The Fearless Vampire Killers at The Toff in Town, Melbourne

Jess O'Callaghan checked out Melbourne's The Fearless Vampire Killers, as they played a gig in their home city. Fiona Wilde supplied the photos, taken at their recent Sydney show:

“We cleared back the tables. When we play this next song, you’ll understand why.” The Fearless Vampire Killers are not a band to see if you don’t want to dance. These Melbourne blues rockers are the epitome of boogie. They were actually making my shoes bounce with the beat, even to the songs I didn’t know.

Melbourne six-piece Major Tom & the Atoms' set was an energetic start to the night. They make the saxophone look as cool as it did when Rob Lowe played one in St Elmo’s Fire (very cool). Rhythm and blues, soul funk and sexy crooning warmed the crowd right up for The Fearless Vampire Killers, and set the tone for the rest of the evening. Wasteland was the aforementioned table-clearing number, and it had most of the packed-out dance floor swivelling their knees like 1960s rock and roll stars. Moving seamlessly between pop-rock, funk and soul, The Fearless Vampire Killers are like something out of another decade. With their bright orange shirts and gel-quiffed hair, the four Melbourne boys looked the part.

With sounds simular to Little Red and The Drums, The Fearless Vampire Killers have songs that will get stuck in your head for days. In a good way. They make me want to barbeque things by the beach and then go swimming in my clothes. They sound like summer, but not in a happy-go-lucky, too cheerful way. In a way that means great, rolling riffs can be mixed with lyrics like, "Most people I know, they think life’s for living/But you know what I say, life is for killing." And still make you want to boogie.

As always, the Toff in Town is a perfect place to see any band that makes a live gig feel a bit like you’ve discovered an ability to time travel. The candle-lit, velvet-curtained band room is perfect for a band like The Fearless Vampire Killers. Try and catch their upcoming gigs in Geelong, Ballarat and at the Apollo Bay Music Festival. They’re definitely best enjoyed dancing.

Review by Jess O'Callaghan. Photos by Fiona Wilde.