LAGERSTEIN - Live In Melbourne
LONGING FOR LAGERSTEIN
Friday 4th September 2026
Written by: Kelly Green
Photographed by: Steve Green
It's peak AFL season with 90,000 plus crowd heading towards the MCG. Our train is full to the brim with Carlton and Geelong fans but what do I see on Richmond station, a ‘pirate’? We walk the short distance to the Corner Hotel, and the footy crowd are heading in the opposite direction, and I spy another pirate, then another. The Corner Hotel is overflowing with (yep, you guessed it) pirates and wenches. Tonight is the LAGERSTEIN 'Too Long Between Drinks' tour with special guests ABLAZE and PIZZA DEATH.
Opening the show at 8.30 is PIZZA DEATH. A Melbourne based party thrash band. PIZZA DEATH are led by Pat Simkin on vocals, Kane Quackenbush on bass, Tim Day on drums and Braiden Mann on guitar. These boys are testosterone filled piss takers, with music that is not meant to be taken seriously. Every song is based on funny pizza puns, with songs such as 'Mozza Stickmata', 'Anticrust' and 'Beast in a box'. In their 30-minute set PIZZA DEATH crammed in 17 short, fast and to the point songs. Their music is a cross between thrash and early 80's punk. It is fast and chaotic, with hard and heavy beats and fast riffs topped off with Pat's monster vocals. There are pizza themed props and puns throughout the whole set, even down to the lead singer's pepperoni shorts. PIZZA DEATH is one with the lot, and full of crusty joke toppings. The pirate punters loved this opening set and were left wanting more.
Pictured: PIZZA DEATH
Pictured: PIZZA DEATH
Pictured: PIZZA DEATH
Pictured: PIZZA DEATH
Next on stage were the great pub rock band ABLAZE. I have seen ABLAZE many times and have never been disappointed. They play great edgy fun pub rock, but the line-up has changed, and I wondered if this might be too big a change and make them lose their edge. I can happily say the 2 new members have enhanced the sound, and ABLAZE have emerged from the rotating members bigger, better and stronger. Danny is still on vocals with the icon Mango on drums and Ben on guitar, but they are now joined by Tore (JULIUS) on bass and I am happy to say they have kept the girl power by having the cool rock chick Cass (LOVE BITE and formerly SHE WOLF) on rhythm guitar. Cass's back-up vocals complement Danny's lead vocals, and the band, as always, are tight and rocking. I thought this was the best ABLAZE show I have seen. They won the hard rock crowd over with the music and their blow-up shark props. The sharks were a huge hit and they stayed bouncing around the pit for the whole night. ABLAZE played a 40-minute set of 9 songs with 'Where's My Drink' a pirate favourite that had the drinks flowing. The rendition of ‘A Long Way Home' was a crowd and my personal favourite. The Corner Hotel was now rocking with anticipation. The red curtain closed as ABLAZE left the stage and had the pirates frothing with longing for LAGERSTEIN.
Pictured: ABLAZE
Pictured: ABLAZE
Pictured: ABLAZE
Pictured: ABLAZE
Movement behind the curtain a loud "AHOY" (imagine in a pirate accent) is heard and the punters reply. Then a recording of a chant "on the beers" to the tune of 'Amadeus' by Falco. At 10.30 on the dot the curtains open, there is a ship steering wheel where the main microphone stand should be. Then they emerge. LAGERSTEIN are a 7-piece band consisting of Captain Greggagh on lead vocals, Mother Junkst on violin and keytar, The Majestic Beast on lead guitar, Neil Rummy Rackers on rhythm guitar, Old mate Dazzel on drums, Jacob the fiercest pirate in all the Caribbean on keyboard, and Torsten "MF" Steel on bass guitar. Imagine if Disney's pirates of the Caribbean went rogue on the rum barrels, and you have a visual of the motley crew that walk out on stage. I would describe LAGERSTEIN as a pirate metal folk band. They are theatrical and high energy. They sing sea shanties with a mix of heavy metal, with the Captain singing the main vocals, but the chanting choruses sung by all. They split the crowd into two groups, Port and Starboard. All throughout the set chants of Port and Starboard start up.
Pictured: LAGERSTEIN
Pictured: LAGERSTEIN
Pictured: LAGERSTEIN
Pictured: LAGERSTEIN
The performance is a very crowd interactive gig, with encouraged mosh pits, crowd swirls, shoeys and drunken sing alongs. The crowd is pirate heavy with a sprinkling of wenches, and as the band name suggests, alcohol and drinking are a big theme of the show. LAGERSTEIN played a 16-song set ending after midnight. The pirate crowd had participated in shoeys, beer bongs and pours from the Captain's duck decanter. LAGERSTEIN's song melodies and pirate voices topped with the violin and keyboard are fun and silly. It is an original sound that you could compare to 'ALESTORM'. This performance was like nothing I have ever seen, and times it confused me, but the crowd got it and was totally consumed by it. Just when you thought the crowd couldn't be whipped into more of a frenzy Captain decides on a quiet moment. "Let's go camping". He commands the audience to sit on the floor in a circle, and he and the drummer with a Djembe emerge themselves in the middle of the circle and sing 'Drink Til We Die’. Then the mayhem starts again. LAGERSTEIN closed with a 2-song encore, one being MEN AT WORK’s 'Down Under' pirate style. This was a fascinating gig, and when it was over I felt like I needed to attend an AA meeting (even though I am a non-drinker), and I had running through my head 'what should we do with the drunken sailor'.
As the pirates and wenches left to go back to their normal lives, you could see they were spent and very satisfied.
Pictured: LAGERSTEIN
Walking back to the station Ozgreeny had to get a pizza. Mr Hollywood Pizza in Richmond should sponsor PIZZA DEATH because they are great for sales. Luckily, he only wanted pizza and not a pirate ship. If this review has sparked your interest in any of the 3 bands, I suggest you go online and check out their music and merchandise available. You won't be disappointed.
Ozgreeny and I would like to thank Rashid from Sense Music Media, LAGERSTEIN, ABLAZE, PIZZA DEATH, and the Corner Hotel for the unlimited media access and high energy rock.
Photos by: Steve Green
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