BELLE HAVEN // This Means Everything

Jun 05, 2017 / WORDS Lawra Jetson / PHOTOS Bree Wallace / Is this really me?

BELLE HAVEN with Ambleside, Deadlights + Aburden—The Worker’s Club, Melbourne—3 June, 2017

Being north of the river for tonight’s sold out show at The Worker’s Club, my new game for the evening was, ‘Spot Who Doesn’t Own a Lush Tote Bag’ (or vote Greens). I overhear a ‘bathbomb’ of girls discussing how So and So is ignoring Whatshername and, “CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!?” No, Becky*, I can’t.

Did the first 100 people through the door receive a complimentary Valium? Aburden’s energy on stage, paired with lead singer Mason Forrester’s “AJ” from Empire Records aesthetic, made up for it. They do not miss a beat.

Bieber and other crap was an interesting choice of music between sets, since it’s safe to say no one here is on enough K to enjoy it. (Fuckin’ a right – Ed.)

Aburden by Breanna Wallace

Brisbane boys, Deadlights, hit the stage like sweet chin music to the face. They don’t stop until they leave the stage. Reminiscent of an early Underoath, Invisible Hands brought movement from the crowd. Hands raise a few smartphones for Instagram/Snapchat stories. Did you say Deadlights are going on tour with Thy Art Is Murder? Because they are. This tour should be the payoff they deserve.

Deadlights are a serious light on the hill in this gloomy modern day musical winter.

Deadlights by Breanna Wallace

Deadlights by Breanna Wallace

Ambleside slid into view straight up with no foreplay, with drums and riffs pumping at 100mph.

Each band tonight are playing crucial roles in the local and Australian scene. If you weren’t there, you missed out.

Tired Eyes draw elements from A Ghost Inside and Hollow Crown-era Architects, with the vibe from the band spilling over to the crowd.

Throughout their whole set, each member of the band has not stopped smiling, and it is infectious. Dear Mother resonates well with the now packed room, with movement from the front right down to those standing near the CDJ-2000 in the back.

Ambleside by Breanna Wallace

Yes hello crowd, come throughhhh! Hometown lads Belle Haven hit the stage for their first ever sold out show. A guy on crutches is losing his shit. Yaaass.

Though Belle Haven had a rocky start with the vocals, they soon found level ground. We were given an impromptu singing class introducing their new unreleased song, Burn The Witch. It got a fantastic reception (and singing) from a packed venue.

Vocalist David Vernon slows the evening down and gets real for a moment. Expressing his excitement for the release of forthcoming album, You, Me and Everything in Between, he begins a heartfelt monologue about what this album, and their fans, mean to them. In a world that is starting to burn, where mental health awareness is as relevant as ever, this overflow of well-spoken empathy—to anyone who is hurting, feeling alone, going through something—is what we all need right now. Hanging back after the show, we saw first-hand what this band mean to some people.

Mixing Norma Jean-inspired riffs with lyrics as sharp as David’s jawline, the band end their set with venom-spitting single, “Selfmade”, which the crowd frothed over, before coming back on for an encore, crowd storming the stage.

Each band are playing crucial roles in the local and Australian scene. If you weren’t there, you missed out. Make sure you keep an eye out for when they’re all playing next, because you will not be disappointed.