This review begins with a disclaimer. Although Kyuss were the headliners and have been a source of inspiration for hordes of bands over the years, all three bands on this monster stoner rock bill are getting even attention as they were all equally inspiring to watch.
In fact, to call Red Fang and Orange Goblin ‘support acts’ would be doing them an injustice considering the relentless, mind-blowing performance that each band delivered.
Some praise also has to be reserved for the venue, as the beautiful, dusky Palace Theatre greatly enhances almost every live experience both aurally and visually.
A mere half hour after doors opened the sold-out venue was already packed for openers Red Fang.
This tour marks the band’s first visit to Australia and the Portland rockers are one of the real hidden gems on the colossal Soundwave lineup. In an unusual custom, each band member exchanged handshakes before ripping into a massive sounding ‘Hank Is Dead’ that instantly captured the crowd’s attention.
Aaron Beams’ throaty vocals were initially left out of the mix, but the sound tech quickly sorted it out whilst an amused lighting engineer directed twinkling spotlights to the gigantic disco ball on the theatre’s ceiling, showering the audience with revolving shards of white light.
Vocal duties were swapped between bassist Beams and guitarist Bryan Giles and the varied vocal styles helped make the performance all the more interesting.
Popular track ‘Wires’ was a highlight with some beefy sounding tapped bass slides and a killer authentic stoner rock groove. Closing their set with fan favourite ‘Prehistoric Dog’, the band looked beyond please about the reaction they received as they took a photo of the thrilled crowd.
Indeed, it became obvious by the sea of smiles in the crowd that they had converted many Kyuss fans with what was a very memorable performance.
Also making their Australian debut was respected London doom metal outfit Orange Goblin, and with 18 years and seven studio albums behind them, it was about time!
What makes this band exciting to watch is what each individual member brings to the fold. Charismatic vocalist Ben Ward has a unique rough and raspy tone that works well with the riff driven Black Sabbath-esque styling of the music. He also looks so damn happy on stage that the doom metal label doesn’t seem at all fitting.
Guitarist Joe Hoare can shred with the best of them and his well honed live sound is felt within every bone in your body. Chris Turner’s drumming is very expressive and is tight-knit with bassist Martyn Millard, who rocks masterful fingerstyle grooves at a speed than many pickstyle players couldn’t hope to match.
‘They Will Come Back’ was a set highlight, which enticed epic crowd chants and moshpit antics. (Who doesn’t love a song about zombies, right?)
It’s not often that a band’s seventh album is the one people latch onto, but Orange Goblin’s latest Eulogy For The Damned is incredibly strong and well-loved, evidenced by the huge reaction to their final song ‘Red Tide Rising’, which was a wet dream for big riff lovers.
The band left the staged thrilled and thankful, a notion that was shared by the applauding crowd as the stage was rearranged for the much-awaited headliners.
When Kyuss Lives hit with ‘One Inch Man’, the huge applause was drowned out by thundering bass.
What’s immediately noticeable is the way guitarist Bruno Fevery and touring bassist Mike Dean angle themselves towards centre of the stage rather than the audience which serves to maintain eye contact with the rest of the band.
This helps them stay together through various tempo changes and spontaneous jams, and considering the minute amount of time that Corrosion of Conformity’s Mike Dean has been with the band, the togetherness was beyond belief.
Garcia’s grainy, uncontainable vocal prowess was explosive to witness and the overall delivery was authentic Kyuss class.
The band powered through a broad selection of tracks from their four-album catalogue and didn’t stop to chat with the crowd, filling every silent gap between songs almost immediately with a follow-up.
This far from offended though, the no bullshit approach Kyuss took to their performance meant more room for the incredible sound emanating from the stage. Everything that softly-spoken John Garcia wanted to say to the audience was visible on his sincerely thankful face.
The set highlight came with chuggy …And the Circus Leaves Town opener ‘Hurricane’, which had everyone in the room banging heads in what from the upper balcony looked like a roaring ocean of matted hair.
Saying, or rather, gesturing their goodbyes, the stoner rock titans left the stage. They took quite a sizeable break before returning for their encore, but when they did it was obvious why.
Although punters only asked for one more song, they were treated to four in an epic finish that saw the band play into early Wednesday morning and ensure that every ticket holder got their money’s worth.
When they did eventually close, there was an incredible sense of happiness and respect shared between the crowd and the legendary rockers, as Garcia simply pointed at the audience and returned the applause he was receiving.
Sadly, due to a certain egotistical ginger-haired ex member’s issues, this tour is the last we’ll see of the moniker Kyuss Lives! After Soundwave Perth the remnants of this legendary and influential band will adopt the name Vista Chino.
Remember that name, because if you are a fan of any strand of hard rock or heavy metal music, you do not want to miss this incredible band when they return.
