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[Famous Last Words]

Well if you're like me, and always feel the need to write a review of the concert as soon as you've finished seeing a band, then you might like this thread.
I always do it everytime - it's good to look back on after some time, and remember aspects you may of forgot.

So anyone got any reviews of bands they've seen that they want to post?
I'll post some of mine later on.

[tallset]

I'll do one quickly
I saw one band , sweet mullet ,
there a horrible thai wannabe screamo band , they label there music indie/screamo/rock o.o
they have a indie look , skinny jeans , messsy hair etc , they just add a bunch of riffs and scream ,
there were kids moshing unfortunely , how could they mosh out to such ear rape , sweet mullet raped the song called
seven years by saosin , i recall they made a video of them covering seven years , i'll find it.

[Famous Last Words]

This is the one I wrote for The Getaway Plan:


I got bruises on my stomach, sore ribs, elbowed in the head, groped and someone put their hands down my pants, but it was all worth it in the end...
So after counting down for ages I finally got to see The Getaway Plan again.


The show was amazing (FRONT ROW BITCHES!), and although I have seen them live before they still blew me away.
Clint (lead guitar) is really one to watch, his energy on stage is awesome. Matthews vocals were right on spot as usual, and he managed to alternate between low and high notes and screaming vocals with ease. Didn't take much notice of Dave I must admit, and Aarons pretty much a freak on the drums.

Closure In Moscow (the first supporting band) were so-so. I did know a couple of the songs, but the sound wasn't too crash hot. Otherwise I think I would of enjoyed them more. The lead singer has a good voice, but could barely hear him over the music. The lead singer was in an outift of tights and a sequinned girls top, so whenever he came up right near us a put his leg up on the amp, it didn't make for the best view. Hence I just watched the drummer most of the time. He constantly played with this HUGE smile on his face. We met him after and he was an absolute sweetie. The crowd was very unresponsive to Closure In Moscow...Matthew came running on stage during the second last song to help them out, and this livened up the crowd atmosphere a lot.

After a short break, Goodnight Nurse came out, and they were great. I had previously heard about, 5 songs from them, and thought they were ok, nothing special, but after seeing them live I have a new respect for them. They were truly entertaining. Rowan started doing backflips mid way through the set, and he was the crowd favourite. 'Death Goes To Disco' and 'Milkshake' were the standout songs, with the crowd really showing some life for 'Milkshake'. Met them after, and they were awesome lads.

After a lengthy break and the setting up of instruments, it was time for The Getaway Plan to make their entrance. With Aaron seated and ready, and Dave and Clint standing in their place, Matt came running on stage, ripping a scarf of his head as they opened in with "The Tempest."
Their set list was a great mixture of their old and new stuff. Excited to hear 'Opaque' live from their 2004 demo release, with Matthew displayed his amazing vocal range as well as his piano and guitar skills.
Clint acknowledged us with a smile when we said we loved him, and started laughing once Zac felt the need to yell out 'CLINT I WANT YOUR BABIES!'

Thumbs down to the drunk idiots behind us. Some overweight 15 year olds girls with stupid remarks like "oooh its so hot in here!" "Oooh I feel all dizzy!" Well don't drink yourself stupid before the concert and get the fuck out of the mosh retards.

Where The City Meets The Sea was the crowd pleaser of the night.
I didn't have a particular standout song, as I thought they were all amazing. The New Year was amazing live, and even better because Matt performed the song directly in front of us for most of the time.
Sleep Spindles was also a great song, performed with so much energy. I enjoyed 'New Medicine' a lot more than I originally thought I would, and "A Lovers Complaint" was a nice way to give us out in the mosh a bit of breathing time.

They exited after playing "Where The City Meets The Sea' and the music from 'entra'cte' came over the speakers. The crowd, ignoring this, began the demanding chant of "One more song!" so the boys re appeared, and played "Rhapsody On A Windy Night." Matthew and Aaron finished it on piano and drums while Clint and Dave made their exit. Aaron exited soon after (accidently nearly hit him in the head with a glowstick, sorry aaron!) and Matthew gave one more 'thankyou Canberra' and a wave before he too left the stage.

