Avalon Drive, Awaken I Am,Nine Sons of Dan, The CityShake Up @ The Hi Fi, Brisbane(5/02/2011)

Wed 9th Feb, 2011 in Gig Reviews

After two years away from the spotlight, Brissy boys Avalon Drive hit the stage Saturday night at The Hi Fi for their final show, with all proceeds going towards the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.

First up on the all Queensland line up, four piece, The City Shake Up piled on stage to some rather gangster beats, complete with just a hint of swagger. Quickly launching into their drum and bass driven rock, The City Shake Up proved to be an excellent choice of support act for the night, warming up the crowd with their fun, unpretentious and energetic hard rock.

Adding a bit of pop rock fun to the night, Nine Sons of Dan hit the stage, proving that the pop rock genre is still alive in Brisbane and as addictive as ever. Complete with a few 80’s guitar riffs and a pair of zebra print pants, Nine Sons of Dan caught the attention of the crowd and held it with their on stage antics (including a bit of a make out session with the guitar), catchy pop rock lyrics and melodies. Sure it’s not groundbreaking stuff, but these boys have both the on stage personas and musical talent to make anyone want to forget all pretences and just dance along.

The final support act of the night, Awaken I Am played a solid set with an admirable effort from new front man Adam Douglas, showcasing the band’s progressive rock stylings.

And, finally, the show that some fans had been waiting years to see, Avalon Drive hit the stage. With a quick a photo montage of the many gigs, trips, and shenanigans that made up the life and times of Avalon Drive, the scene was set for a memorable night.

Starting off with an impressive display of in sync drumming, the boys slowly made their way on stage, building their sound instrument by instrument and reminding punters why, only a few short years ago, you could barely go a weekend without catching these boys somewhere around Brisbane.

With their catchy riffs and the dramatic vocal range of front man, Damion Page, Avalon Drive quickly got the crowd of loyal fans, filled with friends, family and strangers, singing along with some of their former favourites including; Outside Alone, At War With Butterflies, Picture and Last One Standing.

With their infectious energy and genuine sense of enjoyment on stage, it was a bittersweet night to see Avalon Drive playing live once again. The boys has the crowd singing and dancing along with complete and utter disregard of what they looked like…something which seems missing at a few too many gigs these days.

From a bunch of friends friends with with an independent EP, to the band that caused a mini riot at the 2006 Yellowcard show in Sydney, to a bunch of guys who still know how to whip a crowd in a frenzy even after a few years off, it really is a pity that Saturday night’s show wasn’t a John Farnham-ish “Final Show”.