Playing their fifth show straight (and with two more nights to go) in Adelaide, The Living End were fresh as daisies as they played to a packed audience at The Gov.
Loyal Adelaidian fans forwent their traditional Thursday late-night-shopping venture to watch the legendary trio play their fourth album State of Emergency in full as part of the band’s Retrospective Tour.
A full hour before the support act were due to start, excited fans clad in various Living End t-shirts were already staking positions at the front of the stage. The age range of those present was remarkable, running from those who weren’t even born when the band was formed, to those who remember the days when The Living End were supporting Green Day. There aren’t many bands that can pull such a diverse group of punters.
Adelaide’s own City Riots got the night of to a cracking start. Mostly playing tracks from their debut album Sea of Bright Lights, the indie rockers grabbed the attention of the crowd with their heavy reverb and textured tunes. Special mention goes to guitarist Matt Edge for his shredding solos.
After an unusually long wait, filled in with tunes spun by DANGEROUS DJ, the crowd got what they had come for.
The main event began with a short video doco giving the back-story of the album about to be played. A really cool way to kick off the night, except it seems the band was meant to make a grand entrance at the end of the short film, which they missed.
The trio played their 2006 album in order from beginning to end in just under an hour. In a way it was a nice feeling to know exactly what to expect and what song was coming next.
Predictably, the fourth tune ‘We Want More’ was the first big hit with the crowd. Other big audience pleasers were ‘State of Emergency’ and ‘Black Cat’.
For a group that’s known for their outstanding live shows, The Living End did not disappoint. Chris Cheney’s unique punk-meets-rockabilly vocal style soared masterfully above Scott Owen’s slap-the-crap-out-of-it double bass playing. As always, Andy Strachan’s tricks and flicks drumming provided an overall solid foundation throughout the gig.
Although they are one of Australia’s biggest touring bands, and State Of Emergency has been kicking around for over six years now, The Living End performed with energy and freshness of spirit.
There was none of the jaded ‘here we go again’ vibe that other bands give off when playing old fan favourite tunes. The only let down of the night was the relatively short set and lack of an encore. But hey, fans got exactly what they were promised.
