New Found Glory, Taking Back Sunday, The Maine, This Time Next Year @ Luna Park Big Top, Sydney (07/04/2012)
Hearing about a line up with both Taking Back Sunday and New Found Glory on the ticket would tell anyone just how big the show is going to be, and the performance certainly lived up to the names that these bands have created over the years. With everyone from all four bands keeping the entire crowd captivated and people jumping and singing along to the high-energy stage shows, the night was anything but a let down.
As with any band opening for such big names, there is a struggle to capture the attention of the audience early on, but This Time Next Year was valiant in their attempt to do so. Their set ran like many bands within the pop-punk genre, with a beat-driven high-energy performance topped off with the band-wide synchronised jumping.
Despite most of the members being either currently sick or still recovering, with Brad Wiseman (lead guitar) running of stage to throw up at one point, they were able to keep up their running and jumping around. Their set covered songs from their new album, Drop Out Of Life, and the similarities to New Found Glory’s sound were certainly appreciated by the crowd.
The Maine performed next, bringing a large fan-base of their own and raising the level of energy in the crowd during their set. For a band known more for their pop sound, they have certainly turned up the punk in of their pop-punk genre.
They performed songs from their new album Pioneer as well as some of their older albums, with the live performance adding a more rocked-out and heavier sound then their recorded works. The crowd underappreciated the band, whose genre perhaps doesn’t match as well with Taking Back Sunday and New Found Glory, but there was still quite a large group rocking out to their set.
Unlike much of their recent American tour, John O’Callaghan (lead singer) kept his entire outfit on through their set, much to the dismay of a lot of their female fans. Nevertheless, The Maine’s fans seemed very excited by their set, and those who hadn’t heard them before, were also rather impressed.
With many people in the crowd here to see Taking Back Sunday as much as New Found Glory, the size and energy once they took to the stage, was a big step up from the earlier bands. Even with Adam Lazarra (lead singer) performing with a broken leg, their performance had just as much energy as when they’re able to have a more dynamic stage show.
Less than halfway through the first song, El Paso, the mosh started up with nearly half the crowd jumping and screaming along with the band. Of course, they only got louder and crazier as the set continued. The set started with some of the band’s greatest hits from across their discography with Liar (It Takes One To Know One) a crowd pleaser.
Taking a break from their own songs, the band covered Straylight Run’s Existentialism on Prom Night, creating an almost trance-like state throughout the crowd. Not only were they able to bring the entire mosh to a standstill, but also had almost everyone in the crowd singing every word along with them, which frankly, was quite a sight to see.
While the atmosphere was broken as Taking Back Sunday continued with their high energy set, the crowd’s energy continue to build and match that of the band. The last half of the set continued through their biggest hits finishing off with a bang with MakeDamnSure and Cute Without The E (Cut From The Team) leaving the crowd energy soaring and desperate for New Found Glory to start.
Any one who has seen New Found Glory knows how the high energy and driving force of their songs translates into their dynamic stage show, and this show was no different. In the words of Jordan Pundik (lead singer) “Sing as loud as you fucking can and go as crazy as your legs will let you!” Which is exactly what the crowd did.
Every song on the set list kept the audience captivated and screaming along to every word. Of course the band members kept up their dynamic stage show, feeding off the energy of the crowd, jumping on everything that held their weight and racing each other across the stage.
For one exceptionally lucky fan, I think it is safe to say his night was made when he was invited on stage to take over from Chad Gilbert (lead guitarist) during Failure’s Not Flattering. Having a fan on stage only added to their stage presence with the fan running around like the best of them and Jordan sitting up on Chad’s shoulders for the song.
New Found Glory finished their set with their classic Hit or Miss, leaving the crowd chanting and roaring with demands for an encore, which of course the band fulfilled. Their three-song encore ended with My Friends Over You and used up the very last of the crowds energy with every person in the place on their feet and jumping along with the band until the last second.
