Live Review: Live Review: Trophy Eyes - 3/9/2017 - Corner Hotel, Melbourne

4 September 2017 | 7:55 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Touring what was essentially a victory lap of 2016's incredibly successful and well-received LP,' Chemical Miracle', Trophy Eyes have been selling out shows around Australia for this recent August/September headline tour. Rounding out the tour package under the scene-blazing band was up and coming Sydney sab boys Rumours, English pop-punks Trash Boat, as well as Adelaide rockers The Hard Aches; all pulling together to create one solid night!

Touring what was essentially a victory lap of 2016's incredibly successful and well-received LP,' Chemical Miracle', Trophy Eyes have been selling out shows around Australia for this recent August/September headline tour. Rounding out the tour package under the scene-blazing band was up and coming Sydney sab boys Rumours, English pop-punks Trash Boat, as well as Adelaide rockers The Hard Aches; all pulling together to create one solid night! 

Photo credit & words: Maddie Bell. 



Also coming down from Sydney with tonight's headliners was Rumours, who had really good stage presence throughout their short opening set. the band sounded as if they'd had binged their collective influences on the likes of The Smith Street Band, TurnoverIntrovert, and their current tour mates The Hard Aches, something that I feel shows on their new three-track EP, 'Your Taste For Life'.

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With their emo-fixed songs showing all kinds of heart and emotion, as well as some pretty well-thought out bass lines and a solid sense of rhythm, (what with some very solid drumming), they put on a solid early set. I do think that they could be better served to stick to just one vocalist, in order to keep their music more consistent and also give their stage presence that added interest and engagement with certain members unshackling of vocal duties. However, other than that gripe, Rumours set in motion the wheels of what would be an awesome night.

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One thing that I think makes Trashboat's sound work very well is that they display so much energy up on-stage; even after playing multiple shows over the past couple days and showing no visible signs of wear and tear. This massive on-stage energy weaved their entire pop-punk/melodic hardcore tuned set together nicely and it really got the audience going; with multiple pits starting up and a few keen fans each other pushing along to the music and reciprocating the energy of the band themselves.

Admittedly, Trash Boat don't do anything new for their genre(s), but they've got something really going here for them with this sound. And I'm sure in no time flat they will be touring Australian on their own headline tour!

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The Hard Aches killed it, as always. I mean, that's not a surprise there, really!

When hearing the band's music on your phone, in your car, or through your ear buds, you don't often realise that what you're hearing is only coming from two talented members - BD and Alex - as you sometimes forget that they're not a "full band". But for what they do musically by their two lonesome selves, my god, they're unbelievable at it! The SA rock duo got the crowd up and jumping around with their relatable lyrics and flowing guitar riffs, proving that even in a supporting role, The Hard Aches always give their fans a fantastic performance.

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After not personally having seen Trophy Eyes play live for three years now, the band's set was really showed me the vast difference in how much they've improved over those three years; not just only in the quintet's stage presence and their song writing but in the way that they play their instruments too. Which was all evidenced by their performances of the expected stellar songs from last year's fan-favourite record, 'Chemical Miracle' - 'Heaven Sent', 'Counting Sheep', 'Breathe You In', and, of course, 'Chlorine'.

The NSW world beaters pulled out the stops for one damn fine set overall; something that seems to be a running trend for this tour if the lovely media response and grand footage of their other recent sold out shows is anything to go on to. This really is just the beginning for Trophy Eyes.

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The band also really know how to get their feels-heavy and emotional hooks into a sold out crowd, exacerbating the heartfelt lyrics that John Floreani has portrayed with their music. For instance, before the song 'Miracle', John made a touching, tear-jerking speech, reaching out to people in attendance that have experienced suicide in their lives. This moment made everyone grab the person beside them in a uniting arm-around-shoulder showing of love, and it made the entire room and the band feel connected. It was a genuine moment, something that is equally true of their music; songs of which the packed-out crowd ate up.

To say the very least, for me, Trophy Eyes have to be one of the best bands that I've seen rise out of the Australian alternative music scene over the past five years. Here's to the next five years!

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