Touché Amoré – Gig Review & Photo Gallery 10th March @ Jive Bar, Adelaide SA

Posted on March 14, 2024 by Will Oakeshott

Touché Amoré
Jive Bar, Adelaide SA
March 10, 2024
Supports: Blind Girls, Colourblind and Energy Angel

“We were always a band who thought we would never play anything besides basements or house shows, so getting to play exotic places and having people know the words is so extraordinary.” Jeremy Bolm, Touché Amoré, 2017 interview with Will Oakeshott.

With WOMAD Festival on its third night, Fringe Festival in its third week, Japan’s BORIS performing at Lion Arts Factory and Sanguisugabogg selling out the Crown & Anchor, Adelaide was certainly buzzing on this hellaciously hot night. The renowned “Mad March” period of the city could have arguably achieved one of its highest historic peaks on this Sunday evening. Yet in the charming and seminal venue known as Jive, LA-based emotional hardcore quintet Touché Amoré looked very at home even though they were over 13,000 kilometres away from their actual neighbourhoods. There are multiple reasons for this: firstly, this tour marks their fifth visit to Australian shores, but more importantly, this up-close-and-personal environment between band and audience is what TA cut their teeth on. They may have been on a different continent, but they were at their home away from home and in a luminous ‘Limelight’.

Local quintet Energy Angel were awarded the opportunity of opening the exhibition and being their third show, the gentlemen were exhilarated by the prospect. Combining an array of sounds inspired by the likes of Seahaven, Title Fight, Make Do & Mend and even the poppier sensibilities of outfits such as This Town Needs Guns; Energy Angel quickly proved they were more-than-worthy of this distinguished prospect. Covering Deftones is generally considered quite courageous, but EA accomplished this with their own variation and were successful in doing so. The raw post-punk and hardcore blend of ‘Disappear Here’ was certainly a highlight and in a sense, it feels like more doors will be opening for this stirring outfit. Especially with how excellently embellished their between song banter is.

Adelaide’s Colourblind are a quartet that feel like they are on the brink of hitting that next level. Synthesising that aggressive grunge-emo formula with broad explorations of both tender and heavier tones, they have ascended to a homegrown favourite graciously. ‘Let It Slip’ incredibly integrated the earlier EPs of Mere Theory with the heavier moments of Fightstar. ‘Seatbelt’ incorporated more of a jangly indie rock design that hinted at Tiny Moving Parts, and then ‘Semaphore’ called upon the gruff greatness of The Flatliners.

The four-piece disclosed the exciting news that they had sent of their debut album for its final production stages, and this may just be the immaculate launch pad for Colourblind’s national and potentially international commendation and acclaim.

Although the headliners were the drawcard for the evening, the prominence of Blind Girls merchandise among the growing crowd was impossible to ignore. After a rather discreet and quick setup and no introduction at all, the Gold Coast blackened screamo outfit exploded like a volcanic eruption of monstrous musical magma and madness. The band operates as one body in a constant state of sensationally shocking seizures, with bodies, instruments and blood curling screams pulsating from their platform and crashing on their spectators. Converge and Oathbreaker are notable comparisons, yet BG are also creating their own spine-tingling space that is awe-inspiring. The energy is likeable to the sorely missed noisecore daredevils The Chariot; however, these Queenslanders inject an enraged severity into their showcase that is brilliantly bewitching. Sharni Brouwer‘s wonderfully wicked screech harnesses pain and powerful prominence that is poetically illuminated by the act’s delightful dissonance. ‘Bright Sadness’ harnessed such venom yet amazing artistry, it somehow stopped time. Let it be known, Blind Girls are in-all-likelihood a “must see act”.

Jeremy Bolm knows how to grip people’s attention. Without saying a word upon his ascension onto the stage, he enticed the sizeable audience to be at his literal feet with his lovable smile, and “come closer” hand signal movements that magically felt like a metaphoric hug. ‘Come Heroine’ was the consuming commencement and the vitality radiated from the small stage and overtook all in the room instilling phenomenal positivity . There was still a strange hesitance felt by the spectators, possibly due to the insane heat, or maybe the disbelief that Touché Amoré had finally returned after seven long years. “Don’t be afraid to have more fun, that’s what this band is about.” Mr Bolm expressed, and everyone listened and did exactly that.

‘New Halloween’ was enigmatically emotional, and this was flawlessly accentuated by the sing-along in ‘Palm Dreams’ of “on my own”; a trio of words that are exceedingly relatable for not only the fanbase of TA, but probably a great percentage of humankind. ‘Amends’ divinely captured the spirit of the emotional hardcore outfit and Jeremy’s impassioned statement “for what it’s worth, I’m sorry” required no contribution from him. Touché’s South Australian devotees screamed this louder than he could in true punk basement fashion.

‘Lament’ explored the post-punk fascination that the quintet have explored in their more recent output. The five-piece moved like a collective heartbeat and even danced in a synchronicity that would have made Joy Division proud. ‘Reminders’ was excellently euphoric, moving the aura to an outstanding optimism that the vocalist could not help but smile glowingly about. Following with immeasurable impact, ‘Limelight’ became the brilliant ballad that slowed everything down to that magically entrancing ambience.

Closing with tracks from this scribe’s personal favourite album Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me was that “dream come true” moment and thankfully many attendees shared in this rapture. ‘Pathfinder’ and ‘~’ seemed to wipe away all our worries for the combined two-and-a-half minutes of passionate punk music and an enlightenment remarkably remedied many within that room.

This wasn’t quite a “basement or house show” but people knew the words and it was “extraordinary”.

Touché Amoré will return to the US after this tour and undertake the adventure that is recording their sixth LP. With this news, the world may have lost ‘Gravity, Metaphorically’.

Gig Review by Will Oakeshott. Insta: @teenwolfwill

Photo Gallery by Danny Wallace Insta: @dexamillian
Please Credit & Tag Wall of Sound and Danny Wallace if you repost photos.

Energy Angel