50 Lions, Sink or Swim, WordUp, Third Strike @ TuggeranongYouth Centre, Canberra,(27/03/09)

Mon 30th Mar, 2009 in Gig Reviews

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Adding to the ever increasing line-up of hardcore shows in Canberra, 50 Lions trekked it down from Byron Bay to play the last show of their mini-tour at Tuggeranong Youth Centre. With support from some promising east coast locals, Sink or Swim, Word Up and Third Strike, the Tuggeranong Youth Centre was the place to be for hardcore kids last Friday night.

Along for the ride were friends and fellow Byron Bay locals Sink or Swim and Word Up. They provided the kids with a rock by numbers set that provoked just enough enthusiasm to warrant them being there. The locals, just happy to hear some heavier music and thrilled to have an area to hang with likeminded music fans hung back against the walls laying in wait for the Lions turn on stage.

Just about to play support for Rise Against in Sydney then embark on a European tour with Philadelphia hardcore outfit Reign Supreme, 50 Lions ended their warm up tour with a kick ass set for the Canberra scene. The all ages crowd packed out the room when they took to the stage, and although the Tuggeranong fun police warned them that if they didn’t keep it “old skool” (moshing only kids, none of this kickboxing stuff please) they’d pull gigs from the centre altogether, that didn’t stop them from forming a circle pit the second the music started (encouragement from 50 Lions probably didn’t help to much either).

The music, fairly basic, but proved they are good at what they do with a really strong and tight performance. Mixing hardcore, metal, heavy punk and a little bit of punchy rock, 50 Lions offered a palatable version of central coast hardcore. Burning through tracks off their current release such as Living Hell as well as some older tracks Love and War and To the Test, 50 Lions made sure the crowd was grateful that they had included Canberra in their tour, aware of the fact that Canberra as a gig destination often gets forgotten.

The Byron Bay boys will be travelling all throughout Europe in April celebrating the release of their self titled 7” available from www.resistrecords.com.