A jam-packed Hi-Fi Bar was greeted with a line-up of heroes last Thursday; heroes in many forms, from For Our Hero and Heroes for Hire fronting the bill, to a man named Mark who heroically took one knee on stage to ask for his girlfriend’s hand in marriage in front of a roaring crowd.
The biggest heroes of them all were pop-punk headliners Yellowcard. Touring their latest album Southern Air with a string of sold out shows across the country, the anticipation for the Florida five-piece to hit the stage was enormous. On their first headlining Australian tour in five years, it was clear Yellowcard’s presence had well and truly been missed, with fans eagerly waiting outside the venue long before doors were set to open.
Local pop rock act For Our Hero began the night’s festivities, performing their catchy numbers for an already full and standing crowd. In a set that showcased seemingly similar yet not unpleasant songs, much of the crowd remained still throughout.
The likeable and enthusiastic frontman, Jay Taplin, ignited some gusto from the audience and eventually he had the the crowd singing back the repetitious, catchy ‘woahs’ and ‘oohs’.
A disappearing bass player couldn’t keep the fervent fivesome from continuing their set, with clapping commencing during an enjoyable acoustic number. The young crowd danced to the band’s final and punchiest song, making way for Sydney’s Heroes For Hire to hit the stage and keep up the enthusiastic vibe.
Melbourne is like a second home for the Sydney pop punks Heroes For Hire, who spend almost as much time here as in their New South Wales hometown, as evident through their huge following, consisting almost entirely of screaming fan-girls.
Said fan-girls lined the stage-front singing and dancing to the pop punk anthems. Songs included those from the group’s two albums, as well as new tracks from their upcoming third effor, No Apologies (due to be released next week).
Matt Gravolin, from Sydney hardcore band The Bride, joined the four-piece on stage for the entire set, playing guitar and at one point taking over lead vocals for a slightly heavier section.
There was a lot of beer and a lot of energy in the packed-out band room, as a member of the audience was invited on stage to drink lager from a shoe – a regular part of the band’s set known as doing a “shoey.”
Despite a failed attempt at generating a circle pit, Heroes For Hire captivated their devoted audience throughout their set, closing with their well-known and catchy ‘Secrets, Lies and Sins’.
The thriving crowd, which now filled the stairs as well as the standing ground, enthusiastically awaited their punk lords to hit the stage, a booming “Yellowcard” chant ensuing. Girls screamed at the beginning of opening number ‘Awakening’ – and at the start of every other song that occupied Yellowcard’s hour-and-a-half long set.
Despite Southern Air only being out for a couple of weeks, the audience knew all the words to every song, singing along so loud that frontman Ryan Key had to turn his earpiece almost completely off before leading the boisterous crowd through a mixture of songs old and new.
The only man to make a violin into a punk-rock necessity, and to do it with a big smile, Sean Mackin, played some killer violin solos throughout the night, stealing much of the crowd’s attention.
He was at times showed up by Longineu Parsons III, the dreadlocked drummer of the band who beat out striking and skilful drum solos.
After an ode to Yellowcard’s biggest fan, Key’s recently passed Aunt Stephanie, and an acoustic rendition or two, the rest of the band, who had previously left the stage, re-joined Key on stage halfway through ‘Empty Apartment’.
The five-piece’s obvious three song encore of ‘Here I Am Alive’, ‘Light Up The Sky’ and ‘Ocean Avenue’ were undoubtedly their most popular numbers.
As Key announced Yellowcard’s hopes to return next year, the fans’ cries became deafening and after consistently encouraging the crowd to lose their voices by the end of the show, it appeared as though his request had well and truly been granted.
– Mairead Bilton-Gough
