The Rubens

Something tells us there are going to be a lot of heartbroken young hipsters when the Rubens become “too mainstream” to like them anymore.

Fellow Sydneysider Bertie Blackman opens for the Rubens at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre with tracks off her new album, Pope Innocent X. After a first-rate set and a few friendly jibes at the “salad eaters” waiting backstage (oh Bertie, you bully!), the songstress steps aside to share the stage with the boys responsible for getting 'Lay it Down' stuck in everyone’s head.

Opening with 'The Best We Got' from their debut, self-titled album, any nerves these newcomers might have had don’t show in their performance, especially not in the powerful, bluesy vocals of singer Sam Margin.

Between songs, the boys confess their name eventuated from a nickname borrowed from the youngest Margin brother - the only one who isn’t in the band. Sam, along with keyboardist Elliot Margin and lead guitarist Zaac Margin and drummer Scott Baldwin, invite the 17-year-old on stage in a burst of brotherly love as a guest drummer on 'My Gun'.

Playing songs off the new album including 'Don’t Ever Want to Be Found', 'Look Good, Feel Good' and 'Never Be the Same', the boys’ save the best for last with an electric encore of 'Lay it Down' that has the amped-up crowd screaming at the first chord.

Seemingly shy at times, the Rubens’ stage presence is humble and, dare we say, grateful - a very endearing trait. Watching these boys have such a good time on stage makes for a really damn good time in itself.