“I’m here to hear good bands, drink beers and throw punches”. 
Being a virgin to a night at the infamous Enigma Bar, overhearing that in a bathroom stall gave a good indication of what I could expect from the night: heavy music and heavier mosh pits. The heavy music being featured tonight was from Life Pilot, who have made a solid fan base over the course of their short career, and they were in full effect on Saturday night, ready to get down and throw down.

Starting of the night was local band All That I’m Asking, who brought bit of a hip-hop inspiration to their abrasive hardcore punk sound. This was only amplified when the band jumped into a cover Kanye Wests “Black Skinhead”, the band playing with a great sense of rhythm, only being bogged down by vocalist Liam Wytkins’ tendency to switch between clean and distorted vocals a bit too frequently. Never the less, All That I’m Asking ripped through their set with a great energy, particularly on the song 'Rosemary', a dedication to Wytkins’ deceased grandmother.

Following on from ATIM was At Fates Mercy, a band who quickly showed that they were much more experienced than the opening act. Despite the fact that vocalist Ben Cox couldn’t move around the stage too much due to a leg injury, the band played through their 80’s metal influenced set with a ferocity of a band who knew their sound. Their guitar melodies were strong and bright, seemingly inspired by emo bands of the 90s and contrasting well with their metal sound. Despite his injury, Cox’s powerful and versatile voice stood above the rest, announcing himself as one of the best vocalists in the room.

The first and only disappointment of the evening came from One In The Chamber, announcing that it was their final show. But they didn’t let that fact get them down because One In The Chamber brought the most high-energy set of the night, being the first band on the bill to truly send the crowd into frenzy. They blasted through their 80s hard-core punk inspired set with a juvenile energy, truly unhinged and ready to cause chaos. The band not only invited crazy crowd behaviour, they damn well created it, tossing around the microphone like a tennis ball and the lead singer diving into the crowd, being swung around like a hula-hoop by man who looked like he just walked out of a corporate staff meeting, who ended up playing bass. The band's thunderous energy only really faltered when they spontaneously jumped into a cover of Nirvana’s 'Breed', with their heavy sound not really meshing with the song, but they could easily be forgiven for playing it so sincerely.

Not to be outdone by One In The Chamber, Life Pilot took to the stage, trying live up to the last bands claims that they were “the best hardcore this side of your mum’s bed.” Sure enough, they proved that statement tenfold. Life Pilot played through their headlining set with the confidence of a band that had found their sound, bringing a unique sound to a genre that gets bogged down in clichés and a lack of creativity. Their big guitar riffs which were savage but no less memorable blended well with their thrashing rhythmic sound that didn’t lose any steam by the end of the set, even though band were visually exhausted (guitarist Tim Lawrence nearly passing out by the end). The band's track ‘Hightide’ was easily the standout of the set, Angus Long’s bloodcurdling vocals truly being the highlight.


If you stuck around long enough to catch Jack The Giant Killer's closing set, you would have been treated to a band who are still trying to refine their raw and aggressive sound, but by then the highlights of the night had already passed. All That I’m Asking and At Fates Mercy proved that the Adelaide hardcore scene has some good up and comers; Life Pilot presenting their case for being one of the best Australian hardcore bands on the circuit, and One In the Chamber standing by that LCD Soundsystem mantra: “If it’s gonna be a funeral, let’s have it be the best funeral ever”. All I can say about my first night at an Enigma show is that if every night is as energetic as that, I’ll be coming back.

Review by Noah Ward.
Photos by Yvonne Sears. You can view the full gallery here.

Hell City Glamours are having one last drink for the road and fortunately for us Adelaide was included on the farewell tour. After 12 years, of which can only be described as an illustrious career, the four mates from Sydney have decided to call it a day. With 2 albums, 3 EPs, and countless shows around the country and overseas, which saw them gracing stages with musical luminaries such as the New York Dolls, Sebastian Bach, The Angels, Paul Stanley, Alice Cooper, Living Color, Rose Tattoo, LA Guns and Brides of Destruction, they have achieved more than most independent touring bands can boast. So it’s time to charge our glasses one more time and raise a toast to H.C.G. as they take a final bow.

The local hard rock/glam metal scene is a thriving niche that is always well supported by both punters and bands alike. Arriving early at the Crown & Anchor it is evident that tonight is no exception; the front bar is already standing room only despite the atrocious winter conditions outside.

First up on tonight’s line up is Laced In Lust, who look and sound like they just sauntered off the sunset strip circa mid 80’s. They played a great set of energetic hard rock that would have not looked out of place at the Whiskey or Rainbow in L.A. They drew heavily on tracks from their latest EP 'Firing Lines', including the title track which is currently sitting at # 8 in the local top 20 charts. The combination of big riffs and catchy choruses warmed the crowd up nicely on a cold winter’s night.

Thursday night saw The Rampage Tour bring a riotous selection of Australia’s favourite metalcore and hardcore acts to Adelaide. Set to be the hardcore event of winter, the loaded line up co-headlined by Australia’s hardest touring band, Deez Nuts, and Melboune’s finest metalcore act, Confession, rocked out Fowlers Live and certainly did not disappoint the legion of hardcore enthusiasts who attended. A coin flip prior to the gig determined who would close the show, changing it up every night to keep it fair and keep the tour feeling fresh.

