7:30pm doors, 7:45pm THIS IS HELL hit the stage. The Hi Fi Bar is running a tight ship tonight, so I settle in the balcony with a red wine (saving my feet for Soundwave the following day).
Tonight's show has a bit of a mixed line-up bringing together a metal, hard rock and hardcore band. Fortunately in an order that I think works well, creating a nice build. THIS IS HELL the entree, FOZZY a main and ANTHRAX the bottle of well-aged scotch. I spent the days leading up to the gig listening to this Rdio playlist in anticipation.
Hardcore bands make great opening acts; setting the bar and entwining it with barbed wire so everyone knows to jump higher. THIS IS HELL do exactly that with a brutal opening, I don't listen to enough of this stuff. A bunch of guys (likely new fans) warm up with a quick mosh while the rest of the slowly growing crowd nod and tap along respectfully. But the set is short as these guys have a second Sidewave to play tonight (in high demand).
Being a fan of Chris Jericho's wrestling career (who here isn't, right?), I'm expecting a good performance from FOZZY, and despite listening to and liking their music, slightly dubious of their musical chops. I had no right to be. Jericho is backed up by a pack of seasoned veterans, all experts of their instruments, backing vocals and putting on a fucking show. Interaction with the crowd is a strong point, naturally they cop all the Y2J calls, but they love coming down under if just for the calls of FOZZY FOZZY FOZZY OI OI OI. It also didn't take long for Jericho to get amongst the crowd, unfortunately it wasn't with a frog splash from the top turnbuckle.
But time for the big show: ANTHRAX. Now honestly/embarrassingly my favourite work by ANTHRAX involved PUBLIC ENEMY, but only out of naivety from their own music. I'm also open to a change of mind. Being their first time in Melbourne in years the fans were buzzing with excitement. On entrance the crowd roared as Scott Ian and co. pranced on stage, nearly as excited themselves. The Hi Fi pit erupted like a volcano, bodies bubbling over the top of one another. Joey Belladonna was happy to rest his vocals as the capacity crowd covered most choruses for him. Scott Ian owned stage right, strutting and showcasing why ANTHRAX make up a quarter of the Big Four (Two according to Ian).
Bassist Frank Bello looked like a rabid animal to the left. Touring drummer, Jon Dette, was getting a great workout riding across his massive arse kit. And introducing Jonathan Donais, guitarist of SHADOWS FALL, stoic up the back of the stage early but coming into his own late in the piece. ANTHRAX has plenty of hits I didn't know I knew: ‘Caught in a Mosh’, ‘The Devil You Know’, ‘Madhouse’ and ‘I Am The Law’. They also fell on some classic covers with ‘Antisocial’ (TRUST) and ‘T.N.T.’ (AC/DC, which wasn't at all inspiring for me), in anticipation of the release of a covers EP, 'Anthems'. I'll be updating my playlists with some ANTHRAX this week. Overall, a great night out. Three great bands we can scratch into a bedpost, sew a patch on a jacket or whatever else us lousy kids do these days.
Anthrax
http://anthrax.com/
Fozzy
www.fozzyrock.com/
This is Hell
www.facebook.com/thisishellny
Published on Sludge Factory
Hardcore bands make great opening acts; setting the bar and entwining it with barbed wire so everyone knows to jump higher. THIS IS HELL do exactly that with a brutal opening, I don't listen to enough of this stuff. A bunch of guys (likely new fans) warm up with a quick mosh while the rest of the slowly growing crowd nod and tap along respectfully. But the set is short as these guys have a second Sidewave to play tonight (in high demand).
Being a fan of Chris Jericho's wrestling career (who here isn't, right?), I'm expecting a good performance from FOZZY, and despite listening to and liking their music, slightly dubious of their musical chops. I had no right to be. Jericho is backed up by a pack of seasoned veterans, all experts of their instruments, backing vocals and putting on a fucking show. Interaction with the crowd is a strong point, naturally they cop all the Y2J calls, but they love coming down under if just for the calls of FOZZY FOZZY FOZZY OI OI OI. It also didn't take long for Jericho to get amongst the crowd, unfortunately it wasn't with a frog splash from the top turnbuckle.
But time for the big show: ANTHRAX. Now honestly/embarrassingly my favourite work by ANTHRAX involved PUBLIC ENEMY, but only out of naivety from their own music. I'm also open to a change of mind. Being their first time in Melbourne in years the fans were buzzing with excitement. On entrance the crowd roared as Scott Ian and co. pranced on stage, nearly as excited themselves. The Hi Fi pit erupted like a volcano, bodies bubbling over the top of one another. Joey Belladonna was happy to rest his vocals as the capacity crowd covered most choruses for him. Scott Ian owned stage right, strutting and showcasing why ANTHRAX make up a quarter of the Big Four (Two according to Ian).
Bassist Frank Bello looked like a rabid animal to the left. Touring drummer, Jon Dette, was getting a great workout riding across his massive arse kit. And introducing Jonathan Donais, guitarist of SHADOWS FALL, stoic up the back of the stage early but coming into his own late in the piece. ANTHRAX has plenty of hits I didn't know I knew: ‘Caught in a Mosh’, ‘The Devil You Know’, ‘Madhouse’ and ‘I Am The Law’. They also fell on some classic covers with ‘Antisocial’ (TRUST) and ‘T.N.T.’ (AC/DC, which wasn't at all inspiring for me), in anticipation of the release of a covers EP, 'Anthems'. I'll be updating my playlists with some ANTHRAX this week. Overall, a great night out. Three great bands we can scratch into a bedpost, sew a patch on a jacket or whatever else us lousy kids do these days.
Anthrax
http://anthrax.com/
Fozzy
www.fozzyrock.com/
This is Hell
www.facebook.com/thisishellny
Published on Sludge Factory
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