy metal. Not so. Taking their cue from Iggy and the Stooges, Sweet – and for a more modern frame of reference, The Hellacopters – Pilots of Baalbek are high energy rawk ‘n’ roll as it was created in the early to mid seventies. They’re high on hooks and an earthy guitar/bass sound, rather than super fuzzy freakouts.
Headlining power trio Witchskull – also calling Canberra home – were up next, celebrating the release of their fourth album, The Serpent Tide. Fronted by wildly shamanistic axeman/singer Marcus De Pasquale (ex-Looking Glass and Hekate), Witchskull also boasts New York transplant Tony McMahon (bass) and drummer Joel Green (ex-Armoured Angel). Witchskull is all about de-tuned and doomy riffage and occult lyrical leanings. I’ve covered Witchskull before, mainly because I believe they justly deserve the attention. Marcus pulls out all the stops and stalks the stage with a Hendrix-like flare, playing solos on his flying V above his head and behind his back. McMahon’s bass is both fat and fuzzy, often hitting chords and filling up the space which would normally be inhabited by a second guitar. Joel Green’s powerful backbeat pulverised the crowd a la Bill Ward.
All considered, it was a thoroughly tasty night of heavy rawk ‘n’ roll, played to a nearly packed house at the Crowbar in Sydney.
