Metro Theatre, Sydney
Friday 30 August 2019
Photographer : Joshua South
Reviewer : Cait Martin
Having reformed the original band, Brisbane hard rockers The Butterfly Effect provided a treat for their die-hard fans who relished the chance to experience the band’s only live shows of 2019 in an all capital cities tour of Australia.
The faithful have waited some time now for new music – their last album was released in 2008. This tour showcases their first new release in a decade, ‘UnBroken’: a deep, broody number born from personal turmoil, about finding inner strength and the will to keep going through suffering.
On what was vocalist Clint Boge’s birthday, the boys performed to a packed out Metro theatre in Sydney, and it was quite a show. The anticipation was palpable waiting for them to walk on stage and once they did, we were treated to a vintage performance, with blistering guitar riffs, passionate delivery and an electric stage presence from every member of the band.
These guys have been around 20 years now but the high energy, expansive showmanship and technical skills are still 100% there as they thrashed out a perfect balance of tracks from their epic back catalogue – Begins Here, Imago and Final Conversation of Kings. There was much moshing and headbanging to be enjoyed by the crowd who devoured every second with massive smiles and lashings of sweat to share around. The more theatrical outfits might be gone but visually as well as musically, it’s all there with great lighting, the vintage mike and plenty of swagger from this natural frontman and both guitarists. The biggest crowd singalongs would have to be ‘Always’ and ‘Gone’, but there was loads of participation from the adoring crowd as TBE showed just why they are such a seminal sound in Australian music.
Leaving in the cold night air of winter we rugged up, looked at each other & agreed on two things – the wait was worth it, and we can’t wait to do it all again! Here’s hoping there is more to come soon.
