If the Midnight Juggernauts were explosive as a duo, they’re immense as a three-piece. There’s a physicality about new-ish drummer Daniel Stricker’s playing that you just can’t replicate with samples. It brings energy and dimension to songs off the band’s latest album, Dystopia – one of the better Australian releases of 2007 – and it positively ignited the crowd on a cool Meredith evening.

Playing on a night where three of our local electro heroes had come home to roost, it was the Juggernauts – and the Juggernauts alone – who emerged triumphant; a lacklustre Cut Copy forgot to put their gigging boots on, while poor ol’ Muscles, battered and bruised after 120+ shows this year, chucked a last-minute sickey.

But if the Midnight Juggernauts were feeling the effects of a whirlwind year, they hid it well. Blessed with boundless energy – or perhaps with Andrew WK’s “party, party hard” mantra still ringing in their ears – the three-piece were relentless; barely a minute was wasted in their 50-minute set. The 7-8pm time slot, however, didn’t suit. Expansive sci-fi symphonies like these demand a starry night.

by Darren Levin