Live Review: The Bronx, Bare Bones

"I don't care if I die here tonight. Everybody, go mad!" The Bronx frontman Matt Caughthran would declare this on a Monday night at Oxford Arts Factory. It was the culmination of a completely wild and raucous night of rock and post-punk that will not soon be forgotten.

Local five-piece, Bare Bones, released their impressive debut album Bad Habits recently and put a lot of it on display. Lead singer, Tom Kennedy, had a similar stage presence to his fellow lead vocalist of the evening while the band, including duelling guitars, was rock-solid. Their set was a gnarly burst of tight, sweaty hardcore that should be recognised for its quality. There are some cracking songs in there and their full set of 15 songs gives them a chance to stretch their legs. They prove they are worthy of the quality support slots they've landed in recent times and are gaining well-deserved praise.

Overheard before the main act; "I love a venue that doesn't have a barrier". This proved to be a key point as the sold-out crowd prepared for The Bronx. For an international band like the Los Angeles five-piece, a gig at the OAF is an amazing opportunity to get up close and personal. If you don't mind sharing sweat (and the occasional blood) with your fellow punter, this was the place to be.

It took two songs for Caughthran to dive head first into the crowd. The opening track from their first album, Heart Attack American, was the prompt to get in and 'mingle' with the feverish crowd. Yes, it may happen every time The Bronx perform, but it is no less memorable every time. While the crowd focus on the lead singer's antics on the dancefloor, the talented band belted out the set with precision. New tracks from V, including Night Drop At The Glue Factory and Side Effects, stood up well beside classics Shitty Future and White Tar. Caughthran dropped truths on us between songs. "So, who here is unemployed? No one? Good, so we can all have a helluva Monday night before we go to work tomorrow!"

This was pure, blistering, cathartic rock with a crowd that was willing to get involved. Stage diving was encouraged and almost obligatory. The music (and the audience) was loud, energetic and sweaty. Props to the venue and security for allowing a passionate band and crowd to be who they want to be in a good-natured way.

With Caughthran making a (rare) return to the stage, they delivered an encore of Stranger Danger (a highlight from the new album) and History's Stranglers. The Bronx wrapped up a Monday night gig for the ages; a gig that will surely go down as one of the best in the venue's history.