Are we here for Pvris or Circa Survive? With the sheer amount of Pvris hats and shirts that flew through the doors of 170 Russell, it was hard to determine which band were the bigger drawcard.
When the rising support band arrived on stage, lead singer Lynn Gunn received a huge response from the adoring crowd. Only taking time out to give a “gender appropriate name” to a stuffed emu given to them by a fan, the band blazed through seven of the ten songs from their debut album White Noise. Nearly playing an entire album in a restricted set showed their commitment to giving Australian fans a memorable first time experience. Although the percussion and electronic synths drowned out Gunn’s voice in parts, her vocal talent was undeniable. Judging by the overwhelming cries for an encore, which proved fruitless, a full headline set from the band on their next tour is a sure fire certainty.
Circa Survive are a band with diehard fans. As a newcomer to the cult, watching people react to the band made it clear they’re an act that endears themselves to the dedicated. Opening with Child of the Desert, one lone hand in the audience punctuated every syllable of the calm introduction. When it finally kicked in, the floor started shifting. Lead singer Anthony Green’s assertion that we were all in a shared hallucination seemed trite at first, but a glance at everyone else in the crowd revealed rapturous admiration. Green’s jerking movements were punctuated by screams, mic stands were thrown around and the band seemed like they were pulling off a perfect jam session.
The band’s bizarre humour led them to rename one song Bite Off Your Mum’s Dick, which they dedicated to Tony Robbins, while The Greatest Lie devolved into a cover of Ace of Base’s All That She Wants. There’s a reason that Circa Survive got away with all of this, and it’s because they’re a live band capable of creating individual moments with ease.
One girl named Yasmin screamed along into the microphone while Green walked around on stage with his hands held high. As he returned, he informed her that it’s the best rendition from sharing the mic he’s ever heard in his career. The crowd obviously went insane. Somehow Nesting Dolls topped this, as it built and built. Finishing with Get Out, Green leapt into the crowd to sing-along with crowd surfers. It’s no struggle to figure out why so many people packed out 170 Russell on a Sunday night.
BY JONTY SIMMONS
Photo by Dan Soderstrom
Loved: Yasmin’s moment in the spotlight – killed it.
Hated: The girl shouting out “I’ll lick your pussy” to Lynn, who shut her down. It’s still harassment if you’re a girl, people.
Drank: Mountain Goat – thanks Em.
