Words and photos by Rashid AlKamraikhi
While still relatively unknown by the mainstream, Animals as Leaders have been steadily building up a worldwide fanbase since their inception in 2007. A fanbase mostly built out of guitar nerds and anyone with the good sense to have a taste for djented out virtuosic prog. With a sold-out show and line going down the block, it appeared that Brisbane had plenty of both who were eager to come and see the reigning kings of modern instrumental music.
When the doors finally opened the crowd poured off the streets and flooded into the Princess Theatre. It was my first time at this venue, and it was absolutely stunning with a gorgeously arch-framed stage nestled amongst exposed brick walls and a high ornate ceiling with a seated balcony overlooking the stage.
Without much delay opening act Keyan took to the stage. I had only listened to one of their tracks prior to the show – current single Arrhrythmia – but I’d very much liked what I had heard and was keen to hear more of what they had to offer. Low-tuned discordant guitar rhythmically pulsed through the venue, building towards soaring solos that were backed by even lower-tuned bass, and driving technical drumming.
Together they wove through tracks that incorporated intricate patterns and arrangements that in any other setting would be considered boundary-pushing, but tonight it was an easy listening warm-up for what was to come. That said the crowd greatly appreciated it and the cover of Beat It went down a treat. I’ll definitely be exploring more of their catalogue.
I took a quick trip back to the bar for a refreshing top-up, followed by a chat with some friends about how good Keyan were, and before we knew it the trio of Tosin, Javier, and Matt aka Animals as Leaders had entered the stage to great applause.
The staccato chords to Tooth and Claw started up, and it was on. The entire audience was immediately sunk into auditory bliss as the sonic assault filled every nook and cranny of the theatre and enveloped us in its glorious frequencies.
They breezed through their first three songs, or at least that’s how it felt with the way these bastards make what they do seem so effortless before Tosin addressed the audience to say hi. The talk was kept short because Animals as Leaders knew that we weren’t there to hear them chit-chat, and they quickly ripped back into it.
The set comprised of cuts from throughout their catalogue with special attention paid to their latest release, Parrhesia. As they were ripping through newer-cut Micro Aggressions I became curious about that balcony and ventured up to view the band from the higher vantage point.
I was nestling in as they announced an ‘oldie’ and began shredifying it up with Wave of Babies, followed by crowd favourite Physical Education which had the fans up on the balcony vocalising along with the da da da duh duh duduh duhs. That’s about as close to a sing-along as you’ll get at an instrumental gig.
Tosin got back on the mic and asked if the crowd enjoyed a ‘circular pit’ and that, if they wanted to, they could form a ‘circular pit’ for the next song. They did. The guitar nerds fled for the safety of the walls as the more pit-inclined audience members joined in on the swirl. This was the first time I’d seen more than mistimed head nodding at an AaL show, and it was pretty cool to witness.
I headed back down to the floor to enjoy the rest of the show at eye level and after a couple more tracks they gave us a big wave and walked off-stage. Surely they couldn’t leave us hanging with no Cafo? Thankfully they didn’t let us hang long and came back out and cranked into it. Cafo is still my favourite track of theirs and I, and many other audience members punched hands into the air along to every jilted time signature, loving every second of it.
But that was pretty much the vibe for the whole show.
