The Australian music scene continues to grow stronger and stronger thanks to all the great local talent getting around and especially the few bands that are making a splash and cracking the international market. One of these bands is the power duo from Brisbane, DZ Deathrays.
Formally known as just DZ, the two members, Shane Parsons and Simon Ridley, who are also part of 12-piece Velociraptor, have been keeping themselves very busy with overseas tours, new recordings and even picking up at awards nights. Now they are in Australia on an overdue tour of their home country.
Kicking off at the Alhambra Lounge in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, the band could not have gotten a warmer welcome home than with the packed out show of sweaty patrons moshing to every song and going crazy.
Alhambra serves as the perfect club for a band like this making it a very intimate experience as the drummer/guitarist combo absolutely blow the roof off the place.
It’s a who’s who of local musical talent here tonight checking out the headliner, however the first taste of live music for the night comes from another two-piece, Tiger Beams. As the two members take to the stage dressed in leather jackets, glasses and hats, they immediately seem visually reminiscent of the Beastie Boys.
The sound that gets pumped out shortly after though is completely different and as the frontman swaps positions from drums to guitars it becomes clear that the singer of the band is in fact Velociraptor frontman and solo sensation, Jeremy Neale.
Knocking out a quick set with great energy, the band get the punters ready for what is sure to be an explosive performance from the main band.
A short wait and it’s time for what could be the craziest night at the club since fellow rockers Violent Soho took over the joint a few months back.
The small stage is set with only a drum kit and guitar as well as some demonic looking creatures hanging at the back of the stage with glowing red eyes and moving wings, a nice touch.
From the moment they take the stage, the band pump out a massive sound that drives the crowd crazy. The drums from Ridley blast you in the chest whilst the thrash guitar riffs from Parsons shake everything in its course. Playing a rather short set, Parsons and Ridley rip through it with sheer ferocity playing songs such as “Cops Capacity” and “No Sleep” nice and early in the piece.
Security yet again have another busy night ahead of them, dragging people out left, right and centre for stage diving and crowd surfing. As the band themselves go for a crowd surf, the atmosphere is just electric.
Finishing their set up with the likes of “The Mess Up” and “Dollar Chills”, the duo soon return for a new song in the encore.
Just a quickly as they started, the gig is now over and far too soon. The musicians leave the stage to mingle with the exhausted and sweaty crowd and all the new fans they have undoubtedly made.