After months of waiting, I finally got a chance to catch a Sick Puppies show on Monday night at The Clubhouse in Tempe, AZ. It was definitely worth the wait.

If you’ve never heard of the Sick Puppies, you are missing out. They are a very talented band from Sydney, Australia who have been tearing up city after city with songs from their North American debut Dressed Up As Life. They are mostly known for their “Free Hugs” video which has been seen nearly 18 million times on YouTube. I, on the other hand, actually heard them on the radio about six months ago then found that video. I’ve been a huge fan ever since.

I was fortunate enough to meet the band on their bus before their blistering 45 minute set. Mark immediately greeted me while Shimon and Emma were finishing getting ready. After talking for a bit, we took a few pictures and I ran inside to stake out a good spot for the performance.

The show included most of the songs from Dressed Up As Life as well as a hilariously awesome hard rock cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name.” I never thought I would use Destiny’s Child and “awesome” in the same sentence, but the Sick Puppies managed to pull it off. The crowd seemed reluctant at first to rock out, but Shim was relentless in his pursuit to get everyone moving. He even jumped off stage at one point to pull people from the back closer to the front. By the end of the set, the stage area was packed and everyone was jumping with the music.

As for the band members themselves, all three are extremely gifted at what they do. To watch them perform is truly an incredible experience. Shim’s strong vocals and searing guitar are amazing live while Mark’s drumming drives the songs. Emma steals the show, however, with her pounding bass and stage movement.

I cannot wait for them to return to the Phoenix area. They are very gracious, down-to-earth people who deserve all the attention and success in the world.