Stray From The Path - Gig Review & Photo Gallery 13th January @ Stay Gold, Melbourne VIC
Stray From The Path
Stay Gold, Melbourne VIC
January 13th, 2020
Supports: Kublai Khan TX, Deadlights and Starve
Having performed at this years edition of UNIFY Gathering (our coverage here) the two most political bands from the festivals line up Stray From The Path, and Kublai Khan TX embarked on an Australia wide headline tour to demonstrate their new material to their Australian fanbase.
Kicking off the event was opening act Starve, this new age metalcore band was quick to push things into fifth gear, with their energetic presence leaving me positively overwhelmed. Their instrumentals are quite tight-knit, which screamed professionalism at me. With a guest appearance from The Gloom In The Corner vocalist Mikey Arthur during the song 'Countermotion' only adding to the intensity of the set. Based on this band's performances, I genuinely believe they have a bright future ahead of them.
Next act to take to the stage was Brisbane's very own Deadlights. This post-hardcore act kept the energy high with their jump mosh styled performance, which kept the audience on their toes. Playing a healthy mix of old, new, heavy and soft songs and doing so exceptionally well, there was something for all different types of music fans to enjoy. With synchronised headbanging and instrumentals that gel together seemingly effortlessly, it's easy to say that this band is a unit, like a well-oiled machine.
Gracing the stage with their presence, it was then time for Texan heavy hitters Kublai Khan TX to perform. The anticipation for this act was huge, having only just witnessed their unbelievable set at UNIFY Gathering I was excited to see this group play in a more intimate setting. Kicking the set off with 'Armour of Goddam' the energy within the packed band room escalated which saw the introduction of a violent moshpit, as well as crowd surfing. Frontman Matt Honeycutt's overuse of the word "baby" throughout the set added a lot of individuality and uniqueness, which was great to see. Both 'The Hammer' and 'Self-Destruct' received deafening singalongs and won the title of fan favourites.
Finally, it was time for Stray From The Path to take to the stage. Everything about this band seems nothing less than world-class, vocalist Drew York is a professional when it comes to connecting with an audience. Drew took a lot of time to talk about his stance on specific political issues as well as other personal beliefs of his, which was very empowering. Seemingly to cause more chaos, Drew encouraged as much stave dives, crowd surfing and moshing as possible as they were recording a live music video, Drew himself even threw himself into the crowd at one point, which was entertaining to watch.
Closing off their set with a Rage Against The Machine - 'Killing In The Name Of' cover and lastly fan favourite 'First Word Problem Child' which included the appearance of the world-famous Architects' very own Sam Carter. I had to pinch myself to believe it was really him. The experience of Sam being at the show sent fans into a frenzy, it was a sight to behold!
Stray From The Path is a band that continuously strikes a chord with their fans through their music, powerful messages and strong beliefs. This was evident in the electrifying energy within the venue.
Gig Review by Adam Rice @adamrice1994
Setlist
Fortune Teller
The Opening Move
Outbreak
Goodnight Alt-Right
Badge & A Bullet Pt. II
Kickback
Second Death
Ring Leader
The House Always Wins
Badge & A Bullet
Killing In The Name (Rage Against The Machine cover)
First World Problem Child (Ft. Sam Carter of Architects)
Revisit our interview with SFTP frontman Drew York right here!
Photo Gallery by Clinton Hatfield. Insta: @ampd.agency
Please credit Wall of Sound and Clinton Hatfield if you repost photos.
Starve
Deadlights
Kublai Khan TX
Stray From The Path
