Jun
19
9.10am

THE AMITY AFFLICTION // Farewell To Heartbreak


The Amity Affliction//PVRIS//Beartooth//Make Them Suffer – Sunday June 18, 2017 – Festival Hall, Melbourne

It’s a blockbuster package at Festival Hall tonight. Each support can pull a reasonable crowd to a headline show alone, so it’s to no one’s surprise that it’s a sold out show.

Make Them Suffer take their first swing with deathcore classic Widower, clearly showing that their new lineup changes haven’t made them forget about the older fans. New pianist/singer Booka Nile is understandably stiff (the role only allows for so much movement) but her vocals are a fair match for previous member Louisa Burton particularly during Let Me In. Fresh single Fireworks obviously sees a lack of recognition but the dynamics of the band work show a leap in synergy first heard in last year’s Ether. Blood Moon caps off the night with a menacing shade of red on the crowd that finally lets loose a decent pit (plenty more of those open up over the course of the night).

Make Them Suffer by Daniel Anderson

With heavy competition on the bill, Beartooth take the award for standout performance of the evening. Their ability to work the crowd kicks off during Aggressive and their stranglehold never loosens throughout the set. Vocalist Caleb Shomo hits each and every note; no backing track is needed for him to reach the maddened shrieks during Body Bag. He proudly asks whether anyone’s ever heard of them before. A giant sea of hands is thrown up, and the singer welcomes them to the madhouse. Bassist Oshie Bichar backs Shomo up during off parts, and the two pair well during Always Dead that has a circle pit running before the band even begin. Balancing between Disgusting and Aggressive material, The Lines gives the sweat-laden crowd a chance to soak themselves even further. Closing with Hated, it’s clear that Beartooth can more than hold their own for a return visit.

Beartooth by Daniel Anderson

The band showed their prowess during their first visit in 2015 but this crowd just don’t get PVRIS. It’s a shame because they’re one of the industry’s best talents and the slower pace is lost on those who came to swing elbows. Singer Lynn Gunn has a phenomenal voice, but she’s oversinging throughout a fair amount of the set. Tracks like Half and Mirrors are riffed on and it’s a shame that they’re not given the chance to swim and breathe throughout the venue. Frequent calls for “hands up!” and “jump!” fall on a few deaf ears that may be the cause of her pushed vocals, but Gunn keeps the energy up anyway. She smashes cymbals like her life depends on it and whips around when there are not (what appears to be) glockenspiel duties to attend to. Add guitar work in and it’s hard to criticise her efforts. The rest of the band, particularly Alex Babinski’s noodled guitar solos keep the darkened atmosphere flowing. When newer tracks You & I and Heaven arrive, Gunn’s voice is jaw dropping. A sustained note during the latter is absolute perfection and appears to win the crowd over. Their next trip, particularly with a more familiar crowd, will undoubtedly put any concerns to rest.

Lynn Gunn of PVRIS photo by Daniel Anderson

With a flurry of confetti, The Amity Affliction arrive. Opening with (now) old favourite Open Letter the band charge forth with the crowd hanging off their every word. Lost and Fading sees the first scream from bassist/clean singer Ahren Stringer fit nicely into the mix. Although he appears to be having somewhat of an off night in the lower parts of his register, the higher notes of Never Alone and I Hate Hartley are still solid. The former opens up a wall of death with vocalist Joel Birch’s silent widening of arms. His screams move easily from growls to yells, whilst guitarist Dan Brown and Stringer pull off an impressive harmony during Chasing Ghosts.

Ahren Stringer of The Amity Affliction by Daniel Anderson

A pyro blast shocks the system and I Bring The Weather With Me brings a solar flare of flames that can be felt from the very back of the room. Although the crowd are loving the whole set, All Fucked Up sees a larger reaction with its lighter tones and potential for shoulder-ridden snapchats. Those dreams of the perfect shot are quickly dashed when Death’s Hand kicks in, and multiple pits open up. We may not get “fuck the reaper” for the brief input of Youngbloods during Hartley but “Hey Death, get fucked!” is a more than fine replacement. Middle fingers thrust towards him, the heat has caused Birch’s hair to drip across his face and a grin shines from underneath as the chaos ensues.

Joel Birch of The Amity Affliction by Daniel Anderson

Melbourne have always treated Amity well and we’re rewarded with the first live rendition of Nightmare. Fight My Regret balances the singalong out with drummer Ryan Burt’s fills keeping tempos high on the floor. The band hardly leave the stage before the familiar cello notes that signal Pittsburgh herald their return. Of course the opening lines are the loudest of the night and the band are more than content with letting the crowd do some heavy lifting considering the crowd surfers are literally begging to help. Closing with Don’t Lean On Me and This Could Be Heartbreak, it’s the final time we’ll see the band in Australia for over a year. Those wishing to see the well-oiled machine for their final run on this album cycle had best already have their tickets clutched.//

Crowd photo by Daniel Anderson

Catch the remaining shows at the following dates
Tickets available here.

Thursday June 22, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney NSW
Saturday June 24, Riverstage, Brisbane QLD




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