Friday’s gig at The Workers Club had Melbourne local lads Divine Ascension and stalwarts Alarum kicking off proceedings with tight sets and it was refreshing to see both bands pulling in decent crowds for their support slots.
There are three elements that always make a Voyager gig special – the band’s infectious, fun energy, the loyalty of the crowd and a keytar.
By the time the headliners came on stage there was an electrified energy in the room. I can’t really say any other band in the Australian metal scene has the awe of their fans like Voyager do. This was evident tonight and the atmosphere oozed vibrancy. You can try and be too cool for school, but I challenge you to not get swept up in the wicked energy this band exudes. Voyager fans are die-hard and they have propelled the band to cult-like status. They know every lyric to each song and the love fest is amplified by rapturous sing-alongs, adding to the electric vibe pouring from the stage.
It’s not uncommon to walk out of a metal gig with a sore neck but at a Voyager gig it’s your face that hurts, because you just can’t stop smiling. Throw their medley of classic film soundtracks and nostalgic old school gems into the mix with the omnipresent keytar and you’re in for a real treat. Hell, bassist Alex Canion even throws in a Tom Araya Reign In Blood curdling scream in the middle of it all. And what’s the point of having a keytar in your music if you’re not going to throw in the distinctive intro from Axel F? This medley alone, which has become a staple of any live Voyager set, is worth the cover charge if nothing else. This tour coincided with the release of their current video from the album of the same name, The Meaning of I. The video, their darkest one to date, features a female character in body paint reminiscent of tree branches hauntingly parading in a dark abyss. Imagine the surprise of everyone in the room when the band’s good friend Gary, host of Screaming Symphony, cheekily surprised the members by jumping on stage during the intro in full makeup parodying the lead character of the video. The moment added to everyone’s already sore smiling cheeks.
