The Living End @ ThebartonTheatre, Adelaide (10/9/11)

Tue 13th Sep, 2011 in Gig Reviews

As The Living End arrived on stage a sweaty 18/19 year old fan nearby hollered “Shit yeah!” . It put a smile on my fan because it reminded me when I was that age when I first saw the Melbourne three-piece over 10 years ago. It’s great to see the band can still perform to such a high standard even after 15 odd years to people of all ages. The three Victorian lads – well drummer Andy Strachan is originally from Adelaide – were here to promote the shit out of their new album The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating as well as a lot of the old classics.

But before The Living End made me deaf King Cannons and Hunting Grounds strutted their stuff on stage. I was surprised to see an almost full crowd when King Cannons hit the stage rather than being at the bar getting all charged up. For support acts they gave it all, just as if they were the head line act. I haven’t heard much of the King Cannons, but their track Take The Rock did what it was meant to do…rock!

The Living End finally hit the stage and got straight into a swag of new tracks including a damn loud version of Machine Gun. The licks kept coming think and fast with Second Solution receiving an early airing. Chris Cheney spitting the words like it his first time singing the track with the crowd giving their all to help Cheney out with the chorus. This took me back to the 90s!

Roll On was a massive highlight. As a treat to the older fans it started with the familiar riff of The Choirboys’ Run To Paradise before seamlessly rollicking into Roll On. It gave me tingles up the spine that only classics do. It was one of those moments you had to be there. They continued to shake the foundations with classics All Torn Down and Who’s Gonna Save Us and soon to be Away From The City. Although the next song is all about youth and rebellion, and written some 15 years ago, with a band well and truly passed their youth, the song in question still sounds as good as it did back then. Of course I’m talking about Prisoner Of Society, no need for introductions really.

The Living End know how to ignite a crowd, taking it up a level you never thought they could especially after the riot Prisoner Of Society caused, ending with crowd favourite’s White Noise and West End Riot. Of course we want more but its better to leave wanting more rather than over doing it. Shit yeah!

The great part of the show how the new tracks like The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating and Universe sounds with the oldies like Who’s Gonna Save Us and Roll On. While the band has slightly moved away from the punk-rockabilly sounds to a move straight rock sound, the new tracks stack up quite well and in five years we’ll be comparing these tracks to any future tracks.

Setlist:
In The Morning
Heatwave
Machine Gun
Second Solution
How Do We Know
For Another Day
Song For The Lonely
Run To Paradise/Roll On
All Torn Down
Loaded Gun
Universe
Who’s Gonna Save Us?
Prisoner Of Society
Nothing Lasts Forever
Raise The Alarm
The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating

Encore:
White Noise
Away From The City
West End Riot