Faker @ Metro Theatre, Sydney (25/03/06)

We’ve seen them be the support act several times over the past couple of years, they are mentioned regularly on the pages of the local street press and they’ve been making a bit of noise across the airwaves. Their debut album ‘Addicted Romantic’ has been a pretty rockin’ contribution to our playlists and we often catch ourselves mumbling the lyrics whilst sitting on the bus on the way to work. I knew we liked Faker. I just didn’t realise how much. It’s a lot.

The first hint of our fondness towards the band is the queue outside Sydney’s renowned live music venue, The Metro. It doesn’t take long to establish that the gig is sold out. The place is swarming with punters. Hardcore fans that have gathered at the front of the stage are already struggling to keep their feet on the floor. It’s difficult to find a position where one can see the stage and also not have to trek to the bar. It’s going to be a big night.

The band blasts onto the stage like 5 year olds who have had too much sugar. This pace sets the tone for the rest of the show. Our prayers that the band will perform with the same amount of energy that their album radiates are answered. The track ‘Bodies’, an ode to casual sex, demonstrates the difference between listening to Faker and see them play live. We’ve heard the track many times, but never with this raw edge. Forget the album, this is the real thing.

Over the next hour and a bit every expectation we had of the band will be exceeded. The boys tear through favourites such as ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Teenage Werewolf’ and we feel our bodies jerking along enthusiastically with the rest of them. Lead singer Nathan Hudson plays the role of the rock star rather well – he oozes charisma. The first chords of their latest single ‘Love for Sale’ receive huge cheers from the crowd and Hudson reciprocates the love by pulling a girl up from the font row onto stage but then he doesn’t know what to do with her. He continues to strut about as she stands there uneasily, then politely makes her way back into the audience. It’s an awkward moment. But we forgive him.

The brooding pop melodies continue with ‘Kids on Overload’ and ‘Seizures’ and the place is absolutely buzzing. Hudson and his band mates appear to be having the time of their lives by the end of the gig. As the last notes of ‘Quarter to Three’ are played; half of the crowd seems to be on the stage. And they look like they are having a grand old time; they are dancing amongst the band and exchanging embraces. One leaves with the impression that they boys from Faker were just as excited about tonight’s gig as we were. Faker have arrived. And they know it.