G’DAY AFLIE
Oi, take a look any this cracker of a gig why don’t ya! Aussie punk rock pioneers and all-round bloody legends in the Aussie music scenes history, The Living End, have surprised fans, me included, with the news of a new song titled ‘Alfie’, the first new music in a whoppin’ 8 years. To celebrate, the band have announced two intimate shows, one in Melbourne and the other in Sydney, just in case this reviews title of where the show’s at confused anyone. The living end have been an integral part of my life in the concert scene, and I was only introduced to the amazing life of live music in 2008, these guys have been an integral part of so many more folks lives for a lot longer, putting on unforgettable high-energy rock shows.
It really is like reconnecting with an old mate after several years, so let’s see if time much has changed between us and our good ol mates…
so first off, this gig sold out well before the show, even with only having a week’s notice, so there’s a lot of us looking forward to reconnecting with good ol’ Uncle Harry, and this is confirmed by the packed line outside the venue of fans eagerly awaiting doors to open and then to fill the dance floor, not that you really “dance” at a sweaty pub rock gig like this.
Photos by Jif Morrison
The band start with quite frankly, a bloody-ripper ‘Roll On’. This song is met with the whole venue singing along to every word like no time at all has passed. The band are also exactly on point in sound and energy like they were always when they played at every festival, back when festivals actually existed in Australia, as well as pumping out there own albums and tours from what I can ascertain, but the night is still young.
Without giving us a single second to finish cheering roacusly after ‘Roll On’, the band charge straight into fan favourite ‘Second Solution’ kinda ironically named second song of the night. Still, no fault from the band dishing out the gritty pub rock vibes like the old days, and the crowd reciprocates nicely!
ok ok, there needs to be a bit of give in the energy at some point right? Nah, well kinda, as the band tear through their vast catalogue of hits like ‘All Torn Down’, ‘White Noise’ and’Bloody Mary’, the musical energy, and so too the bands, changes yeah, with being more extreme and crunchy at-Peanut Butter at times, to levelling out slightly in other songs, so the band don’t bloody pass out I guess, the over-all energy even from those ever-so slightly tamer songs like ‘Bloody Mary’, still exude a potent presence, adding to the nights climate.
All of this is while the band, lead by lead singer Chris, interacts with the audience on a personal level, like reading out aa girls in a wheelchair’s sign saying it was the first time she’s seen the band, and she’s loved them ever since she was 2. Chris talks to the hardcore fan, then to us, telling us stories about their career as a band, and of course performing their new track ‘Alfie’, which even though it only came out yesterday, everyone’s singing along too as if it’s a golden oldie from the band.
One very impressive classic move from The Living End, is Chris climbing up onto bassist Scott’s big double bass during the bridge section of cult classic, ‘West End Riot’. I was wondering if the band would still pull it off now, I mean c’mon, they’ve been at this for a time or two, pumping out the hard yacker, but they don’t disappoint, and better yet, don’t fall on their asses!
Now all good things have to come to an end, and a high velocity rock gig can only stay high velocity for so long, and I think if they dragged it out any longer I personally would’ve started losing enthusiasm, so finishing off the show with Aussie rock anthem ‘Prisoner Of Society’ then to cap it all off on a cracker of a feel good anthem, ‘Uncle Harry’ (I’m sure it was certainly a feel-good moment for old Uncle Harry, pissin in the bath after a few too many), it felt like a very satisfying gig!
Even though a few of those lower energy tracks might not’ve been my favourites, in an objective way I can’t fault the show, I only wish the band chucked in ‘Who’s Gonna Save Us’ and ‘Wake Up’, but there’s so many classics from these lads some are bound to miss out.
I absolutely love how you can go a few years without listening to some songs, but as soon as they start pumping, it thrusts you back in time as if no time has past, just like reconnecting with old mates!
Just grab a beer throw your arm around that mate, raise your glass and you’ll be right mate!
