I hate flying. I always end up catatonic with fear, unable to ingest any form of inflight entertainment. I guess it’s the uncertainty that accompanies being trapped in a hurtling tube of metal through the upper reaches of our atmosphere. Earlier on in the year during a nasty bout of turbulence, I turned to Air New Zealand’s media unit for solace – tuning in to the alphabetically-benefited Kiwi outfit Beastwars. An immense calm washed over me as the band’s self-titled debut blasted through the shitty complimentary headset. The uncertainty was obliterated amongst the crying babies, rattling overhead compartments and slightly panicked flight attendants – I knew for sure we were all going to fucking die, there and then.
I felt a similar thing tonight at The Bendigo, like we were packed in a burning fuselage, down an open earth into the pits of Hades. The level of power projected by Beastwars, here on their debut Australian tour, was unfathomable. The conclusion of their opening song was greeted with a rapturous roar and thrusting of beer glasses to the ceiling, something you’d expect from an encore-demanding stadium crowd. Crazy.
The setlist leaned heavily towards the band’s excellent debut, with a few tracks from the just-released (and also very excellent) LP Blood Becomes Fire. Their mantra of “obey the riff” was dutifully observed by the perpetually crowdsurfing throng of punters.
Damn The Sky was legit scary. The sludge-drenched bass was pant-shittingly good, and the bestial vocals sounded like the heralding of the apocalypse.
It’s commonsense to wear earplugs at a gig like this, but perhaps it might be sensible to go all out with a mouthguard. This shit will shatter your molars if you’re not careful. The sooner Beastwars make that flight back here from across the Tasman, the better. Obey the fuckin’ riff.
BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
LOVED: I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a crowd lose their minds in such a manner.
HATED: I didn’t have the commonsense to wear earplugs at a gig like this.
DRANK: A pint or two.
