Friday night at the Hi-Tone, beer was flung, pants were removed, and the rock was brought. Night two of Gonerfest 9 started with the Nots, a three-piece, all-female Memphis punk band with former members of Bake Sale and the Manatees. I apologize for not getting any video of their set, which was awash in chorusy guitar smears — think “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me” Cure or Throwing Muses with a straight-ahead rhythm section — but I was so mesmerized it was over before I had pushed record.
Next up were the Bad Sports, who turned in a solid performance that would turn out to be a warm-up for what came later. Then the Gary Wong Group from Mobile, Alabama, introduced what to my remembrance is the first on-stage gong in the history of Gonerfest, which happened to be manned by musical madman Mr. Quintron.
Led by charismatic frontman Don Goldberg, Melbourne, Australia’s, Bits of Shit tore up the club like it was their job, proving once again that the Aussies know what they’re doing behind the guitar. Then it was time for the Tanlines.