The crowd stayed cheering for another couple minutes, until the lights went back on. Slowly people began to move from the mosh, and the sound guys came on, one on each side giving out a setlist. The sound dude in the red flanno came to out side of the stage, and I had like 10 girls on my back screaming for the set list. After making it as though to hand it to me, one of the girls nearly grabbed it, and the sound guy snatched it back and gave it straight to me so I was stoked!

[Musefreak]

I got free tix to see Jack Johnson here's my review:

It was ok to start off with until some Aboriginal woman came on and started talking about land or something....and then the we reaslised the crowd in the non-alcohol section was a complete wank....pretentiuos, gay, fucked...u name it......which was sad cos the music itself was ok.... Simply the crowd ruined it..

We moved to the alcohol section and they were so much better...more into the music and there to have a good time...not there to tell people in front of them to "sit down" and throw stuff at them
Johnson was groovey but one dimensional and quite frankly i found watching a peice of bread go stale even better...at one stage i was happy to choke on my own vomit......

[Famous Last Words]

Musefreak, on Aug 15 2008, 06:30 PM, said:

I got free tix to see Jack Johnson here's my review:

It was ok to start off with until some Aboriginal woman came on and started talking about land or something

Lmao. Typical.

[Musefreak]

Tahlia, on Aug 15 2008, 10:11 PM, said:

Lmao. Typical.

i will write a mre positive one about Muse or MCR or something

[Musefreak]

The Academy Is.....(Panic At the Disco)I never saw the headline act. I did however attempt to climb the barrier and when i got pulled by security i "accidently" punched one in the eye. Then it was on and i found myself out the back of the entertainment centre on my arse. However as luck would have it, through my bloodstained eyes i could just make out the sexyness of Michael cardin the guitarist from TAI. it was damn embarrasing. he just looked at me and said "owned". Still one of the greatest moments of my life. Along with the fact that Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill rang me this morning its been a pretty great day. I didnt get to tongue "Bill" as Aussie tend to call him, but TAI rocked out. Unfortunalty the crowd were all boppers waiting for PATD (notice they dropped the "!" because theyre not exciting anymore. TAI played alot of new songs as they r trying to promote Fast Times at Barrington...oh man what a long fucking name for a cd. Thankfully they played some from Santi too including a fave, "Same Blood". So it seemed i was the only one willing to participate in a mid gig scuffle with security. I then taxied it home. which was a fucking rip off. Pictures to appear on myspace and other various sites...maybe

[Musefreak]

Muse-live in Brisbane at the Riverstage the 7 time seeing them.

The night was perfect. The right temp and not a cloud in the sky. The opening band was The Checks from New Zealand whom i didnt think much of.
IT wasnt long until Muse arrived and boy did they fucking arrive! AFter listening to a speech about conspiracies (which Matt Bellamy is well in to) the lads came on and launched into Take A Bow off their latest album. ANd then straight into Map of the Problematique. The band took us on a musical journey and really played with everyones emotions. The friends i went with hadnt seen them b4 and they simply could not speak or keep their eyes off the stage. Hurricanes and Butterflies has a piano solo after which CO2 got shot into the sky. Plug in Baby was a crowd fave and the giant balls filled with confetti came out at that stage which sent the crowd into a frenzy. (and no Coldplay were not first to think of those balls).
The encore stared with Stockholm Syndrome which turned the place into mosh central. The band closed with Knights Of Cydonia, a song which kept u craving for at the end of it all. After fireworks and lazers it was all over. Fucking amazing yet again. Muse never fail to disapoint.

