It’s that time of year where Melbourne defies a blazing sun with metal fists and black jeans. Soundwave.
Running a quick circuit around the new festival site (having moved from the Showgrounds to Flemington) I had to check out why a swell of people had made their way to stage 6: NORTHLANE. Great to see more local acts on the bill than previous years and these guys are rising quickly putting on a great show to a loyal crowd showing them support in favour of all the international acts playing other stages. The mosh pit is bouncing and girls are blushing.
Back to FOZZY today <insert link to Anthrax/Fozzy/This is Hell review, please> to show a friend the show they put on. In the open light of stage 5 it’s easier to make out just how great a performance these guys can put out, all members exploring every inch of the stage to jump up, on and off of. I personally love The Duke’s (guitarist Rich Ward) spinning efforts, or more correctly his ability to not fall over dizzy.
Continuing my trek around the festival to find the lay of the land I find a comfortable bit of grass near stage 2 to chill out to THE LAWRENCE ARMS. I’d seen this band listed on the lineup, didn’t know them and figured there’d be plenty of other acts to check out over them, but something about their self-deprecating demeanour, blue collar punk rock piqued my interest. I could draw a comparison with THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM but that may make me a terrible person for doing so. My find of the festival though.
By now I’ve worked out that I hate this venue (Flemington) and the day is going to be full of long missions across great distances crashing into hordes of fellow festival goers. I’m sure there’s other reasons for the festival layout (such as noise bleed and restrictions) but human traffic needs to be better considered.
Reluctant to leave my shaded, grassy spot near stage 2 the crowd was informed that MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE had lost their gear (or rather Virgin had) and would not be playing today. Despite the side screens stating otherwise, no line-up shuffle would be made so it was time to move onto less shady/greener pastures.
ORANGE GOBLIN were playing a cool set but a crowd had gathered at stage 4 that had to be checked out. PERIPHERY had built a massive mosh pit and as I arrived demanded a circle pit around the tent beam in the middle of the crowd, who obliged enthusiastically.
TOMAHAWK were happy to ignore the big stage they’re on and focus on their tight setup in the middle. I arrive just as Flashback starts and the group’s presence on stage is intense, particularly John Stainer who has the look of a serial killer at work behind the drums. Even losing their set order they’re happy to just roll with whatever the sampling computer is playing them and taking crowd requests.
But that’s where stage hopping really started with so many bands clashing. Over at GALLOWS the band is totally psyched/inspired by the crowd’s support for a man in a wheelchair crowd-surfing chair and all. I stick around to catch Abandon Ship (a personal favourite) before heading to BILLY TALENT.
The Canucks have a big following as I arrive to find my grassy knoll the new home of a few dozen sneakers (with feet/people in them) and I find a not so crowded spot off to the side slightly obscured by a tree. Sound quality is poor from here not being as loud as other open air stages (to avoid noise bleed I assume) and such a large crowd gathered amongst the trees. BILLY TALENT are one of a number of aging bands on this years lineup which is really beginning to show in their performances (and faces).
Time for a changeup so over to the hidden stage (3) to check out Motion City Soundtrack. Fortunately there’s a bar beside the stage, unfortunately the line to the bar is massive and the view of stage obscured by the fencing. It sounds like plenty of fun times happening in the tent though.
Back to my kind of music SHAI HULUD have been pinned up against SLAYER so didn’t have much of a crowd let alone a mosh pit as I (and they) had expected. But they’ve got a bunch of new material to show off having released new album ‘Reach Beyond the Sun’ not five days before. Some fans already know the lyrics to the new songs and got a chance with mic duties when frontman Justin Kraus joined them in front of the stage. There’s a funny contrast to this band with Kraus an intense figure while guitarists Matt Fox, Matt Fletcher and Tony DelMonego are passionate but seem to take more enjoyment in their performance.
THE DEER HUNTER also had a small but loyal following, and was a great place to rest my feet and ears in preparation for the headliners still to come.
5pm hits and I join the mob crawling towards stage 1 for BLINK 182. The band run through a set of tracks we all loved (and some we hated) throughout our lives between spats about each other’s moms, who’s giving out handies after the show and defending their ‘art’. Unfortunately with such a huge crowd a lot of people (myself included) were too far away to see much of what was happening and the sound wasn’t great.
LINKIN PARK on the other hand put on a great show. The sound was clearer, having more members there was always someone doing something to draw your attention and were backed by a stage screen giving close-ups of the band’s activities and some pre-produced video (whereas BLINK 182 just had a big banner). LINKIN PARK gave the best overall performance of the festival in my book. If only JAY-Z wasn’t busy being JAY-Z to join them.
20mins past the published start time METALLICA finally take the stage, not sure if there was technical (or diva) difficulties but even with the chill setting in that was not cool by me. But who am I to complain when Master of Puppets is song #2? METALLICA bring a good mix of their earlier and later works, and between the gathered crowd, pyrotechnics display and my racing heart keeping limbs warm wasn’t difficult.
But I’m a punk at heart so it lead me back to stage 2 and THE OFFSPRING. Well to PARAMORE actually, having a gawk at their finale and getting myself a decent position.
Everyone was there for their OFFSPRING favourites, and I don’t think anyone was disappointed there, but the band also peppered in newer stuff including something from an upcoming album that sounded alright. Dexter and Noodles look so old now. But despite their larger (Dexter) and frailer (Noodles) frames they still dress and move like it’s 1999. At one stage Noodles even lights up (a cigarette) while playing.
As the lights fall on stage 2 I join the horde slowly rolling towards the gates with METALLICA closing out their set in the background.
