HELLIONS // A Historic Premiere of the Opera

QUALITY OF LIFE TOUR
HELLIONS with Belle Haven, Pridelands + Grave Street Blues
29 July, 2016
The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy, Melbourne

NSW hardcore/weirdcore outfit Hellions dropped their best effort Opera Oblivia that day. So a sold out crowd in a tiny venue sounds like the right way to hear these tracks played for the first time.

Ambitious is an understatement when describing the Opera, and although the record works, whether it’ll translate live is another question. It’s the Quality of Life tour y’all, and we’re jumping right in with a Snapchat filter to boot!

Grave Street Blues

As we enter, openers Grave Street Blues are bringing a Gaslight Anthem feel to our ears. Three guitarists usually signals ‘wank’ but the way these guys are playing, it seems like the clear way forward. Their two vocalists harmonise well together, and hit a certain note together that steals attention away from Pokemon Go for a fair few punters. They’ve gathered a number of family and friends to cheer them on, and it’s a sweet moment when their main vocalist thanks a number personally.

Pridelands

Ooft, if these bass drops from Pridelands get any stronger they might just knock everyone over. (It broke our old man editor’s hip.) Hell yeah the crowd want more, and they get more shockwaves hitting their chests as a reward. The first real mosh pit opens for them, a welcome sight so early on in the evening.

Their first run through of Coalesce since dropping it as a single, a Northlane/Polaris-ish inspired track, is clearly their step in the right direction. The band’s drummer has had to drop out, but they’ve enlisted Dregg’s member James Heath to fill in at the last moment. A few errant hits here and there are the only things that belie the fact he’s not a part of their constant lineup. It’s still early days, so put them as ones to watch.

Belle Haven

If there’s any band that’s going to prepare us for the headliners, it’s Belle Haven and their decision to go from 0-to-batshit insane in a blink of an eye. Their rhythm guitarist allows the waiting crowd to hold his guitar horizontal, thrusting as he strums open notes. Their Dilinger Escape Plan-esque tunes hardly even matter at this point, despite the fact that they’ve absolutely slayed them. Spur of the moment is Belle Haven’s mission, and they’re damn well sticking to their guns. Their bassist takes it upon himself to drop his instrument, latch onto the roof and crawl midway whilst his bandmates continue on.

He drops and crowd surfs back, only for the band’s vocalist to jump into the drum kit. Static fills the air and their drummer leaps up, grabs his cymbal as if he’s signalling victory to a Roman emperor before smashing it to the ground. You just don’t get that kind of experience from Spotify.

If lightning’s ever been caught in a bottle, the energy would be unmatched by Hellions at the Evelyn.

Blinding lights flash; a warning of the madness to come. A simple “I can’t fucking believe this you guys” and a smile from frontman Dre Faivre is all we receive before Ghoul begins. If lightning’s ever been caught in a bottle, the energy would be unmatched by Hellions at the Evelyn. Creasy is a hell of a treat, with the crowd timing their shouts of “woo” perfectly. Who’s screaming  “I forgot you, remember that!” louder is anyone’s guess. Sweat mists through the air whilst numerous punters take it upon themselves to hang from the rafters. Nottingham begins and light fixtures are nearly kicked off by contorting shapes, smashing their fists on the roof in manic bliss.

 Hellions

Below the shadowy forms is a huge mass, ready and willing to take any mic grabs that frontman Dre Faivre liberally shares during set highlight Thresher. He’s the ringmaster of this circus and plays the role like he’s born to be on that very stage. Drummer Anthony Caruso is smashing the kit like his life depends on it, his sharp crashes keeping us all in line. Playing Faivre’s foil is Matt ‘Wob’ Gravolin, whose gravelly tones match the hoarse screams that echo whenever the mic is thrust into someone’s face. Old or new, each song lives up to its full potential.

Nightliner Rhapsody only came out two days ago and the chorus is deafening. Pairing 22 and Quality of Life as the ‘finale?’ No other live act is going to match the passion that hangs in the air, every hope and dream the crowd has is all thrown out in the open. The band profusely thank us and walk off, but we’re not having a bar of it. We’re not ready to leave and they had better not be either.

We’re not left waiting. Everyone is well aware that this is the make or break, this is where the show fizzles or shines like a goddamn diamond. Faivre takes off his shirt, begins to scream the opening lines of Hellions and is immediately stopped. The mic’s gone from his hands and right into the crowd who take over vocal duties. He should’ve known this was never going to fail. Crowd surfers flail and grab onto people who are still attempting to take down the roof while the band grin on in disbelief. No need to thank us; it’s the band on stage who deserve the accolades.

Straight up, if you missed this show, you missed history in the making. Today is the very day that Hellions became legendary. Moans of despair will ring in the air years later, “Oh man, I missed that one!” We’ll smile and hold it in our memories forever because we didn’t. The Hellions legion have finally stood up. The whole world is theirs for the taking.

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HELLIONS QUALITY OF LIFE AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Remaining tour dates

Saturday 30 July – Arrow On Swanson, Melbourne (AA)
Friday 5 August – Enigma Bar, Adelaide (LIC/AA)
Friday 12 August – Bald Faced Stag, Sydney (LIC/AA)
Saturday 13 August – The Brightside, Brisbane (18+)

Tickets available via Destroy All Lines