7:45pm…I literally had 16 minutes to drive from work to Merinda Park station in order to make my train on time. This is pressure. It honestly didn’t help that I had to stay back at work, cashing up two registers and running around doing other jobs to close the store up. After passing Dandenong station, a cluster of PSO officers strode into my carriage and all three of them were writing up reports on their notepads. It really made me wonder the motives behind wanting to be one besides the money factor. Sure this is all a part of the job but I believe that deep down, some of them must get a kick out of fining people, letting the power get to their heads, playing God and feeling superior. That’s not to say that they don’t have a moral obligation to reporting people because there are legitimate fare evaders out there who are consciously aware of what they’re doing but you also have to question the often faulty technology behind myki and the fines that are mistakenly given to the innocent.
On arrival to the venue, I noticed that the queue leading into BANG! was decidedly absent and I even got there just after 9pm when doors open. The guy who checked my ID asked me a series of weird questions such as: Can I help you? Do you know what’s happening tonight? Are you here by yourself? Thankfully after that interrogation he did indeed let me in and I ended up bumping into Zach from Beneath The Waters and his friend Alex. Honestly, I still can’t get used to being recognised at gigs but it makes me feel humble inside. Eventually I also found Reece from Left for Wolves minus the glasses. He is always such a lovely, warm guy to be around. And I finally got the You Me At Six tee that I won from Sean weeks ago. The crowd capacity tonight was relatively average but I didn’t care because I really enjoyed all the bands that were on display.
SHORESIDE…this band was pretty damn solid. The vocalist appropriately rocked a Mario tee with matching red cap. Musically, these guys were tight as fuck delivering catchy songs and the clean vocals especially were really engaging. The stage presence was pretty lackluster with minimal movement save for a descent from the stage towards the end of their set. Still, they were pretty decent.
VALLEYS OF VERMONT…last time I saw these guys play was at a gig in Pakenham last year. These guys are so impressive even without a bassist (who couldn’t make it tonight). The vocalist had such a deep growl and was very strong throughout. The breakdowns and the guitar riffs were of high quality and the crowd really got into it even moshing a little towards the end.
SILENT ROSE…another tight band. It was interesting to see that the screamer was also a guitarist and the cleans came from the lead vocalist. Sometimes it’s good to break from tradition. I felt that vocalist Michael was gripping onto the microphone stand a little too much but his delivery was top notch.
LEFT FOR WOLVES…sadly I only got to stick around for a couple of songs as I had to bolt for my usual midnight express back home but I was blown away from what I saw and heard in the 10 minutes I was there. The stage presence, movement, breakdowns and vocals were all amazing. These guys are so heavy and I’m glad I had the chance to support them tonight.
Windows Live space 