The Amity Affliction @ WodenBasketball Stadium, Canberra(8/7/2010)

Mon 12th Jul, 2010 in Gig Reviews

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It was Trash Thursday in the Australian Capital. Following an arctic week in Canberra the Woden Basketball Stadium was an ice cube. The warmly dressed, yet shivering crowd waited patiently for Reigner, the opening act for the night.

The local four-piece formally known as The Payback were shaking up the crowd with their blast beats in no time. A small pit widened up and a few dedicated fans danced their dance while Reigner put on a quick show for the crowd. The solid set included Dan’s harsh vocals and a stiff performance from both guitarists. As quick as they’d come, they headed off and a swift stage change meant that Flood of Red was close.

The Scottish intruders were no stranger to the cold, however they were well prepared to help the crowd warm up with their debut album Leaving Everything Behind. They opened with A Place Before the End while the crowd quickly massed toward the stage fence. From the start of their set till the end of the set, the foreigners never stopped tearing up the stage. The crazy European antics were a crowd pleaser. Unknown as they were, Flood of Red performed formidably against the locals.

Next up was Michael Crafter’s new project Confession. With Cancer under their belt the crowd clashed with I Killed The Prom Queen fans when Confession brawled their way into their first song. Crafter was no newbie when it came to stage presence. The well practiced veteran conducted the warming crowd while the rest of the five-piece tore through the set. A happy birthday mention to two members of Flood of Red followed, who had celebrated in fantastic fashion previously. Incredible breakdowns sweated through the crowd and with a short show from the Melbourne group, the night was moving quickly.

The heavy weight metalcore champions Misery Signals stormed on stage. Front man Karl stuck up the band after a brief introduction. A thrilling set was unraveled. Playing tracks off their impressive discography, the band brought a quickening pace of drum beats and down-tuned guitars. A sea of fists pumped the air, synchronising with the tap of the snare while the bodies convulsed to the unrhythmic dual guitars. Song after song they wowed the crowd and blew them off their feet, leaving them breathless for The Amity Affliction

The six-piece ensemble from Brisbane has been working hard for years and only really had a push in the last three. Two albums and two EP’s stand out in their impressive history, including their newest addition Young Bloods. The crowd rioted even before they took the stage, but when the lights went down and the intermission music ceased, a quiet unheard of, reverberated through the stadium. The band stood, heroic to their fans before striking their hardcore tunes.

Bursting their way through three quick songs they excited fans with their new single. The pit widened to the brim of the stadium and a furious wave of people funneled endlessly. Some large violent fans proving to be somewhat dangerous were quickly subdued peacefully by security and the show continued on. Stringer tamed the crowd with his vocals but the overwhelming volume and intensity of the guitars somewhat neutralised his attempts.

The night drifted to an end, leaving the squirming crowd to exit into the cold. The merchandise table was quickly flooded with late purchases and many walked away with The Amity Affliction’s Young Bloods to listen to in the car trip home. A perfect end to an evening in one of Canberra’s last decent hardcore venues.

CHECK OUT THE GALLERY HERE!