Broadmeadow Tennis Club, Newcastle
Sunday June 23, 2013 :
I Killed The Prom Queen are an institution. They are one of the pinnacles of Australia’s heavy music scene, much to the grimace of grizzled Iron Maiden, patch wearing, metal heads and neck tattooed backtrack fans and the like. I have been seeing this band since the Resist Tour of 2004, three singers, two bass players, two drummers and countless tattoos later, here they are headlining their own tour, packing a lineup that boasts dirty road dogs, up and coming heavy hitters and fresh-faced kids.
Speaking of fresh-faced kids, first up we have Saviour, a five piece melodic hardcore band from Perth. Honestly, it must be hard opening a show with such a hotly tipped lineup. I always concentrate on the positives whenever I watch a band play and frankly I couldn’t find many positives about Saviour. What I can say is that they are incredibly passionate about what they do; Vocalist Bryant Best spends most of the set between the barrier and the stage, and the band does all they can to smash through their set amidst technical difficulties with the samples and the muddy sound. That being said the crowd is very receptive to some of their heavier songs. Cutting the set short due to technical issues with sampling with the track becoming unstoppable, was a personal stand out. Overall, Saviour has some potential, and I can see them becoming a massive band, but it just seems that tonight was not their night.
Next up, Sydney based band Buried In Verona are a breath of fresh air. Mixing nu metal inspired riffs with hardcore beatdowns, it’s easy to see why they have such a die hard fan base in Australia and internationally. Hot off the release of their new Single ‘I am Hell’, Buried In Verona are out for blood. More technical difficulties do not stop these bruisers from smashing the crowd over the head with song after song of bouncy moshing riffs and catchier than chlamydia choruses. Even softer song ‘Four Years’ sees the band whip the crowd into a frenzy of moshing and epic singalongs. I wager my left arm that it won’t be long till these guys are headlining and selling out their own tour across Australia. Vocalist Brett Anderson is a truly demanding frontman, he knows how to command a crowd. Buried with Verona end their set with a slamming rendition of ‘Couldn’t Give 34 F*cks’, leaving the crowd sweating and hungry for more.
The bittersweet moment of the night is when House Vs Hurricane hit the stage. Those who have seen them before know what their about – sleazy rock ‘n’ roll riffs peppered with beatdowns and attitude to boot. This being their last show in Newcastle for a long, long time or to paraphrase vocalist Dan Casey, “Perhaps ever”, both the band and the crowd make the most of their 40 minutes of unbridled passion. Opening the set with an absolutely stomping ’40 Deep’, House Vs Hurricane are certainly out to prove why they are one of Australia’s favorite heavy bands. Even old track ‘Forfeiture’ is dusted off for one of the most vicious pits this venue has ever seen. The band look like their having fun, thrashing through old fan favorites and new classics with passion and destructive disregard for anything around them. It’s truly a shame to see such an amazing band go on hiatus or break up, but they certainly do know how to throw a going away party, ending their set with latest single ‘Blood Knuckles’. Being called out for the obligatory “encore” which is usually saved for headlining bands, House Vs Hurricane smash through ‘Furious George’ and as quickly as they came, they were gone. It’s a true shame to see them leave.
I Killed The Prom Queen have a very colorful and eventful past. Being one of my favorite Australian bands, it’s always a pleasure to see them. They arrive on stage to the sound of Star Wars’, ‘The Imperial March’, which makes my inner ‘Geek Boy’ go nuts. They open proceedings with a heartfelt performance of ‘Say Goodbye’ with every member is on point. New Drummer, Shane O’Brien (who is actually originally from Buried In Verona) is a perfect addition to the lineup, filling JJ Peters’ shoes and then some. Prom Queen some how manage to play songs from three different vocal eras without missing a beat – ‘To Kill Tomorrow’ from Crafter era brings back memories to not only myself but also the drooling crowd. ‘Slain Upon My Faithful Sword’ from the Ed Butcher era is vicious and unrelenting. Jamie Hope is truly a fitting front man for this band; his vocals are monstrous and demanding. New song ‘Memento Vivere’ slots perfectly into the set list with a breakdown big enough to slay a walrus. Their set is short and sweet, rounding out the show with fan favorites ‘666’, ‘Your Shirt Would Look Better with a Columbian Necktie’ and ending with a devastating version of ‘Sharks In Your Mouth’. It is absolutely breathtaking to witness such an outstanding band in such a small, intimate venue. Do yourself a favor, get out and see this band. In fact, get out and see as many bands as you can. You never know when a band might be gone forever.
Reviewer: Luke Cowan
Photographer: Jessica Ward
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