Providing a funky and energetic start to this night of nostalgia were the newly reformed Down to Size, who had last toured with Superheist at the turn of the century.
Next, Sydney Oz metal legends Segression proved once again that they’re not ones to ever run out of steam or deviate from their core sound to fit the times. In fact, this year marks Segression’s 20th anniversary, and their set reflected this, consisting mostly of older material. To help the old school soldiers celebrate, two members of Melbourne’s Boris the Blade joined them on stage to play No One.
The crowd was then treated to the unapologetic testosterone-charged aggression of hardcore outfit Earth Caller. These guys can destroy a stage with the best of them (think Hatebreed) and are one of the best hardcore bands to come out of Melbourne in a while. They weren’t all brawn, however; amid the barrage of meaty riffs interspersed with seismic bass drops, they played a few heartfelt numbers with socially conscious messages.
Superheist wasted no time in showing the full house of adoring fans that the boys are well and truly back in town, ripping into The Fightback and Bullet as if the 13-year hiatus had never happened. New album, new members, same old ‘Heist; it’s great to see these masters of Australian nu-metal at the top of their game and once again kicking some serious arse.
New vocalist Ezekiel Ox fits the latest incarnation of the band perfectly. He’s essentially the best parts of Berger McLeod and Joey Biro, and his boundless charisma and truly explosive stage presence add something magical to Superheist. The boys delivered a flawless set, breathing new life into fan favourites and showcasing songs from their latest offering, Ghosts of the Social Dead.
Words by Dimitri Zrazhevski
Image by Anna Madden
Highlight: Ez jumping off a stairwell into the crowd.
Lowlight: None.
Crowd Favourite: Superheist’s encore.
