The Amity Affliction - Hobart
Oden Theatre's new air conditioning system was put to the test on the 13th of March, as a sold-out crowd of stinky, sweaty metal and hardcore fans filled the Hobart venue. Entering the final month of their Australian tour, fans were unsure for quite some time of who the final lineup would contain; with both Redhook and In Hearts Wake slated to not be performing in Tasmania. And with no official lineup being announced until the set time were posted, a lot of Tassie fans were left ticketless as they waited for an announcement… that did not seem to come until quite late. Poster confusion aside, the final lineup consisted of Headwreck, Redhook, In Hearts Wake and The Amity Affliction. And what a lineup it was.
From the word go, Headwreck delivered. Originating in Brisbane, this quartet of nu-metal genius had the crowd caught hook, line and sinker. Their set flew by way too fast for my liking as I stood there after the set thinking ‘surely it can’t be over already!’ - They were that good. I was captivated by Jamo Benadie’s vocals and guitar - in fact, every band's vocals were on point. Headwreck set such a high bar as an opening act, but knowing Redhook, I knew they were ready to feed that fire Headwreck had sparked.
Redhook have very quickly gained a very special place in my heart. Not only is their music hype as hell and bound to get you headbanging, but these guys are the most genuine people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. They have such a lust for life energy that screams out of them and pours over everyone in the pit. The wickedly talented Emmy Mack had that audience wrapped around her finger as she made her way from the stage into the pit and brought everyone in that room onto the same level. If you see Redhook on a bill, get a ticket; you won’t regret it.
In Hearts Wake brought on the heaviest part of the night, with circle pits and walls-of-deaths-a-plenty! This was my second time seeing these guys and just as before, I was captivated. With choreography, backup dancers and Jake Taylor spending some time in the middle of the circle pit - these guys have a show not just a set. This was also an all-ages gig, with the younger ones being seated in the stalls. Looking up and seeing the looks on some of these kids' faces as they witnessed Taylor command the stage was absolutely priceless - you could see the cogs turning as they, for the first time, experience this kind of community. And community was hugley on display tonight. As said by Taylor, “Community saves the fucking day.”.
There was something very special about this audience tonight. The Amity Affliction are clearly a very special band to a lot of people, and for very good reason. Hailing from Queensland, The Amity Affliction really saw their breakthrough between 2012 - 2014 and continued on a steady path. Of course it is impossible to talk about this band without mentioning their still somewhat fresh lineup switch, with Joel Birch taking on the duty as front man. While Birch certainly was able to carry vocally, I felt he did not have quite connect in the same way we saw from Emmy Mack and Jake Taylor. Still, everywhere I looked, people were screaming back the lyrics and even a few shedding some tears. I would like to specially mention the lighting technician during their set, where every beat was lit flawlessly and really elevated the impact of the set.
In the times of turmoil we are currently experiencing, life can feel pretty bleak. Entering this show, I felt heavy, with weight certainly resting on my shoulders. Leaving that sweaty pit, I felt lighter. The energy and joy each of these bands brought to the stage was injected into everyone in the audience. I finally had that moment that so many people talk about when experiencing live music; of being able to leave everything at the door, no matter how you’re feeling, and for a few hours you can enjoy the best of what life has to offer.
The Amity Affliction and co. will be continuing on their Australian tour until the end of March.
Gallery https://musicfestivalsaustralia.com/event-photos/the-amity-affliction-hobart
Thank you to The Amity Affliction, SBM Presents, Select Music, Beehive PR and the Odeon for having us along.
Review & Photos by Eva Dudes for Music Kingdom Australia