[Musefreak]

Queens of the Stone Age- The Arena Brisbane

THe Arena is right across the road from sex shops, brothels, and drug dealers. ITs the perfect place for a dirty grungey sweaty stoner rock gig. The venue was over full and the air con was not working so we were all sweating like mother fuckers. QOTSA opend with ..Millionaire. The crowd hence going crazy. The mosh was tight and the crowd was packed right up to the walls which in brisbane is illegal as its a health hazard. Anyway QOTSA were in town for V fest and they didnt disappoint. The rattled through some hits but mostly stuck with the heavier b-sides and lesser played songs. Which was perfect. What a crazy nite and i met my gf after she punched me in the face for spilling drink on her. Fuck i luv her. Josh Homme was at his asshole best. He dedicated Make It with Chu to all the couples out there who are gonna get "fucking tonight". When the crowd was filing out everyone was drenched in sweat. not just any sweat, QOTSA Sex sweat. Hail QOTSA!

[livvvv]

I saw Atreyu a few weeks ago. They were simply awesome.

[Famous Last Words]

Musefreak, on Aug 21 2008, 12:38 AM, said:

The Academy Is.....(Panic At the Disco)I never saw the headline act. I did however attempt to climb the barrier and when i got pulled by security i "accidently" punched one in the eye. Then it was on and i found myself out the back of the entertainment centre on my arse. However as luck would have it, through my bloodstained eyes i could just make out the sexyness of Michael cardin the guitarist from TAI. it was damn embarrasing. he just looked at me and said "owned". Still one of the greatest moments of my life. Along with the fact that Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill rang me this morning its been a pretty great day. I didnt get to tongue "Bill" as Aussie tend to call him, but TAI rocked out. Unfortunalty the crowd were all boppers waiting for PATD (notice they dropped the "!" because theyre not exciting anymore. TAI played alot of new songs as they r trying to promote Fast Times at Barrington...oh man what a long fucking name for a cd. Thankfully they played some from Santi too including a fave, "Same Blood". So it seemed i was the only one willing to participate in a mid gig scuffle with security. I then taxied it home. which was a fucking rip off. Pictures to appear on myspace and other various sites...maybe

ZOMG Mike carden talked to you. Well you know what I mean. I'm searching for Fast Times this arvo. Gosh I'm still harping on about being so cut that I miss out on seeing them. I won't get over it anytime soon.


and Jared rang you? UM WHAT?! Please explain.

[Musefreak]

Tahlia, on Aug 21 2008, 04:17 PM, said:

ZOMG Mike carden talked to you. Well you know what I mean. I'm searching for Fast Times this arvo. Gosh I'm still harping on about being so cut that I miss out on seeing them. I won't get over it anytime soon.


and Jared rang you? UM WHAT?! Please explain.

well basically my friend Katty is in a band called the PLastiscines (www.myspace.com/plastiscine). THey are good friends with a heap of bands including Kings. Jared asked for her new number a while ago. She gave him mine however and the other morning he rang my phone and wanted to speak with Katty. I told him he rang Australia and that their new songs kick ass. We were both really drunk/hungover as well. He said hope to see u soon and that was that.

[Musefreak]

Thrice/ support from The Paper and the Plane.

The Arena - Wed Sep 3

I’m at the bar when Brisbane’s The Paper & The Plane sneak on stage without much fanfare. TPATP do what they do best, which is delivering a set of atmospheric rock. The Arena doesn’t really seem to have the best acoustics for their vision, but they are still riveting to watch. These locals have so much talent it’s ridiculous.

Thrice explode onto The Arena with opener Of Dust And Nations. Dustin Kensrue’s voice sounds a little ragged from the tour, but he still puts in a very solid effort. Thrice’s musicianship is top notch – if it isn’t for drummer Riley Breckinridge breaking his kick drum head and pausing the momentum of the set I’d say their connection with one another really brings their live show up several levels. A band shows their true capabilities as a live unit when they suffer a technological mishap. Thrice prove they are the real deal: without pausing to think too long while Riley’s drums are out of action, Dustin breaks into an acoustic rendition of crowd favourite Stare At The Sun, turning it into one massive sing-a-long.

