On a clear winter’s night, a five-piece from El Paso, New Mexico delivered ninety minutes of frenetic music that achieved the same impact and relevance as it did when that band last performed here in 2001.
At The Drive-In are considered by many as a defining band of the early 2000s, their album Relationship Of Command tore up the rule book on what could be considered non-genre rock music and along the way opened the minds of many listeners.
The Forum was eerily quiet for support band Bad//Dreems, as though those in attendance still didn’t believe that the day had come and At The Drive-In were actually going to play.
Right on time, the illusive became tangible as Tony Hajjar began the rumbling tom-drum intro of Arcarsonel, Cedric Bixler shaking a tambourine in time until the intro broke into the songs heavily spasmodic rhythm. The energy communicated from stage immediately said to all in attendance this is the same At The Drive-In that toured the country 15 years ago, losing none of the fire, passion or energy.
After a rapturous applause they kicked into Pattern Against User. Like clockwork all five members, Bixler the centerpiece, broke into the spasmodic and discordant dance moves that have defined their lauded live performances.
The first half of the set was an onslaught of material exclusively from Relationship of Command with Sleepwalk Capsules, Enfilade, Invalid Litter Dept. and Cosmonaut, the latter two soul shattering highlights. For the first 4:40 of Invalid Litter Dept. it’s a shambolic mix of almost-beat poetry and twinkling keys but once the riff drops it’s one of the most profound breakdowns in rock’n’roll, and this rendition captured every ear in the house. It’s the density of Cosmonaut’s,structure that results in the rallying around a permanent state of crescendo. Curiously during this song the first crowd surfer emerged– curious because Bixler hates crowd surfing, famously stopping mid-song at Big Day Out 2001 to kick out aggressive moshers.
After a brief encore At The Drive-In returned to the stage, performing a song that redefined rock’n’roll in 2001, One Armed Scissor. The song’s enigmatic aural impact was witnessed by the explosive audience – this must be experienced by as many people as possible.
At The Drive-In are back and here to stay – thank fuck.
WORDS BY DAN WATT
IMAGE BY JAZ MEADOWS
Loved: The promoters of Splendour In The Grass for bringing At The Drive-In back to Australia.
Hated: Farting really loudly when I was using the urinal and everyone laughing at me.
Drank: Out of a plastic cup.
