Most people struck down with tonsillitis would be laid up in bed or the couch with nothing but medicine, chicken soup and Netflix for company.

They wouldn't be belting out tunes on stage at the Cambridge Hotel at 11pm on a freezing winter's night, wearing just a crop top and pair of underpants and piercing open beer cans with their fingers and shotgunning them over the front row.

"I wasn't going to miss a show in the best place in the world," a visibly-sick Macqueen said as the crowd chanted "New-cast-le, New-cast-le."

Unfortunately, despite Macqueen's best party tricks, The Gooch Palms failed to reach the heights of their Cambridge show three years ago during the Introverted Extroverts tour.

The two-piece's energy was down, the timing was off and Macqueen, for obvious reasons, was vocally restricted.

It didn't help that the room was less than half full, even with an all-Novocastrian line-up. Newcastle music fans aren't as dedicated as Macqueen on a cold August night.

Alternative four-piece Kookshill kicked off the night before a new-look Milky Thred hit the stage. The teen garage rockers recently lost bassist Bronte Jenness, and Riley Gardiner (vocals, guitar) and Adrian Smith (drums) opted to continue as a two-piece.

There's certainly potential for Milky Thred. Gardiner is an engaging frontman, and despite his pint-sized stature carries a whiff on punk attitude. But they're still developing their craft beyond the typical school-band sound.

Surf Trash are further down the line in their development. The three-piece from Eleebana and Valentine, sound like a teen rock band, albeit a very talented one.

The boys weren't afraid to rip out the classic rock moves, with the shirtless bassist and year 11 Warner Bay High student, Nick Scott, leaping into the air to the delight of punters.

They also boast two quality songs in Summer and Over My Shoulder, which brought an explosive end to the set.

Accompanying The Gooch Palms on their national tour is the biggest opportunity of Surf Trash's formative career, and the experience comes with life lessons.

"I told them you have to eat your vegetables or you're not coming on tour," Gooch Palms drummer Kat Friend joked before launching into Eat Up Ya Beans.

Some of the new tracks off The Gooch Palms' album III like New Phone Who Dis? and Burnout failed to ignite, but the show sparked up when Friend led the way with the punchy single Busy Bleeding about the pitfalls of menstruation.

The school-aged Gardiner and Surf Trash guitarist Lachlan Jackson joined Friend on backing vocals because, "they know all about...periods," said Friend.

From there the small crowd formed a hectic circle pit as bodies crashed together to the soundtrack of Gooch Palms favourites Hunter Street Mall and We Get By.

Due to Macqueen's tonsillitis this wasn't The Gooch Palms at their very best. However, as the band continues to develop musically in the studio - III is their most accomplished album to date - the time may have arrived for The Gooch Palms to branch out beyond their two-piece DIY punk schtick and incorporate a more expansive live sound.