Brisbane’s pop-punk upstarts Two Times Shy are soaring lofty heights as they let loose their …
SIMPLE PLAN with Eat Your Heart Out and Stateside
Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane
Sunday April 22, 2018
Hailing all the way from Montreal, Quebec, the Canadian pop-punk band Simple Plan, embarked on their 15th Anniversary World Tour No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls. The second stop for the Australian leg of the tour was at the Eatons Hill Hotel on Sunday night in Brisbane. Marking 16 years since the original release of Simple Plans’ first ever album,No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls (2002), Simple Plan performed the whole album in full and featured many other fan favourites throughout the night.
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Opening up for the night was Brisbane locals, Stateside. The five-piece alternative rock band kicked off the evening with two tracks Neon and Jaded, two tracks from their latest album Naïve. Lead singer, Erin Reus, wholeheartedly sang every word, and continuously performed all songs with high energy and an emotional connection. Halfway through the performance, Erin Reus spoke words about standing up and speaking out in regards to suicide prevention. Expressing how close this topic is to Statesides’ heart and how we should be there for one another, because “There is no excuse any more.”—Erin Reus.
Stateside // By Vincent Shaw
Third last song for the night was a cover of Heathens, initially written by Twenty One Pilots. Following on with more tracks from their latest album Naïve, Stateside then went on to perform Livingstone Road and This is War. Final song for the performance was their most renowned single, The Way We Were, released early 2017. Stateside are a band that genuinely speaks up and isn’t afraid to address the topics society so desperately need to make known. I look forward to seeing Stateside do nothing but going up from here.
Eat Your Heart Out // By Vincent Shaw
The second support for the evening was Newcastle’s very own alternative rock band, Eat Your Heart Out. The female-fronted five-piece band frequently created an atmosphere of passion with every song performed. The high stamina held by the lead vocalist, Caitlin Henry was astounding. Eat Your Heart Out are indeed a band to look out for, bringing a well blended alternative rock and pop/punk style fused together to create a unique sound. As Eat Your Heart Out performed Drag Me Down, the first track from their 2017 album Carried Away, the audience embraced this song with such a love for everything it is. It was evident that Eat Your Heart Out pulled at heartstrings with the emotion they poured into every song.
Simple Plan // By Vincent Shaw
After much anticipation, the headliner for the night, Simple Plan, faced the stage with playful energy and enthusiasm. Opening song for the evening was I’d Do Anything, the first track on their first album ever released No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls (2002). Simple Plan then continued to perform the whole album from start to finish, including crowd favourites such as You Don’t Mean Anything, and I’m Just a Kid. With such high energy on the stage, it indeed was reflected amongst the crowd, as every fan sang all the songs word for word.
Simple Plan // By Vincent Shaw
The tour truly lived up to its name, as the lead singer, Pierre Bouvier, launched blown up beach balls into the crowd. With continuously displaying humorous and playful energy on the stage, Pierre Bouvier forever had the audience laughing and smiling the whole time. Towards the end of the night, Simple Plan then performed one of their classics, Perfect, with such a nostalgic atmosphere, everyone in the crowd travelled back to a time when they first listened to that song as a kid all those years ago. Performing Jet Lag as a duet with the lead singer of Stateside, Erin Reus, with Simple Plans Pierre Bouvier, created perfect harmony between the two vocalists. Final song for the evening was Welcome To My Life, as the night drew to a close, fans embraced every last second of Simple Plan.
Simple Plan // By Vincent Shaw
It’s clear Simple Plan are not going anywhere anytime soon and will continue for many years to come. There is no shaking the smiles off fans this tour, as the wait for lovers of Simple Plan was finally over waiting for them to return.
Catch Simple Plan on their No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls anniversary tour with special guests Stateside & Eat Your Heart Out at the remaining dates:
Monday 23rd April // Forum Theatre // Melbourne (18+)
Tuesday 24th April // Forum Theatre // Melbourne (18+) (SOLD OUT)Thursday 26th April // NEX Wests Newcastle // Newcastle (18+)
Friday 27th April // Big Top // Sydney (14+ Licensed)
