Hanabie. – Gig Review & Photo Gallery 13th November @ The Gov, Adelaide SA

Hanabie.
The Gov, Adelaide SA
November 13th, 2024
Lineup: Hanabie., The Gloom In The Corner

It's not often in Australia we only get a two-band bill, but when you have a band that has such an intense and passionate following like Hanabie., you don't need much to warm the place up. The line was down the street even before doors were set to open, with a close-to-sell-out crowd at Adelaide's beloved The Gov piling in enthusiastically to witness the Queens of Harajuku-core.

Before they hit the stage, it was Melbourne's cinema-core maestros The Gloom In The Corner's task to open the show. Giving the warning that it was almost time for their set with back-to-back Nickleback anthems, the band kicked off proceedings with the atmospheric and intense 'Heaven And Hell'. Compared to their headliner show earlier in the year, there was a it of a different audience but it did not take long for the band to win over the Adelaide audience.

Intense and ferocious- The Gloom In The Corner showed no mercy, recruiting new fans and riling up the already passionate ones. With the first part of the set that included 'Misanthropic', 'Ronin', 'Hallowed By Thy Name'- with frontman Mikey requesting the mosh to show them their "best glory kill"- the energy in the room was building by the second. Giving us a throwback with 'Warfare' before hitting us with some other bangers off their Trinity album before Mikey decided it was time to slow it down a little. In what proved to be a rouse, instead, they gave us a preview of a brand new song 'Assassination Run'- a sonic display of unrelenting violence. Closing off their set with their latest single 'The Jericho Protocol' it was clear to see that the band had some new fans ready to hit up Spotify on their way home.

By the time it was turn for our headliners, the room was packed. Emerging to a thunderous reception, the audience made sure that they gave the band a huge welcome on their first-ever appearance in Adelaide. Lead vocalist Yukina quickly got the crowd clapping along with her, and from the first note over their opener 'O•TA•KU Lovely Densetsu' it was game on. With lightsticks in the air, cute outfits from both the ladies onstage and in the mosh, and people willing to lie down their lives in the pit- it was chaos.

After a few songs, including 'NEET GAME' and 'Kotoshi koso Gal~Shoka ver.~', Jesse, guitarist from The Gloom In The Corner, joined the band onstage in a Koala hat. The rest of Hanabie. pulled out their own Koala hats- fully getting into the spirit. Bass player Hettsu proclaimed that her eucalyptus was the Coopers Beer in her hand, which incited a "shoey chant". Declining on the grounds that apparently she had done one the night before, instead, she skillfully sunk her beverage to a room full of "scull" chants.

From then, it was game on. The pit got rowdier. The music got faster and heavier. Yukina displayed some of the nastiest vocals that you would never expect out of somebody dressed so cute. Drummer Chika was having the most fun, shouting her introduction to the audience and getting so into the spirit and guitarist Matsuri also backed up Yukina on vocals. Slamming through a setlist that went through popular tracks like 'Reiwa Matching-sedai', 'GIRLS TALK', 'Warning!!' and 'Tales of a Villian'- they closed the set with funky and heavy 'Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu.'

Of course, after that whirlwind set that made an hour feel like minutes, the Adelaide fans demanded an encore. Their wish was granted, as Yukina ran back onstage and encouraged an 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie' chant. The Tokyo band delivered two final songs- 'Choujigen Galaxy' and 'Today's Good Day & So Epic'- finishing off their Australian tour with a bang (and a few tears).

Attending as a casual fan, I was not sure what to expect- but after this show, I'm a fan for life. Insanely energetic and heavy from start to finish, making time disappear, I don't remember the last time I left a show with such a big grin on my face. Let's hope it won't be too long between dances before we see Hanabie. back on our shores again.

Review by Kayla Hamilton @kaylazomboid

Photo Gallery by Daniel Hill @no.quiet.photography
Please credit Wall Of Sound and Daniel Hill if you repost photos.