As to be expected with such a big-name line up, the concert was full of jumping, screaming and pop-punk energy from the first song to the last of the encore. And to spend a night amongst these bands and their fans was certainly an experience of a lifetime.
Bethany Williams
As with any band opening for such big names, there is a struggle to capture the attention of the audience early on, but This Time Next Year was valiant in their attempt to do so. Their set ran like many bands within the pop-punk genre, with a beat-driven high-energy performance topped off with the band-wide synchronised jumping.
Despite most of the members being either currently sick or still recovering, with Brad Wiseman (lead guitar) running of stage to throw up at one point, they were able to keep up their running and jumping around. Their set covered songs from their new album, Drop Out Of Life, and the similarities to New Found Glory’s sound were certainly appreciated by the crowd.
The Maine performed next, bringing a large fan-base of their own and raising the level of energy in the crowd during their set. For a band known more for their pop sound, they have certainly turned up the punk in of their pop-punk genre.
They performed songs from their new album Pioneer as well as some of their older albums, with the live performance adding a more rocked-out and heavier sound then their recorded works. The crowd underappreciated the band, whose genre perhaps doesn’t match as well with Taking Back Sunday and New Found Glory, but there was still quite a large group rocking out to their set.
Unlike much of their recent American tour, John O’Callaghan (lead singer) kept his entire outfit on through their set, much to the dismay of a lot of their female fans. Nevertheless, The Maine’s fans seemed very excited by their set, and those who hadn’t heard them before, were also rather impressed.
With many people in the crowd here to see Taking Back Sunday as much as New Found Glory, the size and energy once they took to the stage, was a big step up from the earlier bands. Even with Adam Lazarra (lead singer) performing with a broken leg, their performance had just as much energy as when they’re able to have a more dynamic stage show.
Less than halfway through the first song, El Paso, the mosh started up with nearly half the crowd jumping and screaming along with the band. Of course, they only got louder and crazier as the set continued. The set started with some of the band’s greatest hits from across their discography with Liar (It Takes One To Know One) a crowd pleaser.
Taking a break from their own songs, the band covered Straylight Run’s Existentialism on Prom Night, creating an almost trance-like state throughout the crowd. Not only were they able to bring the entire mosh to a standstill, but also had almost everyone in the crowd singing every word along with them, which frankly, was quite a sight to see.
While the atmosphere was broken as Taking Back Sunday continued with their high energy set, the crowd’s energy continue to build and match that of the band. The last half of the set continued through their biggest hits finishing off with a bang with MakeDamnSure and Cute Without The E (Cut From The Team) leaving the crowd energy soaring and desperate for New Found Glory to start.
Any one who has seen New Found Glory knows how the high energy and driving force of their songs translates into their dynamic stage show, and this show was no different. In the words of Jordan Pundik (lead singer) “Sing as loud as you fucking can and go as crazy as your legs will let you!” Which is exactly what the crowd did.
Every song on the set list kept the audience captivated and screaming along to every word. Of course the band members kept up their dynamic stage show, feeding off the energy of the crowd, jumping on everything that held their weight and racing each other across the stage.
For one exceptionally lucky fan, I think it is safe to say his night was made when he was invited on stage to take over from Chad Gilbert (lead guitarist) during Failure’s Not Flattering. Having a fan on stage only added to their stage presence with the fan running around like the best of them and Jordan sitting up on Chad’s shoulders for the song.
New Found Glory finished their set with their classic Hit or Miss, leaving the crowd chanting and roaring with demands for an encore, which of course the band fulfilled. Their three-song encore ended with My Friends Over You and used up the very last of the crowds energy with every person in the place on their feet and jumping along with the band until the last second.
As to be expected with such a big-name line up, the concert was full of jumping, screaming and pop-punk energy from the first song to the last of the encore. And to spend a night amongst these bands and their fans was certainly an experience of a lifetime.
Bethany Williams