Whenever a show is sold out, there is that intense sense of excitement; the chance to see something special, something your friends probably missed out on.
That was definitely the case at Billboards for Mayday Parade as the venue filled, and the openers, Heroes for Hire, took the stage.
As far as big years go, 2012 has been a massive one for the Sydney punk rockers.
Their performance at this gig was clear evidence of why they have experienced this wave of success, regularly performing with great enthusiasm.
As they took the stage a group of fans surged forward and the entire band seemed to genuinely want to impress the crowd.
Heroes for Hire worked well together, producing a tightly played, entertaining set. If it wasn’t for the obvious strain in Brad Smith’s vocals, you would hardly know they had performed a show earlier in the day.
Unfortunately, the mix was lacking a little. The kick drum, which is instrumental in driving their pop-punk sound, was barely audible.
Similarly, the bass was lost in the mix, while the back up vocals seemed clearer and stronger than the lead vocals. A scenario that would repeat itself for each act during the evening, particularly as each drew to an end.
But Heroes for Hire more than made up for the pitfalls of the mix with their vibrant energy. There was an evidence of passion that is so often missing from bands that are used to touring – they really seemed to be enjoying themselves and this just made the act all the more enjoyable to watch.
When We Are The In Crowd took the stage, the few people that remained seated rose to their feet. Playing a phenomenally tight set, the audience could well have been listening to one of their albums as there was not a single note missed.
They didn’t win the crowd over with their musicianship; but instead ability to write great, catchy songs.
Too often, any pop-punk band with a female singer is said to sound just like Paramore, but it’s safe to say this is not the case with We Are The In Crowd.
The use of two vocalists, Tay Jardine and Jordan Eckes, gave the band another dimension that clearly distinguished them from similar acts.
Everything from their look to their sound resonated with the crowd that had drawn together for Mayday Parade. A more perfect main support could not have been selected.
Mayday Parade began their set with a chillingly beautiful rendition of “Stay”. Silhouetted by aqua light, lead singer Derek Sanders began playing a piano placed in the middle of the stage and was gradually joined by other members of the band as their instruments came in.
While the relatively slow song was a strange choice for an opening, it worked perfectly, warming the attendees before the upbeat, guitar heavy songs began.
The lead guitar of Alex Garcia lifted the quality of the band’s performance significantly. In the live atmosphere his playful, but precise use of the instrument distinguish them from typical pop-punk power chord bands.
While the mix was rough to begin with, by the conclusion of the set most of the major issues had been resolved. As with Mayday Parade’s predecessors, Sanders voice was strained from the tour’s hectic schedule, but for many of the higher notes he was able to hold the microphone out to the mosh pit, many of whom seemed to know every word.
Completing the final song of their set, the disappointment that the evening had drawn to a close was palpable. Arriving back on stage for an encore performance of “Three Cheers For Five Years”, a fresh excitement spread over the crowd.
During their encore performance of “Three Cheers For Five Years”, a fresh excitement spread over the crowd, which made the disappointment of the evening drawing to a close all the more palpable.
Overall, the gig was a resounding success. There was not a toe that remained untapped or a head that didn’t bob along to at least a few of the songs.
It’s safe to assume that Mayday Parade won’t have any trouble selling out venues when they next return to Australian shores.
