Arriving at the Annandale Hotel to a very relaxed atmosphere seemed a tad strange considering that tonight’s line up was dedicated to pure scream-your-lungs-out hard rock. This may have been due to the winter chill or the fact that it was a Thursday night.
Starting off the night was Ash Phoenix, who took to the stage with a surprisingly large crowd present considering they were the first of the two support acts. From the start of the set the guys had the audience’s attention with their alternative, experimental rock. Lead singer, Tyrone, has a powerhouse of a voice that can easily carry above and beyond the heavy guitars, driving bass line and thumping drum beat. The set included songs from their self titled E.P with the stand out track of the night being Anywhere But Here, which was played with just the right amount of grit alongside amazing vocals that made a seamless transition between melody and rock god screaming. They certainly set a high benchmark for the rest of the night’s performances and got the crowd sufficiently warmed up.
Next up was Self is a Seed, who clearly had some very passionate and vocal fans in the small crowd. The guys have a hard hitting, heavy rock sound which at times crosses over into the metal arena. They shook the room with a wall of sound and strong vocals. While technically and musically skilled they had a hard time topping the unexplainable intrigue of Ash Phoenix.
By the time .hinge took to the stage the crowd seemed to have decreased in size which is an unusual occurrence for any headlining act. However, this was compensated for by the increased energy and enthusiasm that radiated from the remaining punters. Those who did leave early missed out on a killer show, complete with obvious onstage comrardery, that only comes from a decade of live performances as a band. The set included tracks such as Man in the Desert and Infinite You from their forthcoming album The Rise & Fall of Living Great. The one let down was the decision to get two female fans on stage to dance during the track The Scare which seemed to cheapen the band and distract the audience from the amazing musical talent that lies at the heart of .hinge. Luckily it only lasted for one song.
All in all it was a satisfying night of soul shaking heavy rock from all three bands with Ash Phoenix providing the stand out performance. If only there were more punters there to witness it.
