This is a big year for The Living End, they are up for four Aria Awards this month, they have played on some major TV shows and have huge success with their latest album White Noise which has gone gold. The stage for tonight’s sold out show is set with white sirens at both ends and the drum kit is situated high up on its own platform so we can see the talented Andy Strachan play.

When the lights go down, the punters goes off and Raise the Alarm starts the set. This song is filled with magical riffs and vocals from Chris Cheney as well some rocking beats from Andy. The band seems a little tired tonight, not as much energy as I’ve seen in past shows maybe because they have almost reached the end of the tour. Andy makes drumming look easy as he pounds the drums with a full, fast beat that is The Living End sound. When Alarm finishes, the applause almost lifts the roof!

We Want More has an amazing light show as Scott Owen showed us his double bass balancing act. I Can’t Give has a groovy guitar riffs which displays Chris’s wonderful talent, then he’s joined with drum beats and a hearty bass. The songs flow into each other and I notice people around me start to groove more. All Torn Down starts off with a different riff then once the punters realise the song it sends the room into applause and I notice the band pick up on the vibe of the audience which seem to lift their slight flatness. This song has a nice instrumental mix in the middle of it with some beautiful guitar riffs.

Loaded Gun is the next tune followed by How Did we Know which is harmonised with great backing vocals from Scott and Andy. Scott flings the bass around and becomes much more lively now. Save Us starts with Chris under a spotlight singing until the first chorus then full lights and the band pumps the stage bringing more depth to the sound. Prisoner of Society starts and the crowd goes nuts, a much faster played song tonight and the whole band look like they’re enjoying the crowd’s reaction especially when the whole room sings the chorus.

Chris does some jumps from the drum kit’s platform and starts the next song Make the Call and we’re told “this is as heavy as it gets for us”. The bass is truly a gorgeous creature and it fulfils this grunty, heavier song. Next tune is Moment in the Sun then Wake Up which is such a great live song, in the middle they play Run to Paradise by The Choirboys then straight into Roll On. Scott gets the crowd buzzing by standing on the bass – an act he is renowned for performing – then he starts playing the bass over his head. Move over Hendrix!

West End Riot takes many of us older fans back to the past and turns the mosh into a running circle whilst Andy energetically drums on, keeping the beat flowing. White Noise, the first single from the new album, allows the newer fan to erupt and display their passion whilst on stage, the sirens are glowing with a bright white eery light.

Encore and the punters chant until the boys come back and they head straight into an instrumental with some awesome bass slapping, drum rolling and to top it off, guitar playing by Chris using a beer bottle as the plectrum. Interesting concept as the beer goes all over the place. Chris tells us this does ruin guitars but is good for a performance, then he takes the beer and drinks what is left. Second Solution ends the night with rapturous applause.

We came out for a great night knowing we would have fun and the boys didn’t let us down. An impressive light show and impressive sound tonight, the roof may not have lifted but we all leave the venue knowing we have some seen an amazing local talent.