There was a moment during their blazing Saturday evening set when Bad Religion’s Greg Graffin glanced around Adelaide’s ornate Thebarton Theatre and remarked on the venue’s churchlike quality. As a rabid mosh pit howled their approval, he went on to declare the city of churches Bad Religion’s obvious choice for an Australian hometown…
However, the first to take to the stage were MYC. Taking their name from their own song Mid Youth Crisis the band formerly known as One Inch Punch gave a good account of themselves as they pummelled their way through a blink and you’ll miss it set that played to an already well attended theatre.
Next up were Strung Out, who have used their many visits to Australia to forge a formidable live reputation and can be considered punk rock legends in their own right. Promoting new release Blackhawks Over Los Angeles, the lads opened their set with a moody sample that quickly gave way to the title track from the new album.
New material rested comfortably alongside old classics, with guitarist Jake Kiley ripping out some blistering guitar work on new track Mission Statement. Though singer Jason Cruz seemed to be suffering from a road weary voice, he still managed an intense performance and ended the night saturated with sweat. Cruz even launched himself into the crowd for a spot of crowd surfing during outstanding newie Calling.
Though Strung Out were great, many of the fans in the mosh pit had waited a decade to see the return of Bad Religion to an Australian stage, and the biggest roar of the night was understandably reserved for the arrival of their heroes.
Throughout their set, singer Greg Graffin acknowledged the band’s debt to their patient fans and, despite having new album New Maps Of Hell to peddle, waited several songs before unleashing new material in the form of the stomping Requiem for Dissent. Other new tracks that impressed were Heroes and Martyrs, Dearly Beloved and New Dark Ages.
Graffin prowled the stage in tiny circles, throwing in the occasional exclamatory gesture for effect. Meanwhile, bassist Jay Bentley and guitarist Brian Baker maintained a close proximity to their microphones to underscore the band’s signature ‘ya ya yas’. This left it largely up to the diminutive Greg Hetson to reflect the liveliness of the music by bouncing all over the place while wielding his Gibson SG.
At the end of a spectacular set that managed to span most of their illustrious career, the band returned for a scorching encore. While maniacs on the balconies kept security busy, Bad Religion closed out the night with promises to return.
With a show this good, every punk fan in Adelaide will no doubt be keen to hold them to this promise.