Time and again throughout their set, a thought that had crossed my mind during TPATP comes to mind again as Thrice begin electronic-drenched ballad The Whaler – The Arena just doesn’t seem to have the acoustics to accommodate ambience. Thrice’s atmospheric latter work played live, while still beautiful to hear, loses whatever it is on record that makes it breathtaking, and sadly it falls a tad flat. Energy, however, is not a problem; with heavy songs such as Cold Cash And Colder Hearts and encore The Earth Will Shake delivering it in spades and really showing how good the band can be. It’s passionate, it’s thoughtful and it’s thunderous – the way post-hardcore should be. Unfortunately, Thrice have transcended and progressed from that genre, and as I leave The Arena I can’t help but think their performance is deserving of a far more intimate venue.

[Musefreak]

Opeth / Virgin Black

The Arena - Sun Sep 7

A group of frustrated punters argue spiritedly at the doors of The Arena as I arrive, although their efforts are futile as the last minute decision to deny under-18 admission to Opeth’s eagerly anticipated return is out of the hands of staff and security at the venue.

Emerging to the pre-recorded whisper of ‘Someone is dying’, Adelaidean gothic metallers Virgin Black set up a dark tone for the arrival of their convincingly in-human leader Rowan London who whispers, wails and roars with a carefully composed backing track full of unholy harmonies and deathly growls. On the eve of a huge U.S tour supporting the release of the Fortissimo instalment of their ambitious Requiem trilogy, I’m impressed more by the earlier experimental track Walk Without Limbs than the newer operatic material that will benefit from time on the road.

Without word or whisper, Swedish cult-heroes Opeth open to a rapturous welcome, blasting the plastic off their new release Watershed with a blistering rendition of the epic Heir Apparent before returning to Deliverance’s Master’s Apprentice and Ghost Reveries’ The Baying of the Hounds in a three-track power-prog-athon. Both humble and humourous, charismatic frontman Mikael Akerfeldt acknowledges the kids left outside and suggests they’ll return within eight months, before introducing Still Life’s Serenity Painted Black as so difficult they’d sometimes prefer to be the Sex Pistols.

Armed with ex-Archenemy guitarist Fredrik Akesson, their renowned musicianship is in fine form as we’re treated to another highlight from Watershed, The Lotus Eater, before a passage of classics create chaotic conditions in the pit. Maintaining intensity through Bleak and Deliverance, they return to pre-millennium times for Demon of the Fall to finish off the main set. Responding with gusto to the dedicated crowd’s persistence, they encore with Blackwater Park’s virtuosic The Drapery Falls to finish their sold-out Australian tour in typically epic fashion.

[Musefreak]

Brian Jonestown Massacre/The Lovetones

The Arena - Wed Aug 27

The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s popularity in Australia is considerable. In Brisbane it is particularly large – even though they’ve probably sold about ten records here, The BJM still manages to sell out The Arena. Of course, some of their increased following can be traced back to the warts-and-all documentary Dig!, which showed its resident genius Anton Newcombe reaching a gob-smacking peak of drug abuse and psychological anguish. The on-stage brawls and general lack of decorum brought about considerable backlash from American critics, with Pitchfork’s recent review of the combo’s chaotic, experimental opus My Bloody Underground particularly scathing.

And while …Underground certainly doesn’t represent the group at their peak, the masses shoehorned into the venue don’t share Pitchfork and co’s revulsion towards Newcombe’s ‘artistic’ temperament and need to create music in an impulsive, unedited fashion.

For fans, The Lovetones are a far from surprising choice of support act, with frontman (and onetime Drop City mainman) Matthew Tow one many former members of the ever-changing Newcombe-led BJM line-up. Musically, they fit as well, playing a combination of the droning, Velvets-fuelled psych-rock beloved of tonight’s headliners, with more pop-centric two-part harmonies.

When the multi-part BJM cast ambles on stage, it is returned tambourine man Joel Gion who takes centre stage, though everyone has at least one eye trained on the mercurial Newcombe at all times, strumming a guitar and vocalising at the far side of the stage, his face largely in profile to the crowd. Predictably, it’s a fairly shambolic performance, but fortunately in a good-humoured rather than malevolent manner. The on-stage spats and brawls with the audience are replaced with jovial non-sequiturs from Newcombe and Gion between songs, and a chaotic blend of garage band anarchy with sudden bursts of inspired, hypnotic focus. Endless laboured tune-ups and regular excursions into atonal improv territory suddenly, and without announcement, give way to vice-tight psych pop tunes, the group locked into a mesmeric and potent groove. For all their difficult reputation as a live act, tonight the BJM are largely here to please, with plenty of highlights from the Tepid Peppermint Wonderland compilation dousing the evening in bohemian joy.

