Future of The Left w/ Dead Farmers & Yes, I'm Leaving – Annandale Hotel, Sydney 08th December 2011

I have seen Future Of The Left every time they have come to Sydney and this was show number 4 at the mighty Annandale Hotel.  This is the second time that this 4 piece line up of the band has toured and since that time we have only seen the “Polymers Are Forever” ep.  So expectations were high for some new tunes.  The band entered the stage to the sounds of an unreleased FOTL tune “Cosmos Ladder” and rapturous applause from the crowd. 

The band was an assault on the ears from “Arming Eritrea” to the final strains of “Lapsed Catholics” partially due to a very aggressive mix by the sound engineer and Guitarist and Bassist Jimmy and Julia being fully integrated into the band.  A number of “established” tracks were knocked out with great energy before were treated to our first new song “Beneath The Waves An Ocean”.  The song is based on a grinding bass almost industrial bass line.  Is it slower than previous material and has a great chorus.  It worked great live and here’s hoping that it sound this good on new record.  “I Am The Least Of Your Problems” which posted in demo form a year ago was next and what a fun punky number.  Probably one of the weaker of the new tunes but still fun.  The lead track of the recently released ep “Polymers Are Forever” was great live and was the first track in the Keyboard section that included live favourite “Manchasm”.  
The set featured three Mclusky covers in the form of “To Hell With Good Intentions”, “Without MSG I’m Nothing” & “Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues”.  All were great and lead up to the 10 minute finale of “Lapsed Catholics” which was fun but a little long.  But at least I wasn’t the long haired dude who had a beer bottle taped to his head so that guitarist Jimmy could have beer poured into his mouth.  It was a crazy night and good to visit with our friends for the forth song in four days and I hope they come back soon.

Future Of The Left Setlist:

Arming Eritrea

Chin Music

Small Bones Small Bodies

Adeadenemyalwayssmellsgood

Beneath The Waves An Ocean

I Am The Least Of Your Problems

Polymers Are Forever

Manchasm

Failed Olympic Bid

You Need Satan More Than He Needs You

New Adventures

To Hell With Good Intentions

Sheena Is A T-Shirt Salesman

Without MSG I Am Nothing

Robocop 4 : Fuck Off Robocop

Plague of Onces

Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues

Lapsed Catholics