Friday night and post-rock – just what I needed. It’s the perfect way to kick off your weekend and really put your mind at ease especially with a stellar line-up put together, it was definitely a going to be a promising show from the moment it was announced. With people queuing up outside The Metro, it was a stark contrast to the usual sea of black/metal shirts you usually see outside a venue. Local lads Stare At The Clouds were the perfect choice to kick off the night of post-rock and progressive music, bringing their best to the stage. I’ve seen them perform a couple of times before but they were in their element, playing a really airy style of progressive post-rock. There were heavy tones dispersed throughout the set that perfectly balanced out the ambient atmospheres and groove-laden riffs, the band really setting the tone for the night.
Up next was one of my favourite bands from Sydney, one that kicked off their set with an incredible energy, something that makes their live shows absolutely amazing Stepping into the heavier side of the post-rock realm, the band don’t shy away from experimenting with the genre of music they play. Their set consisted of songs from their two releases, and every minute of their performance was an aural and visual delight. You could just see how the crowd was absolutely taken by Solkyri’s ridiculously intense yet beautiful performance, as the band really created the ideal instrume(n)tal experience for punters. Another aspect that I love about Solkyri’s music that translates beautifully live is the shift of mood and unpredictable transitions in their music; the tempo changes and swerves in and out of rhythmic harmonies to headbang-worthy riffage and it just goes to show how passionate the band are about what they do.
You could see the effect the first two bands had had on punters; people were grinning, having a good time and really amped up for the rest of the night. Brisbane’s metallers Caligula’s Horse just added to the energy in the room, tearing up the stage with a powerful performance and being the odd-one-out on the bill so to speak given that they were the only other band with a vocalist (which Jim cracked a few jokes about later on). The band played songs from their old album as well as their latest album ‘Bloom’ much to the delight of the crowd. The one thing I can appreciate about the whole set was how much enthusiasm and energy they brought with their live performance. The crowd was lapping up every second of the band’s set, and things got louder (and wilder) the moment they broke into a song that was never played before. ‘Cannon’s Mouth‘ seemed to be a real crowd pleaser and I’m pretty sure I spotted a few moshers as well.
Sleepmakeswaves is one of the best Australian bands out there. Period. The feelings and energy they evoke with their music is truly an experience in itself and tonight was no different. As the lights dimmed and the air was filled with a blissful dissonance, Sydney’s Sleepmakeswaves took to the stage lighting up the room instantly. From the get-go the band had the audience at their undivided attention, deafening cheers reminding me how loved this post-rock band is. Enchanting us with some of their older music, the hypnotic ‘to you they are birds, to me they are voices in the forest‘ one of the songs that made me fall in love with this band and the absolutely magnificent ‘Traced In Constellations‘. Watching the four members of the band make full use of the space given to them on stage is a treat in itself as they move up and down with an addictive energy and enthusiasm. The moment everyone had been waiting for arrived when the band (on the day of release might I add) played songs off their newest album ‘Made of Breath Only‘, much to the excitement of the fans and my what a masterpiece they’ve created. The album definitely represents the darker side of the band, and definitely heavier; tracks like ‘Midnight Sun‘, ‘Glacial‘, ‘Something Like Avalanches‘ were played for the first time in Australia. It was a flawless performance, that really proved once again how Sleepmakeswaves is one of the best bands in the country!