[Musefreak]

Bloc PArty- last Friday night at the Riverstage in Brisbane


The Riverstage organisers have finally learned to open the gates at a sensible time in order to avoid the queue bottlenecks that have continually plagued the venue in the past. Once inside, we survey the scene: stormclouds are visible in the distance, but will the weather be kind to Brisbane’s concert attendees on the eve of a certain British band’s momentous Queensland debut?

As the sun goes down, Melbourne four-piece Mission Control appear onstage to remove these concerns from our minds. As is often the case in outdoor venues, their first few songs are effectively a soundcheck for the rest of the night’s performers: guitar, drum and microphone levels wildly fluctuate on an otherwise still evening, until the technicians achieve a consistent balance which is maintained throughout the night. Soon after, the band’s synth-propelled pop sound begins to engage with energetic youngsters up the front. It’s a tall order for a new musical prospect to capture the attention of concertgoers who’re more concerned with drink queues and their conversations, but tracks like Innerspace and Chariots Of Fire turn more than a few heads. I’m always sceptical of witnessing young bands for the first time on big stages, but Mission Control are sufficiently impressive enough to warrant further investigation.

This is incredible. I’m watching Van She from a distance, and they’re connecting with their audience. I’ve seen the Sydney four-piece in supporting slots twice before, and twice they’ve given me the impression of bored dudes who’d rather be elsewhere. Where I’d been disappointed in the past, I’m now impressed: the band are cohesive, loud and clear. I can’t solely attribute their vastly improved set to a bigger sound system, either, as – gasp! – they’ve started to a show a bit of life onstage, and appear to want to be playing music to people. The people respond in kind, too: there’s several hundred fans throbbing to Matt Van Schie’s basslines and Tomek Archer’s drumbeats. Set opener Cat & The Eye from 2008 debut album V is largely devoid of singer Nick Routledge’s usual monotone and instead sets the tone for an engaging half-hour that almost surpasses the undeserved hype and hyperbole cast upon the band since their lukewarm self-titled EP was released in 2005. Sex City and Kelly from that release are reprised tonight; they’ve earned the applause that meets their farewell.

It seems that foul weather has sidestepped Brisbane’s sore and sorry suburbs this weekend: clear skies greet Bloc Party’s arrival onstage, and an overwhelming sense of unity sweeps across the capacity crowd. Their 2008 album Intimacy is immediately well-represented: punchy cut One Month Off opens the set before being quickly followed by Halo. The delicate percussion of Signs serves as a tender mid-set moment, but it’s clear from the outset that the band are here to make up for lost time.

Matt Tong’s relentless drumbeats have long been one of the most attractive elements of the Bloc Party sound, and the band’s metronome is in fine form throughout a set that leans heavily on their 2005 debut Silent Alarm; after all, this is the band’s first headlining show in Queensland, for which Kele Okereke apologises midway through the set: “Sorry it’s taken us so long to get to you, Brisbane!”

The thunderous chorus riff of Song For Clay remains one of the band’s strongest moments, and when it leads directly into Banquet without a moment’s hesitation, the crowd responds with an enormous roar. Following the guitar freak-out during Positive Tension’s bridge (“so fucking useless!”), Okereke’s closing words tease the crowd: “play it cool”. The searing guitar tone of that track and Helicopter number among the likes of Franz Ferdinand’s Take Me Out as the most memorable rock sounds to emerge from the United Kingdom this decade. It’s this guitar sound, combined with Tong’s dancey drumbeats and Okereke’s distinctive vocal style that have contributed to the band’s success across the globe. Furthermore, Okereke’s verbose lyricism is successful in portraying a young person trying to make sense of interpersonal relationships and his place in the world.

