Amid the energy that ran thick in the atmosphere on Sunday at the Palace Theatre in Melbourne, there was a common thread of acknowledgement that something truly spectacular had just been witnessed.
The lack of illuminated iPhones spoke volumes of Floridian rockers Anberlin’s closing performance and fifth stop on their Australia-wide tour – a night that also showcased Melbourne’s very own Masketta Fall, ex-frontman of Chicago-based The Academy Is… William Beckett, and The Maine.
Opening with the fast-paced ‘The Resistance’ from their fourth studio album, New Surrender, lead singer Stephen Christian raised the crowd into a state of uproar as Anberlin took to the stage in a fury of flashing lights and chants.
Accompanied by bandmates Joseph Milligan, Deon Rexroat, Nathan Young and Christian McAlhaney, Christian’s infectious energy was undeniable as he launched into ‘Paperthin Hymn’ before a sea of uniformly jumping bodies.
Several tracks from the band’s more recent releases followed: ‘We Owe This to Ourselves’, ‘Someone Anyone’, ‘Litte Tyrants’, ‘Otherside’, ‘Take Me (As You Found Me)’ … with the band’s first single, ‘Readyfuels’, also thrown into the mix.
Guitarist Milligan was bolted at the end of the stage in deep concentration, while fellow guitarist McAlhaney and bassist Rexroat clearly fed on every moment. The ease in which they played was evident even at the back of a very packed Palace Theatre.
Changing the tempo with ‘The Unwinding Cable Car’, Christian addressed the crowd. “Sorry it’s taken us so long to come back,” he lamented.
Any harboured ill feelings in the audience were immediately dissipated as the band launched into a slower but nonetheless popular number from their Cities album. Hands immediately appeared in the air to clap in tune.
“You’re so brilliant, don’t soon forget.” Christian’s haunting vocals proved extremely rousing on the number, the audience passionately singing back to him as he turned the mic stand towards them.
In what seemed to be a moment of dawning, he briefly wrapped his hands to his face in incredulity before applauding as his band members brought the song to a close.
Continuing into their extensive discography, Christian belted out ‘Impossible’ with another surge of infectious energy. However, it was the following ‘A Day Late’ – from 2005’s Never Take Friendship Personal – that had the audience in a frenzy and chorusing audibly once again.
Launching into easily the most anticipated number of the night – ‘Adelaide’, the crowd jumped in unison as Christian crooned the lyrics scripted about a girl who he dubbed after South Australia’s very own.
‘Modern Age’, ‘Reclusion’ and ‘Feel Good Drag’ also made an appearance, with Christian dedicating Self Starter’ to “those of you who have been singing along the whole night”.
Finally the band launched into ‘Godspeed’, the crowd lapping it up as lights flashed and heavy guitar riffs burned through the air. At the song’s end the band departed to deserved applause, well-earned after the astounding performance just witnessed.
In no time at all the lights dimmed once again and Christian returned to the stage, alone under a spotlight at his piano.
An acoustic version of ‘Dismantle.Repair’ was then deployed as the audience’s encore treat. Christian’s raw vocals were stellar and uncontested, accompanied only by the notes deftly keyed by his fingers.
His fellow band members then returned to close the night in the most apt way possible – a rendition of ‘*Fin’. It put the cap on a majestic evening; a true celebration of Anberlin’s 10th anniversary, marked by fans old and new.
