By Kate Ross
Gee Tee, a Syndey-based punk band, streamed a satisfyingly gritty live performance for Goner Record’s 17th annual Gonerfest last Friday night. Typically, the garage rock festival is held at Goner Record’s store in Memphis, but this year they decided to try it quarantine-style and shift the festival to the virtual world.
I bought my Gonerfest ticket to see Gee Tee and Gee Tee only, whose set was far from disappointing. The band recorded the set live from their practice space in Sydney, Australia while the vocalist, Kel Mason, performed karaoke-style in front of a green screen.
I was relieved to hear my favorite songs, “Muscle World” and “Caltex”, from their first full-length album titled S/T, but surprisingly those were far from my favorite after watching the entirety of the set. Due to a lack of mixing from the live recording, Kel’s vocals were easily drowned out by the lively instrumentation. The guitars sounded great because they were turned up so loud, but it made it very hard to hear Kel.
“Bedrock,” a track nowhere to be found on the Internet besides the Gonerfest live stream, proved to be a strong contester for best song of the set. Unfortunately, I cannot find it anywhere besides the live stream. Before hearing this, I thought that “Muscle World” and “Caltex” were the poppiest songs, but “Bedrock” definitely wins. The guitar riffs and synth are surprisingly cute, compared to Kel’s gravelly screams. Not to mention, the nostalgic footage displayed on the green screen from The Flinstones adds to the song’s appeal, which most likely inspired the concept for the song. Meanwhile, Kel is spastically dancing across the green screen in a hot pink ski mask and cat-eye sunglasses. There is an odd and indescribable seductiveness hidden among the chaos ensuing on screen.
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In typical party-boy punk fashion, Kel’s ski mask and glasses remain intact for the duration of the performance. As footage of the band members shotgunning mediocre Australian beer and strumming phallic air guitars intermittently appear on the screen, the band starts playing “Imma Germ,” which was recorded pre-COVID in 2019. I had never heard this track, but it felt more relevant than ever. Lyrics like these flicker across the screen and I can’t help but stifle a giggle. They are a testament to the band’s refusal to take themselves seriously.
Cause I don’t like sprays
And I don’t like wipes
So please don’t kill me
Cause I’m alright
Another key track of the night was “Mutant World,” originally recorded for their newest EP Atomic, released earlier in 2020. I much prefer the live recording of “Mutant World,” to the studio recording. The vocals are admittedly worse in the live version and without the on-screen lyrics, I would not have been able to decipher a single word. However, the contagious energy emitted from the drums, guitar, and bass are so impressive and could not be translated in a studio recording. I could not stop myself from moving while watching from my living room couch. There is a nihilistic component to their brand of speed punk that can be heard in the lyrics.
City streets
Filled with scum
Slowly you’ve become one
Gee Tee’s live set was a memorable experience, something that is rare to find as of late. It was a combination of sporadic grunts and groans, endearingly goofy costumes and attitudes, and a consistent fuzz from the lo-fi quality of the recording. Gee Tee reminded me that it can be a good thing to feel energized and angsty every now and again.
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