Melding their best bits of southern, roots, blues and rock, Australian multi-genre band The Fumes played their second show in  Brooklyn, NY at the start of the month.

It all went down on September 1 at Death By Audio, a small but comfortable club in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn that reminded me of a garage that had been done up by great artists and a set of do-it-yourself plumbers.

Across from me sits a bearded young man with an Australian accent. So, I hit up a conversation, thinking to myself, "Sweet! This is the second Aussie voice I've have heard since I've been here." So, after shooting the breeze for a bit, I start thinking to myself, "The band I'm seeing are Australian... hang on a second... are you from The Fumes? "He says, "Yeah, we're playing tonight."

I was talking to the guitarist/singer Steve Merry. Cool guy, not taken in by the lights and glamour of good-ole-fashioned musos. An excellent start to the night.

The tone of the evening couldn't have been better set by the two preceding acts -- She Keeps Bees and Forest Magic. She Keeps Bees reminded me of old time soul music. The power behind the lead singer's voice was impressive, to say the least, like a modern day Aretha Franklin.

The second band, Forest Magic, was a mellow mix between Vampire Weekend and Kings of Leon. The violin was played in most of the songs, which brought and air and light to the drums and guitar.

The Fumes started playing at eleven o'clock. And, just when you thought the crowd was ready to pull on their night caps, the drummer, Joel Battersby, started banging out some hardcore beats that could only be described as old school Cruel Sea with a hint of the Eagles of Death Metal- something that would find its home at the Blues and Roots Festival in Byron Bay.

Despite singer/ guitarist Steve Merry downing drinks like there was no tomorrow. they both rocked out for the entire set. After the loud ear pleasures were over, the band continued to mingle with the crowd and hand out free cd's, bringing much excitement to the crowd.

The night was a pleasure and well worth the 45-minute subway and walk trip back to Manhattan.

Anyone with any interest in good old hard rock and blues, check out these fine fellows play their guitars off.

Sarah Richardson is a writer and media student in Brisbane, Australia. She's an Aussie with attitude who enjoys music, vegan-living and multimedia.