The line of the fans followed around the block and security was on high alert. It was the 21st of August at HQ, and it was absolute madness and mayhem.
After the fans started to gravitate towards the front of the stage, Sydney’s ‘haste’ two-man-band Corpus started off the night with an intense foundation, with lead singer Keiron Steel’s lungs almost blowing down the building and drummer Jack Hammond’s head of hair flinging everywhere. This act set the scene of absolute hardcore-ness for the next two American rock bands.
Taking Back Sunday’s lead singer Adam Lazzara walked on stage with his classic longhaired heartthrob look that made girls scream. As the first song began, the stage lights that were emitted could have given anyone epilepsy, which ultimately only influenced the audience to scream even louder. The girls were reaching their hands out to Adam, yelling ‘I love you’ at the top of their lungs; the guys were banging their heads, mops of hair flying around the mosh pit.
With the smoke machines creating a music-video-like scene, Adam sung to individuals in the crowd along with lead guitarist John Nolan on back up vocals. There was a serious connectivity between the band and the audience, with the crowd taking over the lyrics and becoming their own muse. When they announced one of their last songs “Better Homes and Gardens”, the crowd went wild. Adam put utter emphasis and passion in the lyrics ‘you’ll never be happy’ and ‘it was all for nothing.’ Taking Back Sunday’s performance wound up the crowd, and when The Used entered on stage, nothing could stop the electrifying atmosphere.
After the fans started to gravitate towards the front of the stage, Sydney’s ‘haste’ two-man-band Corpus started off the night with an intense foundation, with lead singer Keiron Steel’s lungs almost blowing down the building and drummer Jack Hammond’s head of hair flinging everywhere. This act set the scene of absolute hardcore-ness for the next two American rock bands.
Taking Back Sunday’s lead singer Adam Lazzara walked on stage with his classic longhaired heartthrob look that made girls scream. As the first song began, the stage lights that were emitted could have given anyone epilepsy, which ultimately only influenced the audience to scream even louder. The girls were reaching their hands out to Adam, yelling ‘I love you’ at the top of their lungs; the guys were banging their heads, mops of hair flying around the mosh pit.
With the smoke machines creating a music-video-like scene, Adam sung to individuals in the crowd along with lead guitarist John Nolan on back up vocals. There was a serious connectivity between the band and the audience, with the crowd taking over the lyrics and becoming their own muse. When they announced one of their last songs “Better Homes and Gardens”, the crowd went wild. Adam put utter emphasis and passion in the lyrics ‘you’ll never be happy’ and ‘it was all for nothing.’ Taking Back Sunday’s performance wound up the crowd, and when The Used entered on stage, nothing could stop the electrifying atmosphere.
Insanity overtook everything, and lead singer Bert McCracken’s inspiring lyrics completely rushed people through their adrenaline. The band left no survivors: all were hooked and screaming to the absolute max. The mosh pit was jumping in sync, like a tsunami wave about to overflow onto the stage. The song “I Caught Fire” led Bert to stop singing and face the microphone to his fans before him, almost like he was the conductor and us his ‘metal choir’.
Bert’s words ‘Human beings can and will make a difference. Art can and will be used to ensure our own freedom’ caused the fans to yell out in admiration and support. The most touching thing said all night, however, was about Bert surviving two whole years of sobriety and overcoming his addiction to alcoholism, adding ‘You guys have kept me alive for a really long time. Adelaide, put your fucking hands up.’ This shows that not only does music save the fans, but the fans save the creators of that music.
To finish off the night, the crowd called for an encore that set off the introduction of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, and then went into a mash-up between their own music and Rage Against the Machine. It’s safe to say that The Used, along with Corpus and Taking Back Sunday, seriously educated the lively audience of ‘tonight being an example of organised anarchy.’
Review by Georgia Lake
Photos by Melissa Donato. See full gallery here
Bert’s words ‘Human beings can and will make a difference. Art can and will be used to ensure our own freedom’ caused the fans to yell out in admiration and support. The most touching thing said all night, however, was about Bert surviving two whole years of sobriety and overcoming his addiction to alcoholism, adding ‘You guys have kept me alive for a really long time. Adelaide, put your fucking hands up.’ This shows that not only does music save the fans, but the fans save the creators of that music.
To finish off the night, the crowd called for an encore that set off the introduction of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, and then went into a mash-up between their own music and Rage Against the Machine. It’s safe to say that The Used, along with Corpus and Taking Back Sunday, seriously educated the lively audience of ‘tonight being an example of organised anarchy.’
Review by Georgia Lake
Photos by Melissa Donato. See full gallery here
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