On July 1st, Acid Eyeliner set out on a journey to Uluru in a bright red 1959 Austin Healy Sprite car with the hopes of raising money and awareness of Parkinson’s disease. Their lead singer, Lukey Lukess, has personal experiance of the condition as his father has been diagnosed with the disease. With the amount of dedication this band has for their equally committed fans, this charity drive really is worthwhile and Acid Eyeliner deserve pleanty of support for their courage and kind hearts.
July 6th, 2008 saw Sydney’s heart-capturing Acid Eyeliner grace Melbourne for the third time since October 2007. Tearing down the layers of his usual electric shredding to an elegant acoustic, guitarist and lead vocalist Lukey Lukess stepped out on to the tiny stage of St Kilda’s Pure Pop records. Completed by (bassist) Peter Nu and (drummer) Murray Danger, Acid Eyeliner delivered emotion above and beyond a band whose first full length recording was released barely three months ago.
The tiny courtyard contained a huddle of shy fans, our voices only just hovering above a whisper when requested by Lukess to react to the chorus of Scream with any noise we wanted. It took until the last chorus for a brave punter down the front to cheer louder than everyone combined, gaining the amused attention of the band for his spontaneity.
One would struggle to say an album favourite was NOT played as the AE guys performed the highly regarded tunes of Penny Lane, Leave Me Alone, album title track Future Lies, the fondly sung Here Forever, which showcases their love of their hometown in Sydney and Red Light Race Car Driver, a riff proving just how much Lukey adores his beloved electric guitar.
Offering to take on requests from the crowd, we were treated to a magnificent cover of Died in Your Arms, which is fast becoming a fan favourite. Hesitant to do so herself, a shy girl among us was volunteered by her confident Mum to request Dreams – a comforting song relating to the loss of a close friend, a situation hard not to identify with as the emotion in Lukess’ voice become highly apparent, though the talented vocalist didn’t back down for a second.
Effortlessly cool, Nu hung back casually on an amp, slightly slumped back which affected his skills in no way. The bassist occasionally reminded me of a giddy school kid attempting to avoid detention as he quietly indulged in on-stage jokes with Danger. Situated behind his glittering kick-drum, Danger was his usual self, smiling cheekily as they all enjoyed themselves once again.
Acid Eyeliner continue to please and surprise the fans, ensuring everyone goes home with a smile on their face and memories to last a lifetime. Without a doubt, they have proven that they will be Here Forever.
