Last Friday, I saw the Cosmic Psychos at Db’s in Utrecht with my old friend M. Sometime around 1988 I first saw this Australian punk band at Metropool in Hengelo (I thought Atak, but according to setlist.fm it was Metropool: the pumping, monotonous, rough songs and the wah-wah guitar solos of Peter ‘Dirty’ Jones.

The beer punk, or concrete punk rock Cosmix Psychos make is stripped-down punk rock in the tradition of the Ramones. Straightforward songs, heavy bass, short, chaotic solos. The band cultivates a barnyard image of raw, hard-working farmers who open their first can of beer early in the day.

The band has cult status in the music world. The band has played worldwide and at festivals with more famous bands like Nirvana, Mudhoney, and Helmet. Since its formation, the band has had several member changes, with only bassist and vocalist Ross Knight remaining from the original lineup. An interesting rabbit hole I might dive into later.

On this night at Db’s, drummer Dean Muller is absent due to family matters, if I understand correctly. BC Michaels of Dunerats replaces him. The music they make today is as unpolished as ever. Peter Jones’ wah-wah solos have given way to the more traditional bluesy punk rock solos of current guitarist John McKeering. Ross Knight has a voice like a dyke, and his bass lays a heavy foundation under the songs. McKeering completes the band’s image; he has a fat beer belly that he doesn’t try to hide under his shirt. At the end of the show, the shirt also comes off.

A documentary about the band was made in 2012, which I have yet to watch.

I took some pictures.