Tripod in Self-Saucing (R18) at Transmission Room

Tripod mock everyone, including themselves

Imagine spending an evening with Gollum, Fonzie and Robin Gibb, and you start to get an idea of what going to see Tripod is like.

Well maybe, if Gollum and Fonzie were talented musicians, that is.

Opening with a love song about autism, the Australian trio lunged into their Self-Saucing show with an energy and enthusiasm that didn't wane once throughout their 80-minute set. From King Kong to lingering Dads, the guys had a song for everything, each one funnier than the next.

The key to Tripod's humour is how they use their genuine musical ability to expertly parody different genres, before hitting you with a smart, satirical punchline in the chorus.

When the audience weren't laughing (which was rare), they were simply entranced by the musicianship of the group.

The highlight of Self-Saucing, though, wasn't any of the songs but the spontaneous banter that took place between each number.

The group mocked themselves, each other, and the audience, with a quick-witted flair that seemed to surprise even them at times.

At other times, the group used sheer randomness to get a laugh. After a folksy number about music copyright protection, Yon turned and deadpanned, "Is honey bee wee?"

Don't be fooled by the occasional puerile joke though, the show is smart, satirical and (relatively) mature. Drawing a diverse crowd of young and old, Tripod's deft humour appealed to all, including the lads themselves.

On more than one occasion the trio had to pause while they stopped sniggering at each other, in particular when Scod and Gatesy began singing two entirely different songs and again when Scod accidentally head-butted his microphone.

As the boys wrapped up their final song the disappointment was palpable. If you see nothing else all festival, Tripod is the one to see. They may be Australian, but they're brilliant.