FEATURE: Soundwave 2014 Highlights - Sydney

24 February 2014 | 4:34 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Over the weekend, some 90 acts hit Soundwave Festival in Brisbane and Sydney. We sent one of our writers to experience the Sydney leg - these are some of the highlights. Check back soon - we'll have a full, official feature from the Sydney leg as well as interviews conducted backstage on the day with the likes of AFI and Mastodon.

Over the weekend, some 90 acts hit Soundwave Festival in Brisbane and Sydney. We sent one of our writers to experience the Sydney leg - these are some of the highlights.

Check back soon - we'll have a full, official feature from the Sydney leg as well as interviews conducted backstage on the day with the likes of AFI and Mastodon. 

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN

Onstage, New Jersey mathcore giants The Dillinger Escape Plan were a flurry of wild, breakneck movement while maintaining their trademark technical finesse. As Greg Puciato climbed lighting rigs as if attached to a playground and guitarist Ben Weinman crowd walked across a sea of fans - both still performing without skipping a beat - it became pretty apparent just what sort of band The Dillinger Escape Plan are. Professional and technically proficient, they’re also a collective ball of unchained, frenzied energy. Closing with the utterly destructive ’43% Burnt’, the chaotic set was one of the most impressive feats of musicianship of the day.

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††† (CROSSES)

For real, Is there anything Chino Moreno can't do? A month ago he was slaying crowds in Australia with Deftones, yesterday he was crooning over the electronic rock soundscapes being built by the immensely talented musicians he’s surrounded by. Showcasing tracks from the band’s brilliant debut album - released only a few weeks ago - the tunes took on a whole other life of their own live, noticeably more energetic and visceral than their studio counterparts. It’ll be interesting to see how much further Crosses continue, but yesterday's set shows a wealth of promise, perhaps best displayed on the the sinister ‘Bitches Brew’.

GLASSJAW

How can you even describe Glassjaw live? They’re madmen, plain and simple. Palumbo ravaged the stage like a wild dog left off his chain for the first time, as the vitriol of hits like ‘Pretty Lush’ translated into vicious, searing assaults. He’s not alone, however, and the band’s collective, dynamic savagery make them one of the most intense acts of the festival. Free of gimmicks, almost entirely free of banter, Glassjaw delivered the most raw, ugly live set I’ve seen in years - certifying their place as one of the most nuanced, intriguing hardcore acts of all time.

AFI

Last in the country in 2010 - also for Soundwave - AFI delivered an unbelievably powerful set that catered to newfound listeners of the quartet as well as longtime fans. While hits from ’Sing the Sorrow’, ‘Decemberunderground’ and brilliant new album ‘Burials’ make up the bulk of the set, the true highlight comes when the band strip back to their hardcore roots and unleash ‘A Single Second’ from 1997 album ’Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes’. Frontman Davey Havok was reliably charismatic, soaring into the crowd while the rest of the band gave tight, engaging and cohesive performances - a testament to their fifteen years together.

GWAR

Anyone who has seen legendary extraterrestrial metallers Gwar knows that they’re by far one of the most entertaining live acts on the planet - and this year was no different. The quintet ripped through an enthralling set of old gems and showcased new album ‘Battle Maximus’, punctuated by a lot of theatrics, fake blood and the violent beheading of a Tony Abbott effigy to wild applause (see below). Regardless of how well they know their music; almost everyone I spoke to agreed that seeing Gwar live was the most fun they’d had all day.

Soundwave 2014 continues this weekend in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

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We'll have features from Melbourne and Adelaide on the site in the coming weeks.