When your friend on crutches is a little too excited to accompany you, you know it’s got to be a show worth seeing. I never thought I’d feel so excluded for my lack of a female ‘stache, but looking at the turnout tonight that consists of beards in all shapes and sizes, the struggle becomes pretty real. My favourite has to be a decorative goatee with a winter wonderland shaved into it.

There are a lot of noteworthy things to mention about The Strums, who open the show with an incredible high energy performance. These punk rockers are one of my favourite opening acts I have witnessed, and it isn’t only because I’m possibly in love with the badass female bassist. Whilst excited audience members are invited up on stage, the band’s ability to dance around and jump on the drum kit is pretty impressive. The mix of female and male vocals adds depth to their sound, as they play Bare Hands and Rock’n’Roll. Apart from playing a rocking, upbeat and exciting show, the band’s clear dynamic only adds to their fun loving performance. The Strums evidently love the stage, and have fun throughout as they communicate with the audience while performing songs like Braindead. Naturally, the three piece opener has a great sense of humour, and once they leave the stage they leave behind an ecstatic crowd that waits impatiently for the main act.

Born With A Beard officially kicks off the night, but only after the comedy rock band The Beards enter the stage accompanied by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Because, why not. Logically, they are all dressed as appropriately as any rock band, in formal suits and tuxes, allowing their instruments and beards to stand out in all their glory. They accompany their set with humorous comments and a fun-loving attitude that almost distracts form the fact that the four piece actually consists of very skilled musicians. The lead singer even busts out some pretty sweet saxophone solos. By the time the band covers Sharped Dressed Man by ZZ Top, the whole audience has become a sea of jumping sing-alongers. In the Mood For Beards once again emphasises the band’s ability to mix music and humour. A very enthusiastic, nay, inspiring performance of All The Bearded Ladies yet again makes me feel like I have been living my life wrong all these years. Boogie-woogie vibes and a rhythm and blues feel become more and more prevalent in buoyant songs like You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man, and encourage even those who clearly can’t dance, to move along ambitiously. Even throughout the bluesy, and slightly controversial song Shaved Off His Beard, the crowd, including my crutched friend, swirl around passionately. I have hardly ever witnessed an audience so voluntarily commit themselves to a lack of personal space, as each and every person of the venue squishes themselves to the very front of the stage for the encore. If You’re Dad Doesn’t Have A Beard You’ve Got Two Mums is a sing-along classic for the band, and has crowd members hugging and swooshing around in unity to end the night on a perfect note.

If you’re in for a lot of laughs and good music you should definitely go see The Beards. But take my advice and don’t let your friends take a sip every time they hear the word Beard, or you will have to carry them out of the venue. 

- Tara Zupp