Strung Out, Death By Stereo, Against
Adelaide UniBar
Tue 20 June



It was an all too familiar story: Capacity crowd jam-packed around the merchandise desk, a very diversely aged audience between the ages of about 12 to 40 years and the same old guys with the same old Mohawk haircuts. This must be a Strung Out show.

First to 'break-the-ice' (so to speak) was the ever-impressive yet strangely out of place Brisbane quintet Against. Against are a strict hardcore band oddly enough touring with punk bands. Nevertheless their set was more than entertaining and energetic. Displaying their 'no fear and no remorse' set with songs from their past EPs and their debut album 'Left For Dead', it was a shame that more people didn't get into them. Most certainly a band to see live in more their 'scene' as they put on a great show and have also released a great debut album.

California's Death By Stereo put on truly an incredible and shocking set. Practically deafening the crowd with their metal/hardcore/punk fuse and diverse vocals ranging from high pitch screams, clean melodies and scary growls (very comparable to Killswitch Engage's front man Howard Jones), Death By Stereo had everyone jumping and begging for more. This was also the first show where I have seen a vocalist (in this case: Efrem Schulz) walk off the stage, through the intense 'moshpit' and all the way to the bar still singing and screaming his lungs out and grabbing the inattentive people in the audience. Truly amazing!

Strung Out welcomed everyone and were greeted with the obvious chant: "Strung Out, Strung Out, Strung Out!" from their fans. Then, as if there were no time to waste, they were straight into it with no stopping.

This was one of the longest and most flawless displays of live music I have ever observed and exactly what the Californian melodic punk pioneers are famous for. Songs ranging from their ten-year history comprising of eight albums were performed, appreciated and annihilated. Definitely one of the more energetic shows, they were challenged by the supporting acts but Strung Out rose above and beyond. Sadly there was no abundance of new material but with a crowd reaction like that one, there was no disappointment in that.

After performing an all too predictable yet much anticipated encore, it was time for the farewells and it was hard not to believe how appreciative Strung Out is of their Australian fans. If you missed them, you have my deepest sympathy, however everybody knows as history tells us that Strung Out will be back, hungrier for more.

Will Oakeshott