Live Review: The Amity Affliction, A Day To Remember, Motionless In White

The Big Ass Tour in Perth kicked off with Canberra-based rock band Hands Like Houses playing their filthy bass and headbanging their lush Pantene viking locks to I Am. Shapeshifters and Introduced Species saw the post-hardcore sound come alive with a crowd of jumping bodies.

Motionless In White took to the stage dressed head to toe in black, with the guitarist masked as Michael Meyers from Halloween, before they launched into Break The Cycle and Devil's Night. The set was let down by the sound, the bass was higher than the microphone making it very difficult to hear any vocals let alone Chris Cerulli's mad screaming, which just sounded like noise. 

2001: A Space Odyssey's theme song introduced A Day To Remember as they let loose to The Downfall Of Us All with a guitars blaring. Frontman Jeremy McKinnon's signature roar filled the arena, sending the mosh pit into a circle of death, the bodies moving and heads banging wildly as colourful confetti erupted into the air.

"I don't know about you Australia, but I'm fucking feeling it tonight!" McKinnon screamed, before diving into City Of Ocala and I'm Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? ADTR stole the show from Amity with their energy and showmanship, keeping the crowd amped up with an incredible full-hour set filled with guitar riffs, toilet paper and enough lights to cause an epileptic fit. 

As the lights darkened, Perth Arena swelled up with ecstasy as the crowd grew in anticipation. Hardcore heavyweights The Amity Affliction roared onto the stage with Open Letter as metallic silver confetti filled the arena. Vocalist Ahren Stringer produced the goods with his clean vocals and Joel Birch rocked his iconic growl to Lost And Fading, sending the mosh pit into a massive death circle of moving limbs.

Chasing Ghosts, Never Alone and FML saw the crowd become a moving mass of fans climbing and surfing the crowd to get closer, while Youngbloods was a crowd favourite, getting the arena on a new energy. I Hate Hartley saw flames erupt around drummer Ryan Burt, with fans feeling the heat before Anchors and The Weigh Down were vocally thrashed by Birch.

A sea of white balloons filled the crowd during Shine On as Amity screamed, "This is the best tour we have done so far," before launching into a rendition of Shine On that saw the crowd beat each other with the balloons. The encore consisted of more metallic silver confetti, like one round wasn't enough, as Pittsburgh sent the crowd into a frenzy of screams and singing along. Let The Ocean Take Me ended the night on a high, proving that hardcore is not dead.