Maybe I’m reading a little too far into this, but songs like Waiting For The 7.18 – “Let me hear your singing voice, Brisbane!” – just exude youth. It’s marvellous, and difficult to qualify. Why am I standing here with a huge grin on my face? What is it about their sound that I find so goddamn entertaining? Why are there 9,000 of us here with huge grins on our faces? Yet, these are the questions that aren’t often asked, and maybe they shouldn’t be. Bloc Party do what they do extremely well, and their sound has proven scalable from domestic clubs to international arenas within three short years. Their honest, humble image is well-calculated, and as musicians, their appeal shows no sign of diminishing. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the band’s enormous popularity is how they’ve maintained indie credibility while balancing on the precipice of mainstream awareness. Genius, really.

Jazzy Intimacy single Mercury finds Okereke stepping out from behind the guitar to partake in an energetic performance and some live vocal looping, before The Prayer closes the set proper. Bassist Gordon Moakes joins Tong behind a second kit during first encore Sunday, before upbeat Silent Alarm cut Price Of Gasoline delights older fans. I find the 2007 between-album single Flux unlistenable, but it’s far more delightful in the live space. Or maybe I’m just hypnotised by the big fat lasers they’ve borrowed from Tool. The aforementioned Helicopter arouses movement en masse, though Russell Lissack’s string bends in the chorus sound oddly off-key. As the song winds down, I’m one of hundreds moving toward the exit – in my case, due to another planned musical appointment across town.

But, wait: another encore? Having already left the venue, I perch atop a rock after being disallowed re-entry. The warring drumbeat of Ares is impressive even from several hundred metres away, while This Modern Love serves as an effective, if slightly underwhelming closer. As laserbeams scan the Riverstage’s tree line and Brisbane’s youth give a collective, satisfied sigh, Okereke simply states: “have a safe journey home”

[Musefreak]

Parkway Drive-

the gig was solid. i arrieved during A Day To Remember and they were rocking out pretty good. PArkway Drive tore everyones ear drums to bits and even as i was arriving people were getting chucked out. the crowd was nuts. this certainly wasnt called sweatfest for nothing. The highlight for me was a donation box at the merch store...it read : Every dollar Kills an Emo. the box was pretty full too. good times in brisvegas last nite hopefully The lads come back soon.

[Famous Last Words]

Musefreak, on Dec 11 2008, 02:45 PM, said:

The highlight for me was a donation box at the merch store...it read : Every dollar Kills an Emo. the box was pretty full too.

hahaha. That's awesome.

[veronica]

PANIC: = sydney
they were beautiful. brendan's singing was just amazing. and there were bubble machines letting out bubbles. gawds, the bubbles were awesome. i told jon he was sexy, and he said thank you. and i waved to brendan and he waved back. so that was exciting. bubbles = highlight

TAI:
HAHA I MOLESTED WILLIAM REAL GOOD. well actually, sorta hugged him when he jumped off stage right in front of me! . but that was at the panic concert. i remember them playing their old songs and it being really good, but at the time i hadnt listened to Fast Times At Barrington High so i didnt know what the new songs were. i do remember them singing About A Girl, and i remember it was very nice.
and that Sisky seemed to be having a lot of fun jumping around.

Cobra StarShip
I stole Gabe Saporta's purple jacket. but had to give it back. i was dancing in the mosh pit when they did Guilty Pleasure, actions and everything. They were not as good as Tai and Panic i thought. He ran around too much and kept swinging the mike. but! HOLLABACK BOY made me almost pee my pants...

MCR
was loud. and sweaty. and swear words, and epileptic lights. and fire. lots fire
like, pillars of fire.
it was good. fantastic actually.

Evanesence:
teehee. My first concert. and i actually cant remember much/ i remember one of the guitarists was head banging. excpet he had these immensely long dreadlocks. and i thought his head was going to fall off. and i also remember amy lee having an incredibly cool voice, and her singing Highway To Hell.

[Famous Last Words]

veronica, on Dec 11 2008, 08:46 PM, said:

TAI:
HAHA I MOLESTED WILLIAM REAL GOOD.

DAMN YOU!