Reviewed onSaturday April 9
Homecomings are always fraught with emotions, but for industry high-riders Gang Of Youths, there was only joy. “In March last year, we weren’t able to even fill out Goodgod Small Club,” said frontman Dave Le’aupepe, and the audience of thousands packed into the Enmore roared back its admiration.
Before the Gang kicked off, local indie punks Spookyland let loose on the gathering crowd with more energy to offer than their successors, Day Wave, who mellowed the room with lazy, sunny tracks that received a warm response.
But this was Gang Of Youths’ night, and everyone knew it. Triumphantly arriving to the tune of the Rocky II theme (and with Joji Malani proudly waving the Fijian flag), the five-piece looked comfortable, humble and as elated as the punters. With a simple raising of his hand, Le’aupepe drew out every voice in the crowd for a hearty opening rendition of ‘Restraint & Release’.
Seen from the stage, it must have been a hell of a sight – not many people dancing as wildly as Le’aupepe, but a sea of enraptured faces, all tear-streaked and smiling. This was never more apparent than during ‘Knuckles White Dry’, performed solely by Le’aupepe on the keyboard.
The few bodies moving gave nowhere near enough credit to the presence and power of Max Dunn and Dom Borzestowski’s fierce rhythm section, not to mention the shimmering keys of Jung Kim. Gang Of Youths are a band that has taken every lesson to heart, and their potency as a live act augments every strength of The Positions, a fine album to lay their hat on.
The entire venue was overwhelmed with gratitude, from the audience held in sway to the band members themselves. Every chance he got, Le’aupepe would thank the fans for “giving a shit” before ascending a speaker, dancing like Elvis or climbing into the crowd.
After the set closed with the rousing ‘Magnolia’, we knew we’d get one more. Instead, we got three, and as we carried Le’aupepe aloft in the final moments of ‘Vital Signs’, we all felt like he did – held up high on the swell of goodwill that brought us all here to be together.
It wasn’t just a homecoming for Gang Of Youths, but for all of us. Here, we could be open and proud of ourselves. Here, we were worth loving.
