Live Review: The Beasts – 35th Anniversary of ‘Black Milk’ in Melbourne
12th September 2025 at The Forum, Melbourne, Australia
Review by: Jeana Thomas
Photography by Jeana Thomas Photography
The Beasts – A Ferocious Farewell to Black Milk – the classic album by Beasts of Bourbon
Celebrating 35 years since Black Milk first bled its strange, unruly soul into the Australian music canon, The Beasts returned to Melbourne’s Forum for a night that felt like a powerful unearthing – digging deep into their legacy with raw honesty and electrifying force.
The Beasts of Bourbon were one of Australia’s most raw and raucous rock bands – equal parts blues, punk, and swamp rock – with Tex Perkins as their magnetic frontman. After the passing of founding member Spencer P. Jones and Brian Hooper in 2018, the remaining members felt it wouldn’t be right to continue using the name Beasts of Bourbon without them. Instead, they reformed under the shortened name, The Beasts
The crowd reflected the band’s enduring appeal – older punks with faces etched by decades of gigs and grit, standing shoulder to shoulder with younger fans who discovered The Beasts the way they were meant to be found: in the wild. The room thrummed with something more than nostalgia, it felt necessary.
Tex Perkins, Kim Salmon, Boris Sujdovic, Charlie Owen and Evan Richards strode onto the stage with the ease of a band that no longer needs to announce its relevance. There was no pomp, no theatre, just five musicians who’ve walked through fire together, still capable of conjuring chaos and poetry in equal measure.
Tex paid tribute to James Baker and Spencer P. Jones at the start of the night – a gesture made all the more fitting by the presence of the Johnnys supporting the Beasts, as Spencer had also been a part of their story.
As they tore into Black Milk in full and from the jagged opening of “Black Milk,” it was obvious the album hadn’t softened with age – it had ripened. Tex’s vocals were still steeped in that signature gravel, now tempered by time rather than diminished. Kim Salmon’s guitar lines slithered and howled, full of tension and unease, while Sujdovic’s basslines anchored the whole thing with bruising clarity.
Surprisingly, it was the quiet moments that struck the deepest. Tracks like “Words From a Woman to Her Man” and “I’m So Happy I Could Cry” – once filed away as eccentric outliers – took on a new emotional weight. Helen Rose rejoined the band for “Words” her voice cutting through the venue with clinical precision. It wasn’t so much a duet as a visitation – eerie, spare and deeply affecting.
Then came “Let’s Get Funky” a cover, technically, though it felt more like the band briefly lost control of the wheel in the best possible way. The crowd, already on edge, gave in completely. The floor bounced, beers spilled and strangers became fast allies. This is where The Beasts thrive – not in tidy tributes, but in the beautiful mess of shared release.
Tex invited Dave Graney (ever the enigmatic showman) onto the stage, who brought his usual strange magnetism to “Blue Stranger” – his performance landing like a dream half-remembered, the song drifting through the venue like a late-night jukebox tune echoing from a distant room. It was haunting, charming and entirely his own.
Closer to the end of the night, Tex invited all the supporting acts back on stage for a collective performance of ‘Rest In Peace’ – a warm, unforced gesture that turned tribute into togetherness. There was nothing heavy-handed about it; just a group of musicians sharing the weight and joy of memory. Cash Savage stepped forward to sing a solo song her voice steady and soulful.
Black Milk has never been a clean record. It’s all bruised knuckles, smudged eyeliner and strange beauty. Live, it still snarls, still aches and on this night, The Beasts proved it still matters.
If this is truly their last howl, they’ve gone out in the only way they know how – loud, unpolished and unforgettable.
Supporting The Beasts were a handpicked line-up of seasoned and electrifying performers: Ezra Lee, The Johnnys and Cash Savage. Each brought their own distinct flavour to the night, enhancing the atmosphere without ever pulling focus from the heart of the event. Ezra Lee lit up the stage with his piano-driven rockabilly flair, a nod to the golden age of Sun Records and infectious energy, channelling raw rock ’n’ roll spirit with every pounding chord and wide grin. The Johnnys, long-time purveyors of cowpunk energy, injected the crowd with a dose of raucous nostalgia, their signature blend of pub rock and irreverent swagger stirring old memories and new excitement alike. Cash Savage delivered a set brimming with raw emotion and unfiltered fire, commanding stage presence cutting through the room like a blade – ferocious yet deeply human.
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Morse Code PR, Destroy All Lines, and The Beast for the Press Accreditation.
About the Writer: Originally hailing from Western Australia, Jeana Thomas now thrives in the vibrant city of Melbourne. Amidst the hustle of her role in a prominent teaching hospital, she also navigates the dynamic world of entrepreneurship as the owner of a medical transcription company. Beyond her professional endeavours, Jeana finds solace and joy in the rhythm of music, the allure of travel and the artistry of photography, with a particular passion for wildlife photography.
About Sheldon Ang Media: Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) have been accredited to more than 190 of the hottest acts including Coldplay (Perth), Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK and The Kid LAROI with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, UB40, Roxette, Delta Goodrem and Tina Arena. The founder has interviewed rockers Suzi Quatro, Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) plus over 70 artists. SAM is also a music journalist on the Triple M Radio network.
