Rules To Follow: Less is More, and Drummers Should Always Take Their Shirts Off.

In the line for the Atlantis Awaits EP Launch at the Holy Grail the anticipation for the band was clear. Atlantis Awaits has been creating sparks around Canberra since their formation in 2009 and with facebook nurturing the momentum that has been growing since the band supported Short Stack, it was clear hundreds of people were keen to see the band play.

This anxious atmosphere however, was quickly sent into confusion, with bouncers instantly ushering over 18s upstairs to the bar area, while younger fans were free to inhabit the more favorable front-of-stage. This physical divide in the venue caused annoyance, especially when a band of pretty boys with cute haircuts and clothes took to the stage.

Retraspec clearly wanted to rock the crowd, however they failed to infiltrate the venue as the majority of the audience was away from the stage. This isn’t to say the younger fans didn’t enjoy the show, and why wouldn’t you when a group of such good looking boys is right in front of you, and not an older girl in sight? Although some may argue Retraspec’s music is too busy to be enjoyable, it made a solid effort to entertain in its set, a skill that will only be finessed with experience. Until then, the band’s well-maintained (although somewhat contrived) appearance will sustain many female fans (and their grudging boyfriends).

Following Retraspecs vibrant opening, Hands Like Houses took to the stage in a confidence likely initiated by its recent US tour, to prove once and for all, that pretty boys can still play hot music. Boosting Hands like Houses performance was the relaxation of the Grail’s age separation rule. That saw overages enter the front-of-stage moshpit. While Hands like Houses induced the audience with their flair and attitude there was no denying that the crowd was there for Atlantis Awaits and the Grail went off as soon as the band stepped on stage.

Abiding to pop punk’s tradition, Atlantis was a montage of black and skin, however, its performance was far from clichéd. While the fashion of each member could be perceived as an oh-so-tragic case of trying too hard, each member performed with the authenticity of a young band enjoying the thrill of success after its hard slog of work.

Dynamite singer Alice Jetson engaged and interacted with the crowd, building anticipation and proving Atlantis was not going to rush the set, it, and the crowd so desperately craved. Equally, the boys in the band played hard, but allowed the audience to share in their adrenalin and fun.

The power of Atlantis’ set however, was diminished by the Grail’s poor sound quality that left Steve Wright’s harmonising screams as loud as whispers, a disappointment to both the band and the crowd who have come to love Atlantis’ iconic combination of singing and screaming. However, this technological glitch failed to affect the band-audience relationship, a credit to the bands professionalism and a moshpit, almost as powerful as the band’s music, quickly formed. Despite a largely successful show, the band showed a lack of judgment with its final song, a cover, which despite skillful execution, failed to infect the crowd due to ignorance.

At the gigs conclusion the crowd left in a swarm of adrenaline, clearly content with an epic (or in spirit of the bands own dialogue ‘ripping’) gig. The night could only be described as a success for this young Canberra band, and hopefully only a taste of what is to come.