Back in Australia for their only headline tour of 2010, tonight sees prog powerhouse Karnivool play one of three Sydney shows as part of their national New Day tour.

With punters lining the adjacent side street from George (damn near) through to Pitt, tonight’s outing by the Perth based five-piece is sure to further entrench them among the best both the genre and more broadly, home-grown entertainment has to offer.

Thankfully, the line outside quickly dissipates as we make our way up the stairs and into the main auditorium. Already in full flight is local four-piece Gay Paris with their gritty and ballsy take on southern rock/blues. The music itself is solid and driving, however the antics of hirsute frontman WH Monks come across as rather pretentious and fail to strike a chord with a visibly unimpressed audience.

It’s not only the rambling, somewhat incoherent (yet seemingly scripted) banter between songs that is off-putting, but his stage presence also has a tinge of pompousness about it that doesn’t necessarily endear him to the crowd. Gyrating and suggestively touching oneself may work in other settings, but the punters tonight want little to none of it and keenly endorse a changing of the guard.

Fellow Sydney-siders MM9 explode into an unabating and unrelenting set of electro laden rock that has seen them carve a niche for themselves over the last few years as one of the finest progressive/experimental acts around. Their latest offering The Air Between has seen them continue their steady climb up the ladder of accomplished alternative rock acts in the country, culminating in their main support slot for the duration of the New Day tour.

While the fusion of sounds and styles they employ leave some purists perhaps somewhat perturbed, the vast majority of those in attendance are indeed captivated by their unique appeal. Vocalist Dan Sutherland adeptly handles his dual roles on the mic and programming desk, while drummer Ben Ellingworth is, in all frankness, outstanding in laying the foundations the music is built upon. Dan’s vocals are a little low in the mix, but when at full throttle (as on highlight track They Murder ), the boys show just how and why they command such an avid following.

With the theatre now literally teeming and the pulsing cry of “Kar-ni-vool” enticing their entrance, the Perth based lads exceed expectations and deliver a stirring performance to a rapturous Sydney crowd. Intensity is by and large the bands strong point, and it’s through this cerebral engagement with the audience that they hit proverbial pay-dirt. Vocalist Ian Kenny appears transfixed in the moment, and one can’t help but stare in awe at the seeming effortlessness with which he performs, as if he were but a vessel for the music to permeate from.

It’s the type of concert experience where you can throw your head back, close your eyes, and just enjoy the ride you’re taken on, with tracks such as crowd favourite Simple Boy so eloquent yet intensely engaging. And perhaps this is where much of their appeal lies. While arguably light on hooks, the absence of bells, whistles and pretentiousness sets the band aside from many of their contemporaries.

Sound Awake has truly launched Karnivool into the stratosphere of national alternative rock acts. Having toured with the Big Day Out earlier in the year, and subsequently spent time abroad on the promo trail, their ever-burgeoning fan base is sure to see the New Day tour as their most successful to date.

Check out the photos from the gig