The Used, Taking Back Sunday, Breakaway @ 170 Russell, Melbourne (25/08/2014)
Touring together in Australia after a previously successful joint venture in the United States, Taking Back Sunday and The Used hit the home stretch of their sold out tour with a two punch finale of back to back shows at 170 Russell, Melbourne.
In a night with some highs and lows, we were treated early on to a brilliant performance by Sydney locals Breakaway. It's absolutely fantastic to see Soundwave showcasing local acts on such big name tours, but it's even more amazing to see such a huge crowd who had arrived early to support local music. Serving up material from their debut EP 'One Minute | One Moment', Breakway proved that they're an act more than capable of holding their own |
amongst tonight's headline acts, earning more than a few new fans in the process. They'll be back in Melbourne in two weeks time with Hands Like Houses.
Breaking the norm, I'm going to review tonight's main acts out of order. I simply can't compare the "headliner" act Taking Back Sunday with The Used (who performed first) in a positive way. I want to end this review on a high, and if I talk about Taking Back Sunday last, I feel as though everything that was written before them would just fall flat.
Taking Back Sunday have always been one those bands who "I've been meaning to see for years now". Sadly, it's just a bit disappointing that they failed to leave a lasting (positive) impression after their set at 170 Russell.
Flailing across the stage (and looking a bit intoxicated) vocalist Adam Lazzara just couldn't hold the audience the way in which Bert had masterfully done so earlier with The Used. Additionally, with probably the worst audio mixing I've ever heard at a gig, Lazzara's vocals sounded flat over the instrumentals in what quickly became a fuzzed out wall of noise.
For all I know, Taking Back Sunday may have been having an off night, but looking around and seeing fans who are wearing TBS t-shirts complaining about how poor the performance was, and even walking out of the venue early suggested to me that something must have definitely against their favour that night. It's a shame, because Taking Back Sunday have always had a fantastic reputation, and I don't want to let tonight's performance sour my impression of them. Perhaps I'll have to give them another chance when they return to Melbourne for another tour.
Less than a year after their appearances at the Vans Warped Tour Australia, The Used (led by vocalist and Sydney local Bert McCracken) blasted on stage to a sea of rapturous applause, igniting the fuse on their dynamite performance which tore 170 Russell a new one.
While their set was impeccable, touching on material both old and new, in the space of their one hour on stage we also bore witness to a minutes silence for the innocents caught in the conflict in Syria, a very heartfelt wedding proposal between two young fans, and more than a few cheers of "fuck you, Tony Abbott!". And while The Used's set (and between song banter) was layered with political and social undertones, it was completely genuine and resonated with the predominately mid-twenties audience.
With their fans singing along to every word, and even crowd surfing to get just that little bit closer to the stage, in that room full of sweaty moshers you can feel the love and passion from both the band, and its fans. Witnessing a performance by The Used is an incredible experience, one which I urge all music fans to cross off their bucket list.
Luke Sutton
Breaking the norm, I'm going to review tonight's main acts out of order. I simply can't compare the "headliner" act Taking Back Sunday with The Used (who performed first) in a positive way. I want to end this review on a high, and if I talk about Taking Back Sunday last, I feel as though everything that was written before them would just fall flat.
Taking Back Sunday have always been one those bands who "I've been meaning to see for years now". Sadly, it's just a bit disappointing that they failed to leave a lasting (positive) impression after their set at 170 Russell.
Flailing across the stage (and looking a bit intoxicated) vocalist Adam Lazzara just couldn't hold the audience the way in which Bert had masterfully done so earlier with The Used. Additionally, with probably the worst audio mixing I've ever heard at a gig, Lazzara's vocals sounded flat over the instrumentals in what quickly became a fuzzed out wall of noise.
For all I know, Taking Back Sunday may have been having an off night, but looking around and seeing fans who are wearing TBS t-shirts complaining about how poor the performance was, and even walking out of the venue early suggested to me that something must have definitely against their favour that night. It's a shame, because Taking Back Sunday have always had a fantastic reputation, and I don't want to let tonight's performance sour my impression of them. Perhaps I'll have to give them another chance when they return to Melbourne for another tour.
Less than a year after their appearances at the Vans Warped Tour Australia, The Used (led by vocalist and Sydney local Bert McCracken) blasted on stage to a sea of rapturous applause, igniting the fuse on their dynamite performance which tore 170 Russell a new one.
While their set was impeccable, touching on material both old and new, in the space of their one hour on stage we also bore witness to a minutes silence for the innocents caught in the conflict in Syria, a very heartfelt wedding proposal between two young fans, and more than a few cheers of "fuck you, Tony Abbott!". And while The Used's set (and between song banter) was layered with political and social undertones, it was completely genuine and resonated with the predominately mid-twenties audience.
With their fans singing along to every word, and even crowd surfing to get just that little bit closer to the stage, in that room full of sweaty moshers you can feel the love and passion from both the band, and its fans. Witnessing a performance by The Used is an incredible experience, one which I urge all music fans to cross off their bucket list.
Luke Sutton