Rushed to get to Thebarton Theatre to catch the first lads of the night but a snafu at the door stopped me in my tracks for thirty minutes. I could hear In Hearts Wake from the entranceway and was trying not to lose my shit at the lass on the door, choosing decorum instead as I would like to be able to come back to this joint. Finally shit gets sorted and I'm in just in time to catch the boys from Byron’s last two songs. It was actually surreal because the pit was already formed and these gentlemen truly pushed an excellent start to the night!
They had a huge following and fools like me who've never heard of them quickly joined the mosh. They finished the set with Departure and, like it’s namesake, bounced off the stage. Wish I could tell y'all more about these boys but my tardiness denies me that privilege. Anyway they fucking ripped!
They had a huge following and fools like me who've never heard of them quickly joined the mosh. They finished the set with Departure and, like it’s namesake, bounced off the stage. Wish I could tell y'all more about these boys but my tardiness denies me that privilege. Anyway they fucking ripped!
I was keen to jet out front for a fag but after the head fuck of getting into this place I chose to stay put and watch Stick To Your Guns set up. Just standing quietly and looking around, my eyes were drawn to a handsome tattooed chap sporting a heavy limp while doing sound check. He was just slowly gimping back and forth on the stage going through the rigmarole of setting the up the jam. I thought he was a roady but he was actually the guitar player from STYG! Bung knee? who cares! The show must go on, and it fucking did kids!
Orange County brought the goods with this troupe and they all got stuck in properly. Starting off with Diamond, it was plain to see that they wanted us all to believe. Fucking oath I believe! We all did as we crashed into one another in the lovely chaos that is the pit. The clarity I get when confronted with good music and the bedlam of a seething mass is faultless. In between Such Pain and Bringing You Down, Jess Barnett calmed us all down with a diatribe on how he grew up hating and having no sense of self which I thought would draw a few heckles from the crowd, but nobody said dick. We all just listened and it was a rad thing to be a part of because his words weren't preachy, but rather giving and considerate - just letting us all know that we are all the same. Then the fuckers launched into We Still Believe which sent us into a running circle, arms and legs akimbo! Now I gotta say, this is when I saw the funniest shit. While running around in this tornado, an island of people was created in the middle of us and they all looked terrified. So I started speed walking around them in the hopes that humour would tear them away from their fear and they'd jump off that island and join us, but they didn't get a chance to because the circle spent its energy and we all came together again. So I guess we joined them in the end. Is this making any sense? Fuck it, you should have been there.. STYG, you truly showed us a grand time and made this special fellow exhausted with joy...
Orange County brought the goods with this troupe and they all got stuck in properly. Starting off with Diamond, it was plain to see that they wanted us all to believe. Fucking oath I believe! We all did as we crashed into one another in the lovely chaos that is the pit. The clarity I get when confronted with good music and the bedlam of a seething mass is faultless. In between Such Pain and Bringing You Down, Jess Barnett calmed us all down with a diatribe on how he grew up hating and having no sense of self which I thought would draw a few heckles from the crowd, but nobody said dick. We all just listened and it was a rad thing to be a part of because his words weren't preachy, but rather giving and considerate - just letting us all know that we are all the same. Then the fuckers launched into We Still Believe which sent us into a running circle, arms and legs akimbo! Now I gotta say, this is when I saw the funniest shit. While running around in this tornado, an island of people was created in the middle of us and they all looked terrified. So I started speed walking around them in the hopes that humour would tear them away from their fear and they'd jump off that island and join us, but they didn't get a chance to because the circle spent its energy and we all came together again. So I guess we joined them in the end. Is this making any sense? Fuck it, you should have been there.. STYG, you truly showed us a grand time and made this special fellow exhausted with joy...
So I stagger out the front for that well earned fag and then await Chelsea Grin. These guys are from Salt Lake City, Utah. Mormon's love that hood. What's my point? Not a clue, but I digress. Anyway, they get amongst it and Alex Koehler becomes our puppeteer. Mid song he would part his arms and the crowd (we) in unison would part and collide with his arms opening wide and slowly bringing his hands together. Pretty much one of the raddest things I've gotten to be a part of in the pit. Then the bass would come in and we all just bounced. I got timing wrong when I descended from great height and stuck my two front teeth into the top of this poor dudes skull. Now it hurt me, but he was in agony! Gripping each other and cry laughing we had no choice but to carry on because Chelsea was in control of us all! I found a bit of funk in this band. Yeah, death core can be funking when the bass is charmed so well.
The new lead guitarist Jason Richardson had mighty skills as well. Cheyne Stokes proved to be a ripper of a song with the group killing it with perfect timing. My Damnation scared the fuck out me, which was interesting as I'm not easily spooked. But bless their cotton socks for doing so. The emotions that these guys give us in the crush are a true gift and that's a true talent to have. So I was loving being just another fan lucky enough to be there at this time, in this place. Finishing with Crewcabanger, I lent against my new brothers and sisters discovering that I was physically exhausted. Fuck yeah! Top work lads...
The new lead guitarist Jason Richardson had mighty skills as well. Cheyne Stokes proved to be a ripper of a song with the group killing it with perfect timing. My Damnation scared the fuck out me, which was interesting as I'm not easily spooked. But bless their cotton socks for doing so. The emotions that these guys give us in the crush are a true gift and that's a true talent to have. So I was loving being just another fan lucky enough to be there at this time, in this place. Finishing with Crewcabanger, I lent against my new brothers and sisters discovering that I was physically exhausted. Fuck yeah! Top work lads...
I took the time during The Amity Affliction sound check to recover. Seriously, I've never been so fucked just from the support acts! It felt like preseason training or some shit, but the boys from Gympie were still to come - and they did with righteous aplomb. The crowd erupted in roaring approval of their presence. I fucking love Youngbloods! What a way to get us going again! It's such a happy tune to listen to and even radder when it's belted out right in front of you, to you with vicious stoke! Amity have been killing it since 2003 and have just kept on building. The troupe has seen quite a few members come and go (7 to be precise) but Troy has kept them going from strength to seriously fucked up strong. Born To Die had a lot of folks tune into hardcore that weren't even interested before. Now that's talent and a rad move, bringing different types of humans together.
Joel cut lip with us all midway through the set about sticking together, looking after your mate and being considerate to those that are in deep blues. Well none of us were depressed on this night! I'm fairly fucking sure of that because we continued to slam and surf and hop. So much so that I dislocated my shoulder and had to bow out. The pit is no place for bitch's or Mitch's (that's male bitch for short) and with that I struggled out of Thebby and clusterfucked driving a manual home. I think they finished with Life Underground, and even though I missed it and was in true agony I wouldn't have had it any other way. In order to write about anything, you have to experience something. My thanks go out to The Amity Affliction for giving me just that.
Don't be lazy....
B
Review by Beau Williams
Photos by Melissa Donato
Joel cut lip with us all midway through the set about sticking together, looking after your mate and being considerate to those that are in deep blues. Well none of us were depressed on this night! I'm fairly fucking sure of that because we continued to slam and surf and hop. So much so that I dislocated my shoulder and had to bow out. The pit is no place for bitch's or Mitch's (that's male bitch for short) and with that I struggled out of Thebby and clusterfucked driving a manual home. I think they finished with Life Underground, and even though I missed it and was in true agony I wouldn't have had it any other way. In order to write about anything, you have to experience something. My thanks go out to The Amity Affliction for giving me just that.
Don't be lazy....
B
Review by Beau Williams
Photos by Melissa Donato
RSS Feed
