Parkway Drive, August BurnsRed @ Woden BasketballStadium, Canberra, (16/8/09)

Wed 19th Aug, 2009 in Gig Reviews

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Rain presented fans a depressing wait outside before they begun shuffling into the Woden Basketball Stadium where they would be spending their next four hours. It was odd having a concert on a Sunday during the day but not unheard of. Judging by the turn out, the new set times were much preferred to the – œlate night’ alternative. Much chatter and excitement waved through the crowd when the doors opened, and the wet and cold mass entered the stadium to the Dead Kings, beating away on stage.

There is nothing I can say about this band. Three times I have seen them, and they never cease to impress me. With a debut album under their belt, they played comfortably to a receiving crowd. The Dead Kings stood their ground against the giant line-up, well practiced and infectious, the wet mass quickly gained a momentum that was near unstoppable.

Not long after, UK juggernauts Architects took the stage. They pushed the crowd into a ferocious routine with their blasting noise. Scream. Mosh. Flail. Mosh a bit more. Repetitive? Hey, it worked. The number of people bobbing in time with the snare and crash were astounding. When the booming bass of Early Grave’s intro spewed out of the speakers, the number multiplied tenfold. By the end of the set, those who were familiar with the band walked away satisfied, and those who weren’t would have myspace searched for the five men on stage, who produced such music the instant they sat at their computer reminiscing to their friends through Instant Messenger.

By this time it was about 4pm and innocent women and children slowly exited the ice-skating rink. As they walked toward their car they were met with a wall of noise. “What on earth is going on?” they thought. “What is this stupidly loud noise coming from the basketball stadium? Surely not a game.” As the noise grew louder and louder, the women and children looked around scared and slightly confused. Suddenly, overhead, a loud voice said: “This noise… sounds like August Burns Red!” The confusion left their faces as they nodded with approval. Inside the stadium the crowd was filthy.

The shirtless/hooded mob created a whirlpool of putrid stench. As Jake pounded his chest, Matt pounded the kit. His arms moving in a frenzy, sticks making contact with the trademark china while the mob continued its fluctuating sway from left to right. They satisfied the crowd with Thirty And Seven off their new album Constellations, as well as an old favourite, Composure. As the sweating band left the stage, the equally moist crowd cried out for more, their ears not permanently deafened as of yet. They defeatedly moved off to prepare for the real explosion after no indication of a return from the Metalcore giants.

I was very anxious with attending this concert. Firstly: I wondered how Parkway Drive could possibly headline over August Burns Red. Secondly: I assumed the sound was going to be horrible due to the concert being held in a giant tin shed. By the end of the set, I couldn’t care less. To the stagehands credit, giant nets were stretched adjacent to the stage creating a safe viewing area for all the fans who did not want to get mauled in the black hole created when Parkway Drive broke into their first song.

The band moved so abstractly on stage it was chaotic to watch. Bodies flew on bodies, and a lonesome shoe found itself hurled onstage. The yelling, panting and punching crowd sung along to the opportunities given by Winston. The fans had such an intimate connection with the little band from Byron Bay, Australia.

They charged through a solid set list of hits from their impressive discography. Boneyards and Gimme A D caused the crowd seizures so violent the group watching safely from the side grew enormously. The brave few who couldn’t resist being in the pit left to come back broken and bruised. Those lucky hundred who had the chance to pick up the new DVD would not have been disappointed. Parkway Drive stood before the Canberran Crowd on a tower of successes. They deservingly earned their name of Australia’s most successful band. Look out for them in the near future!

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