Reviewed onSaturday June 11
It’s plaid shirts and punks aplenty as Aussie favourites The Living End make a triumphant return with the Sydney episode of their Shift tour, celebrating the release of the album of the same name with Adelaide outsiders Bad//Dreems and newcomers 131’s in tow.
Melbourne’s 131’s made a static start, but at only eight months formed, who can blame them? Drawing a crowd enthusiastic to hear their rendition of classic punk tones, by the middle of their set when the really juicy tracks come around, 131’s are sweeping the floor. They have songs like ‘Madeline’, a lyrically brutal number of heartbreak with a filthy sound, while ‘This Ain’t Culture’ from their current EP gives the fast-formed fans a touch of the bright and gritty. As lead singer Luke Yeoward gets down into the crowd to encourage a sing-along, 131’s leave the stage having firmly made their mark as punk newcomers to watch.
If Biffy Clyro and Kings Of Leon had a baby and then dropped that child on its head, the result would be something like Bad//Dreems. Any attempts at accessibility are quickly stamped out, and their reputation for ‘outsider rock’ is cemented for the worse, as song after song fails to settle on a discernible sound. It’s a schizophrenic performance largely propped up by the more positive efforts of lead guitarist Alex Cameron, through a set that is otherwise unimaginative.
As The Living End take to the stage with a forthright amble, they inject a renewed musical energy into the venue. The trio are casual and tight, wasting little time with spoken commentary and instead filling the room with bluegrass licks, phenomenal distorted solos and pensive rhythms. You can feel the building shake as zealous jumping meets the onslaught of ‘Prisoner Of Society’, the band’s emphatic fans united in cohesive anarchy.
Despite the supposed backlash over The Living End’s recent change in direction, new single ‘Keep On Running’ – though generally a lighter sound than we’re used to hearing from the upfront trio – translates to the live stage in such a way that it feels heavier than the album version, the welcoming crowd singing along with enthusiasm. Another new song, ‘Monkey’, cuts across the crowd with a beefy bassline, simple and scratchy guitar riffs and a direct message in the lyrics.
Taking many of tonight’s audience back to their rebellious, disillusioned and angsty teen years with favourites like ‘West End Riot’, ‘All Torn Down’ and ‘Second Solution’, The Living End remain all about the music: it’s no frills and no fuss, delivered with a tight-knit energy that just doesn’t quit.