Soundwave Festival
www.soundwave.com.au
Published on Sludge Factory
Running a quick circuit around the new festival site (having moved from the Showgrounds to Flemington) I had to check out why a swell of people had made their way to stage 6: NORTHLANE. Great to see more local acts on the bill than previous years and these guys are rising quickly putting on a great show to a loyal crowd showing them support in favour of all the international acts playing other stages. The mosh pit is bouncing and girls are blushing.
Back to FOZZY today <insert link to Anthrax/Fozzy/This is Hell review, please> to show a friend the show they put on. In the open light of stage 5 it’s easier to make out just how great a performance these guys can put out, all members exploring every inch of the stage to jump up, on and off of. I personally love The Duke’s (guitarist Rich Ward) spinning efforts, or more correctly his ability to not fall over dizzy.
Continuing my trek around the festival to find the lay of the land I find a comfortable bit of grass near stage 2 to chill out to THE LAWRENCE ARMS. I’d seen this band listed on the lineup, didn’t know them and figured there’d be plenty of other acts to check out over them, but something about their self-deprecating demeanour, blue collar punk rock piqued my interest. I could draw a comparison with THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM but that may make me a terrible person for doing so. My find of the festival though.
By now I’ve worked out that I hate this venue (Flemington) and the day is going to be full of long missions across great distances crashing into hordes of fellow festival goers. I’m sure there’s other reasons for the festival layout (such as noise bleed and restrictions) but human traffic needs to be better considered.
Reluctant to leave my shaded, grassy spot near stage 2 the crowd was informed that MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE had lost their gear (or rather Virgin had) and would not be playing today. Despite the side screens stating otherwise, no line-up shuffle would be made so it was time to move onto less shady/greener pastures.
ORANGE GOBLIN were playing a cool set but a crowd had gathered at stage 4 that had to be checked out. PERIPHERY had built a massive mosh pit and as I arrived demanded a circle pit around the tent beam in the middle of the crowd, who obliged enthusiastically.
TOMAHAWK were happy to ignore the big stage they’re on and focus on their tight setup in the middle. I arrive just as Flashback starts and the group’s presence on stage is intense, particularly John Stainer who has the look of a serial killer at work behind the drums. Even losing their set order they’re happy to just roll with whatever the sampling computer is playing them and taking crowd requests.
But that’s where stage hopping really started with so many bands clashing. Over at GALLOWS the band is totally psyched/inspired by the crowd’s support for a man in a wheelchair crowd-surfing chair and all. I stick around to catch Abandon Ship (a personal favourite) before heading to BILLY TALENT.
The Canucks have a big following as I arrive to find my grassy knoll the new home of a few dozen sneakers (with feet/people in them) and I find a not so crowded spot off to the side slightly obscured by a tree. Sound quality is poor from here not being as loud as other open air stages (to avoid noise bleed I assume) and such a large crowd gathered amongst the trees. BILLY TALENT are one of a number of aging bands on this years lineup which is really beginning to show in their performances (and faces).
Time for a changeup so over to the hidden stage (3) to check out Motion City Soundtrack. Fortunately there’s a bar beside the stage, unfortunately the line to the bar is massive and the view of stage obscured by the fencing. It sounds like plenty of fun times happening in the tent though.
Back to my kind of music SHAI HULUD have been pinned up against SLAYER so didn’t have much of a crowd let alone a mosh pit as I (and they) had expected. But they’ve got a bunch of new material to show off having released new album ‘Reach Beyond the Sun’ not five days before. Some fans already know the lyrics to the new songs and got a chance with mic duties when frontman Justin Kraus joined them in front of the stage. There’s a funny contrast to this band with Kraus an intense figure while guitarists Matt Fox, Matt Fletcher and Tony DelMonego are passionate but seem to take more enjoyment in their performance.
THE DEER HUNTER also had a small but loyal following, and was a great place to rest my feet and ears in preparation for the headliners still to come.
5pm hits and I join the mob crawling towards stage 1 for BLINK 182. The band run through a set of tracks we all loved (and some we hated) throughout our lives between spats about each other’s moms, who’s giving out handies after the show and defending their ‘art’. Unfortunately with such a huge crowd a lot of people (myself included) were too far away to see much of what was happening and the sound wasn’t great.
LINKIN PARK on the other hand put on a great show. The sound was clearer, having more members there was always someone doing something to draw your attention and were backed by a stage screen giving close-ups of the band’s activities and some pre-produced video (whereas BLINK 182 just had a big banner). LINKIN PARK gave the best overall performance of the festival in my book. If only JAY-Z wasn’t busy being JAY-Z to join them.
20mins past the published start time METALLICA finally take the stage, not sure if there was technical (or diva) difficulties but even with the chill setting in that was not cool by me. But who am I to complain when Master of Puppets is song #2? METALLICA bring a good mix of their earlier and later works, and between the gathered crowd, pyrotechnics display and my racing heart keeping limbs warm wasn’t difficult.
But I’m a punk at heart so it lead me back to stage 2 and THE OFFSPRING. Well to PARAMORE actually, having a gawk at their finale and getting myself a decent position.
Everyone was there for their OFFSPRING favourites, and I don’t think anyone was disappointed there, but the band also peppered in newer stuff including something from an upcoming album that sounded alright. Dexter and Noodles look so old now. But despite their larger (Dexter) and frailer (Noodles) frames they still dress and move like it’s 1999. At one stage Noodles even lights up (a cigarette) while playing.
As the lights fall on stage 2 I join the horde slowly rolling towards the gates with METALLICA closing out their set in the background.
Soundwave Festival
www.soundwave.com.au
Published on Sludge Factory
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