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If you like partying with boys, sweating in a grungy, rib-crushing mosh pit or bloody good electro-rock, there was no place but Capitol last Thursday night that could’ve delivered, as Sydney rockers MM9 delivered a roaring, take no shit set and got the fanatical, sold-out crowd pumped for local idols and WAMi award winners Karnivool as part of their New Day tour.

If you had arrived later than 8pm, you would’ve shuffled towards the bar or shuffled to try and move away from the bar and then squeezed your way through the Shihad- Beautiful Mind and Cog t-shirts in what staff were denying was an over-sold gig; or you’d have hesitantly accepted your position with a minimal view of the cavernous stage.

When MM9 launched into SOSOS to fire off their unruly set, there was no stopping the heart shuddering and head-beating effect of the bass and beat created amongst the involuntarily straight-jacketed crowd as fans clambered to find a position in preparation for the big guns. The violin-sounding electro synthesis combined with the energetic vocals of front man Dan Sutherland made Living Dumb from the band’s debut album The Air Between an insanely joyous spectacle. Sutherland’s throat-gripping movements and reckless attitude sucked the attention from the crowd dressed mostly in black. Fifth track Trains was creatively executed filled as it was with loud echoes and an intrusively unforgiving drumbeat, the audience warmed to his intriguingly rebellious performance. They Murder was an absolute cracker of a track. With its combination of epic drum solo and strong vocal harmonies by bass player Luke Ford, guitarist Kerry Foulke and Sutherland it had enough strobe lighting to make Sensations look tame.

The chanting war cry “Karnivool, Karnivool” repeated over and over by the sea of hardcore fans surrounding the frontline barriers got the growingly sight-line defensive crowd to boiling point and when the five piece took to the stage for their last show of their New Day tour in their home-town, the crowd exploded. No time was wasted as chaotically energetic front man Ian Kenny launched into Set Fire to the Hive, his unrelenting vocals had the sea of pierced ear lobed folk jumping up and down in unison.

As the epic bass in Goliath took over, a physical translation of the song title was conveyed in the mosh pit as it increased ten-fold. Kenny engaged in some rigid tribal-dance movements during the chorus of the delightfully fluid Simple Boy. The triple vocals moved the crowd and fans showed their overwhelming appreciation for the track by throwing their arms forward in a rigid unison as the electric riff and wild drumbeat after the second chorus took over. Fan favourite Umbra made Kenny look like a god as he viciously pointed at fans in the crowd and they recited back the lyrics “no-one cares, no-one knows…wake me with a bottle across the head,” back at him. As All I Know began, the crowd almost lost it. Kenny was all eyes closed, hands soaring and microphone cord tripping. With the lyrics “I’m a soul-taker, I’m a cruel witted mind” filling the sweaty, excited atmosphere everyone joined in, red lights flickered and the strobe bounced off the red velvet backdrop.

The whispering vocals at the beginning of The Medicine Wears Off was a refreshing change as Kenny held the mic. by the cord and played now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t moving his hand in and out of the golden light that was positioned behind him centre stage. Old school fans were treated to the heavier, The Caudal Lure in which Kenny appeared quite relaxed in comparison to guitarist Andrew Goddard who was rocking out in bare feet. When Roquefort took over, fans went mental and it was clear that even if the set ended there, everyone would leave satisfied.

As they left the stage humbly, Kenny somehow managed to get his electric guitar, microphone cord and stand all tangled up into a bundle of technical mess. Woefully attempting to undo the damage, he eventually gave up and sauntered off-stage in hope that no one would notice. iPhones came out to happy-snap Kenny’s accidental technical art and were quickly pocketed as all hands were in the air when the band re-emerged for what ended up being the final song for the evening, Fade.

Never failing to please, Karnivool delivered a grand performance that had everyone walking out into the cold content. It was a shame they ran out of time to play their tour title track and highly anticipated New Day and some fans appeared puzzled and disappointed particularly after reading the set lists when handed out along with drumsticks at the conclusion of the gig.

williamb’s gallery