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After taking a break from the studio sessions of what will be The Butterfly Effect ‘s fourth album, the band are stretching their legs on a regional tour and testing the water with some new material. Bringing along Melbourne based Calling all Cars, they hit the Alex Hills Hotel with their eclectic blend of alternative rock music.

Calling All Cars ambushed the stage, surprising the crowd with their intensity and aggressive approach to their music. The punk elements of their sound really came out in their live show, with a powerful and raw three-piece sonic assault. Although the mix wasn’t great, the band play an energetic set featuring songs Hold, Hold, Fire, Disconnect and Not Like Anybody. Despite their rising profile following their stint touring with ACDC earlier in the year, singer Haydn Ing was struggling to get the sparse crowd involved. Calling All Cars’ angst-ridden music is hard to fault, however they seemed to lack any dynamic surges that truly amaze you.

When the house music changed to what seemed to be Channel Nine’s cricket theme, the audience erupted in anticipation at The Butterfly Effect’s odd choice of entry music. The heavy chords of Crave crashed down and the punters started moshing. The room was filled with energy as the band rocked their first song, illuminated by the white, teal and red stage lights. The vocals where initially unclear in the mix, but they were clarified by the time the band launched into Take It Away.

After more than a decade together, The Butterfly Effect were tight and seemed to still be enjoying themselves on stage. The band are rooted in the solid drumming of Ben Hall. Without ostentation, he provided the beat for the band to play the more complex elements of songs such as Room Without A View and Final Conversation. Glenn Esmond ’s approach to bass isn’t in the typical fashion of rock music. He doesn’t just follow the guitar, but fills the void and sometimes leads it – something which enabled the band to have such a full sound with only one guitar player. Kurt Goedhart began a brand new track that the band have been working on in the studio. It started with a middle-eastern inspired guitar intro which led to a journey of heavy chords and Clint Boge demonstrating his versatility as a vocalist, with both falsetto and demonic snarls.

Their heavier, nu-metal inspired roots were evident in One Second of Insanity, but they also showcased their versatility and growth as a band in progressive tinged songs such as Window and the Watcher and Reach. Hall snapped his hi-hat during A Slow Descent, but it was quickly fixed while Boge thanked the crowd. The band closed the set with the atmospheric song A.D. before they returned to the stage with Worlds On Fire as the encore. The show ended with crowd swaying, amazed by the song’s gradual crescendo and the control that Boge has over his vocal chords.