We The Kings @ Rosemount Hotel
w/ The Faim
Thursday, February 8, 2018
We The Kings completed the final leg of their Australia Tour, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their breakthrough self-titled album. Known best for their massive 2007 hit, Check Yes Juliet the Florida natives have certainly managed to stay relevant packing out Rosemount Hotel last Thursday.
Opening the night were locals, The Faim (formerly Small Town Heroes) and unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’ll know these guys are set for big things in 2018. Having recently signed an international deal with BMG, they’re working alongside the likes of Mark Hoppus, Pete Wentz and Grammy Award nominated producer John Feldmann. The Faim delivered a fun and energetically fast paced setlist consisting of tracks mostly from their EP, Get Up, Get Out. It was refreshing to see the group spread their vocals between three of the four-piece group, engaging the crowd throughout.
Following the Faim were fellow locals Avastera. Having already toured with We the Kings and the likes of New Found Glory and Forever the Sickest Kids the band’s recent rise to popularity is beginning to show, with some of the crowd singing word for word throughout the setlist. The hits Breathing Hope and December Sun were clear favourites amongst the crowd.
After strong efforts from both local acts, the venue was buzzing. A hint of impatience however settled in due to a lengthy break in between sets. However this was all quickly forgotten as We the Kings took to the stage and not surprisingly from previous gigs jumped straight into their biggest hit, Check Yes Juliet, giving the crowd what they wanted right from the get go and sending them into hysteria.
Lead vocalist Travis Clark described in depth the origins of their hit single Secret Valentine, a song inspired by a 6 day relationship Clark had when he was younger, resulting in his “first time” and explaining that it was similar to playing Tetris. This all went down quite humorously with the crowd and engaged the remaining few punters if they weren’t already.
Fan favourite Skyway Avenue sent nostalgia feels throughout the venue as most sang it word for word. Clark addressed the crowd shortly before their single Sad Song, explaining that four out of the five of them had their partners all fall pregnant at the same time and this song was dedicated to their children. Their uplifting Say You Like Me two songs later lifted the energy of the crowd to where they left off after Skyway Avenue.
Although some moments throughout the night closely reflected those at their last gig in Perth (Tetris Sex and their dedication to Sad Song), the majority of the night was energetic, exciting and interactive with Clark and the band sharing a lot of personal experiences with the crowd and inviting fans and friends alike on stage throughout. The night ended exactly how it started, belting out Check Yes Juliet once again and better than the first time.
BEN DILLON
Photos by Simon Tubey
