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Axis Of Awesome: Infinity Rock Explosion
Published on Thursday, 20 August 2009

Axis of Awesome, a three-piece Australian comedy rock group, must be the Fringe's worst-kept secret: a viral internet sensation and Edinburgh Fringe hit last year, and the subject of rave reviews this year. But it bears repeating: the superlative for these guys really is AWESOME.

Frontman Jordan - who knows, we're told, that he looks like Jack Black - plays off straight man and musical genius Benny on keyboard, with Lee, the stupid one, on guitar. Together, they mix their own rock tunes with parody reworkings of famous hits. They do a neat running joke, for instance, with the Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire, with revised subject matter ranging from making a cup of tea to picking up, ahem, girls.

Their own Four Chords Song is what made them famous, and it is a real wonder to see and hear performed live. They are really at their best with the longer and more developed tunes, when they kick back and get into the music. A few of their songs are a bit too short, and I kinda get the feeling that if they'd cut out most of the jokes about Benny's height, they could have fit an extra song in to their hour-long set. Their awesome comic rock stylings are what we want to see, rather than rehearsed banter. Still, he is tiny.

I would also warn potential apparatchiks of awesome making their way to Gilded Balloon to avoid the cabaret tables overlooking the stage in the Wine Bar mezzanine. I found the sound quite badly diminished where I was sitting, which could have the potential to lessen your enjoyment of the show.

Infinity Rock Explosion is on its way to becoming a sell-out hit, so take the earliest possible chance to book your tickets. Axis of Awesome definitely have the power to move you, but just remember - they're not Tenacious D.

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