After scanning my ticket through the turnstiles at 7.30pm, I could vaguely hear the dulcet tones of Justin Burford’s vocals inside the stadium. End Of Fashion were onstage already! I frantically chased my tail looking for the correct door number in this colossal venue.
Almost lapping the entry point, I spotted Door 10. Perfect timing as the intro to O Yeah erupted. The discordant riffs sounded fantastic and the crowd were pumped. Experiencing End Of Fashion is an assault on the senses, particularly in the visual sense! I descended the stairs two at a time for a closer look, only to be advised I needed a wristband from yet another door. I decided to wander around inside the venue to soak up the infectious psychedelic riffs and admire the extreme close-ups on the giant screens. This four-piece from Perth undoubtedly tweaked its live sound to perfection.
Finally wrist-banded, I edged closer and took in the admirable scenery. There was a pair of teenage girls sporting the black, skinny-leg-jean look with a refreshing twist. Emulating superheros, each modelled a pair of white cotton undies on the outside, Evermore emblazoned on their derrières.
As the stage was prepped for the next act we were treated to After The Fall – unplugged! They occupied a small platform near the mixing desk, with two members competently strumming their acoustic guitars and treating us to Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. Stripped back production may not seem lively enough for a teenage rage but it kept the programme moving nicely.
Pint-sized pocket-rockets The Veronicas detonated onto the main stage soon after. Security guards desperately tried to enforce the “no moshing or crowd-surfing” rule but the Origliasso Sisters raised the excitement to fever pitch. You could do worse than have your daughter trying to emulate these 20 year-old twins from Brisbane. Talent oozed out of every pore as The Veronicas resisted the urge to flash flesh. The pair’s debut offering The Secret Life Of…, which took out this year’s Aria Award for ‘Best Pop Release’, exemplified the singer/songwriter duo’s standards as well as this well-deserved honour. Jess and Lisa provide a voice for teenage angst that’s big on attitude because their lyrical content is relevant and sassy, as highlighted in lyrics including “I always thought you were gay.” When It All Falls Apart and Revolution thereby lifted the roof off the venue as if in readiness for The Australian Open.
Successful siblings were abounding at Coca-Cola Live ‘n’ Local and it was time for the three Hume brothers to shine (Evermore to the uninitiated). The atmosphere in the crowd wasn’t quite as explosive as for their predecessors but Evermore’s live show was breathtaking. We were hurtled into It’s Too Late second track in and the volume of the crowd’s singing overpowered Jon’s vulnerable timbre. Such harmonies could only be created thanks to a shared gene-pool. The band’s atmospheric sonic landscapes were enhanced by stunning visuals. Horses galloped rhythmically towards us during Running with the effect being almost hypnotic, surely setting a new precedence for live performance. To dance around was too much to miss the exquisite spectacle. Evermore’s performance was intuitive and showcased multi-faceted musical interplay.
“Is anyone thirsty?” Dann asked. He hurled his water bottle as the crowd grappled for this souvenir. Dann pelted his skins with gusto as Peter wielded his keys around like a guitar and narrowly missing his brothers on several occasions. At the show’s completion, I was panic-stricken. What about For One Day? I couldn’t possibly have left the stadium without experiencing this epic, all-consuming masterpiece. However, I didn’t leave disappointed. The frenzied crowd jumped around and hugged each other to the echoing of Jon Hume’s exasperated bellows. It was evident that in order for these Kiwi stars to achieve Evermore greatness, they “just need to do what [they] know”.