Now it is no mean feat to warm up a hardcore Fowlers’ crowd, but metalcore band Our Conquest managed to get heads bobbing. Despite a few of their songs being repetitive with drop after consecutive drop, their single ‘Ghosts’ was clearly a hit, getting everyone on their feet and swaying their heads.

Hailing from Melbourne, Thorns took a more laidback delivery, primarily allowing the music to speak for itself. However, what the band lacked in stage presence the crowd made up for in their boundless enthusiasm, certainly erupting the pit with flailing limbs and stomping feet.

Sydney hardcore group Hand Of Mercy were a surprising highlight of the night. After losing their lead vocalist, The Rampage Tour marks the first time Nick Bellringer took the reins. Playing a varied set including ‘Sick With It’, Nick proved he is a valuable addition by showcasing his killer vocals, engaging in playful banter with the crowd, getting amongst it, and sharing the microphone around. Sharing a new single can be daunting, however the crowd responded positively to theilatest off their upcoming album.

We haven’t seen Confession since their appearance at Vans Warped Tour in December last year, but since then they have recorded a new album and May marked the release of their latest single ‘Fuck Cancer’. The Rampage Tour has undeniably proven that despite multiple changes in the band’s lineup, Confession are still delivering first class metalcore. Front man Michael Crafter was donning his signature camouflage and got deep with the crowd, exchanging harrowing details of his personal life to great reciprocal exclaims of “FUCK CANCER!” from the crowd. Confession proved that metal with meaning is still well and alive.

As the winner of the nightly coin flip, Deez Nuts closed The Rampage Tour in Adelaide. The anticipation in the audience was palatable in the short wait before the headline act. As Deez Nuts took the stage the crowd surged forward and were greeted by the charismatic JJ Peters. They brought their unique infusion of hardcore rifts, unifying lyrics, party-worthy beats and a commendable ‘no-fucks-given’ attitude. Anthems such as ‘Stay True’ and ‘Your Mother Should Have Swallowed You’ rocked Fowlers Live. They finished their set with their latest single, ‘Band of Brothers’, to the most riotous and involved crowd who were screaming the chorus, headbanging and some even wrapping their arms around one another. A killer moment to wrap up a rager of a night.


Review by Isabella Carbone.
Photos by Eleanor Johnson-Firth.

The Gov supports all kinds of music and the energetic, young local band ‘California Cousin’ are no exception. This gig was in aid of their new single, ‘Black Eyes’. Doors opened at 7:30 p.m and the show began with ‘The Garlic Twitch’, a young comedian fresh to the Adelaide scene. After this interesting choice for the first act, California Cousin graced the stage. Watching the relaxed ease with which they played together, I realized they must be family. Singer Stephanie Ann’s playful stage antics bounced off guitarist/ singer Josh David, and drummer/singer Daniella Lee Dolla’s professional delivery, as if they were relaxing at home. This slick trio used backing tracks and added bass guitar to deliver a polished performance to their fans, some of which were wearing California Cousin t – shirts. Yes, the merchandise was flashy! There were t-shirts and CD’s for sale, and an opportunity to redeem some of the ticket cost by becoming a California Cousin member, and receive two free singles as thanks.

As the set graduated, the applause and shouts increased in decibels that rumbled the bar table I was sitting at. The attentiveness of Sam’s voice meshed with the detailed picking of his guitar whenever he would slow down the night with his acoustic solos. These pieces hushed the crowd to the lowest level it ever was throughout the whole night, his lyrics enveloping the audience into a musical surrealism that was pure and soulful.

The night wore on and people became more and more intent with The Paper Kites’ folk-indie style, including guitarist Dave Powys’ riffs that drew eyes staring in admiration. The crowd recognized the song ‘Woodland’ from their first EP, which could be seen through the joyous essence that was generated from the crowd with numerous bodies moving in unison to the familiarity of the song. The following track ‘Bloom’ had the crowd singing along word for word with people whistling during the bridge with the lead singer.

The final song combined a classic drum rhythm and warped guitar sound that had the audience nodding their heads and tapping their feet collectively. As a first timer at The Gov, I was in awe of the performance and atmosphere surrounding me. The kaleidoscopic background produced a liberating and lively ending to The Paper Kites’ set, with multiple whistles and ‘whoops’ from the gratifying crowd as the band exited the stage, guitars and drumsticks in hand.

Review by Georgia Lake.
Photos by Dean Johnson. You can see the full album here.

 Singer Ocker Bozo is truly the ringmaster of this merry bunch of troubadours, part singer, part comedian, all clown. He delighted the crowd with his colourful anecdotes before launching into the first song of the evening. By time the first few notes rang through the venue, the circus was well and truly back in town. From the outset, Ocker Bozo had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand, backed by his grease painted henchmen, they displayed the showmanship that propelled them to superstar status on the local scene all those years ago.

How do you describe the music? I could not offer a description that would truly do it justice. It is something that if you asked everyone in the room they all would have come up with a different answer. In saying that, the one thing everyone could agree on is whether you had heard their music before or not, entertainment was the big winner tonight. Balloons, glitter, confetti and grease paint were all in abundance as the band lead us on their magical ride.

It was apparent to everyone there that the time away from the limelight had not diminished any of the band’s ability to create a musical and visual kaleidoscope that will ensure they regain their mantle as one of Adelaide’s premier bands.The Clowns Of Decadence invited us on their deranged carousel ride and pushed us off at full speed, leaving everyone in audience hungry for more. 

Review by Mike Trandafil
Photos by Melissa Donato. You can see the full album here.