Live Review: The Living End, West Thebarton

Nobody does angsty Australian rock quite like The Living End. The Chris Cheney-led trio have been a pinnacle of Australian music since the mid-'90s. Fresh out of Berlin and on tour to promote their new music, tonight The Living End prove that they still got it, with no signs of slowing down. 

The Tivoli is shoulder to shoulder to welcome support act West Thebarton, the seven-headed group hailing from Adelaide. Initial reactions to the band seem to be, “Holy shit that’s a lot of people,” and then most certainly, “These guys are actually pretty great.” Crowds are quick to be impressed by West Thebarton, with the biggest highlight being their performance of Stuck On You.

With little room between patrons, The Tivoli buzzes in anticipation for our main act. The Living End are welcomed to the stage and begin with a full-throttle performance of Wake Up The Vampires. A surprising opening number from the boys, but regardless, it hypes up the audience from the get-go. It's followed by Don’t Lose It, ‘Til The End, and crowd-pleasing rager Roll On.

The energy doesn’t dip throughout the two-hour set, with fans dedicated to rocking out alongside the band. Taking the authenticity of a live performance and executing it with the accuracy and control of the studio, The Living End truly prove that they are legends of their craft. From the sound control to the lighting production everything in this set is done with purpose and continuity, perfectly in sync and with complete precision, making for a very impressive live show. 

Energy reaches maximum levels with a song that needs no introduction, White Noise, and again with Prisoner Of Society. However, the real highlight of the night is the performance of new hit Wunderbar, a song meant for singalongs and headbanging. It’s clear that this song is going to be a big one.

The night winds down with a satisfied crowd, tired from enduring two hours of pure teenage nostalgia. If tonight’s epic show proves anything, it is that we were right - it wasn’t a phase, Mum! Our punk rock hearts still beat for The Living End.