Mindless/Idle Eyes/Losing Grip/Bounty Hunter
Amplifier Bar
Saturday, January 24 2015
The kings are back!
It’s obvious that time has not faded this town’s love for their favourite hardcore band with the crowd packing the venue from the very opening of the doors. A hot night and a long weekend always sets the scene for an interesting show, and tonight was no exception. Along with a huge crowd it was great to see the Sea Shepherd merch table making another appearance with lots of punters showing their support for a great cause.
Bounty Hunter opened the night playing a flawless set of crossover hardcore. This was my first time seeing these guys play and they were sensational. Aggressive thrash riffs with all the right elements of hardcore and beatdown. It’s an often sad sight to see a great opening band play to an empty room, but that wasn’t the case here. Big props to everyone who came out early and supported this great band.
Losing Grip hit the stage next with a fury, their sound encapsulating the modernity of hardcore in Australia. It’s the elements of metal and punk blending into a chaotic menagerie of youth energy and violence that show just how far our scene has come since its inception. Losing Grip had a tough job, with Bounty Hunter opening up and the world class bill that would follow them, but they did an outstanding job. In short – they kicked ass.
Idle Eyes are quickly becoming a staple of Perth’s hardcore scene. I’ve been following these guys since early on and can say that they have been a solid performer every single time. The crowd was slowly building in intensity as they took the room and they delivered another sensational set. Frontman Shah Abul Latip is a natural performer with an amazing presence. Keep an eye on these boys!
This was the final show for the hardcore stalwarts of Mindless, and the crowd showed a lot of love for these guys as they tore through their set. I could barely fit into the room as they took the stage, it was an incredible sight. I couldn’t think of a better occasion for a final performance, with some of the best new and old hardcore bands in Perth in the mix, Mindless were truly at home. You will be missed guys!
With Miles Away hitting the stage after a long hot night it was hard to imagine that people would be putting in too much energy. I know I was feeling the heat in the jam-packed Amplifier Bar, but within moments of the first track starting the entire crowd erupted into chaos. I’ve literally never seen so many stage dives going on at once – it was pandemonium. Miles Away showed that despite a long time between shows they hadn’t lost any of their intensity.
The set compromised of new and old favourites was proof of just how great these guys are and the reason that they have been so popular for such a long time. The insanity of the mosh didn’t let up for even a moment during their 45 minute set. People were literally hitting the overhead speakers, clipping feet, heads and asses. It was a truly amazing spectacle. Miles Away have been doing this for over 10 years, and like a fine wine or Matthew McConaughey, they’ve only gotten better with age.
DAVE MULLINS
