Deafheaven – Gig Review & Photo Gallery 3rd June @ The Triffid, Brisbane QLD
DeafheavenThe Triffid, Brisbane, QLDJune 3rd, 2023Support: Closure In Moscow, RUN
A true game changing act, Deafheaven tore-up the black metal rule book when they exploded onto the scene with their sophomore record Sunbather. Sure, other frost-bitten extreme bands have explored the inclusion of atmospheric elements into their sound, but no other artist has successfully melded black metal with shoegaze, post-rock and elements of alternative rock - and the quintet received some serious mainstream attention and accolades for their efforts. For their fourth tour of Australia, the group are not only armed with a (relatively) new album, 2021’s excellent Infinite Granite, but a decade-worth of some of the most powerful and emotional blackened music ever.
Opening tonight’s showing is the quickly rising quintet RUN. With a sound hard to fit into an exact genre, there are moments of visceral pace and intensity, as well as choruses that wouldn’t sound out of place in the early 00’s post-hardcore/metalcore scene. Frontman Lochlan Watt is a great leader and puts on a hell of a performance - it’s only obvious how absolutely ragged his voice is during the between-song banter. Recent single ‘Everyone’s Cancelled, Everything’s Cancer’ is a high point of their set, while their metaled-up cover of The Goo Goo Dolls ‘Iris’ clearly has that potential crossover/viral element to it. Even the blastbeats don’t sound out of place on RUN’s take on the 90s anthem. Backed by a great, beefy mix, RUN put on a strong showing and their riff-heavy half an hour gets more than solid reaction from the slowly filling Triffid. A band to keep more than one eye on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3RgeXaxAMU
While RUN’s sound shared a lot of common ground with our headliners, the same can not said for the fellow supports Closure In Moscow. The long-running progressive/alt/funk Melbourne act is a frankly strange choice for this tour, and it seems to be a mutual feeling for a majority of those in attendance. Playing to an emptier venue than RUN, you can literally hear a pin-drop between tracks - it borders on an awkward experience for those who aren’t in the outside bar area. No slight at the musicians of course - they’re both tight and relaxed, and kudos to them for showing no signs of playing to a disinterested room. Frontman Christopher de Cinque is comfortable and casual, vocally reminiscent of the likes of The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala and the late, great Jeff Buckley. Closure In Moscow’s music is uptempo and danceable, which would normally sound perfect a Saturday night out on the town, but here in The Triffid supporting a black metal/shoegaze hybrid (neither of which styles you’d refer to as uptempo or danceable), Closure In Moscow are too out of place - and just don’t have the songs - to make this anything more than a case of strange bedfellows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqNr4ZVdonc
With The Triffid finally beginning to fill out, Deafheaven take to the stage to rapturous applause as they launch headfirst into the furious ‘Black Brick’. While they may be celebrating 10 years of Sunbather at their Dark Mofo appearance later in the month, tonight is all about Deafheaven’s newest full length Infinite Granite, and we’re treated with something of a ‘greatest hits’ style setlist. Perhaps due in part to the lacklustre previous act, but there is a major step up in every regard with Deafheaven’s performance this evening. The increased crowd response helps of course, and while Deafheaven are a well toured unit by this point, it’s clear that the American’s still harbour real passion and enjoyment for their art. Their emotionally charged sound sees frontman George Clarke shriek and barrel his way across the stage like a man possessed, while the guitar interplay between Shiv Mehra and founding member Kerry McCoy is magical, especially during the soaring leads of ‘In Blur’ and the powerful ‘Gifts for the Earth’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXTBQQU191Y
Newer material from Infinite Granite slots in perfectly, with the more restrained and clean vocal orientated tracks sounding lush and immense in the live setting - again the great sound bolsters things, although the low-end is a little overwhelming during the rare moments of raging double kicks. The main set closes with the fantastic ‘Mombasa’ - a tune that touches on every element of Deafheaven’s sound both old and new - and then the amazing one-two encore of ‘Brought To The Water’ and the massive ‘Dream House’, which conjures up the only pit of the night and is the perfect way to conclude their performance.
While it’s only natural to be jealous of those going to Dark Mofo and witnessing Sunbather being hammered out front to back, tonight is still a special and amazing showing from one a true modern day great bands. This evening’s atmosphere may be a little tamer compared to the usual black metal fare, but the diverse crowd here in The Triffid will have unquestionably shown Deafheaven enough love - and received it back - to bring the groundbreaking five piece down under once again.
Review by Andrew Kapper
Photos by Sean Fabre-Simmonds. Insta: @sean_f.s
Please credit Wall of Sound and Sean Fabre-Simmonds if you repost photos.
Run
Closure in Moscow
Deafheaven
Deafheaven - ‘INFINITE GRANITE’ Australia & New Zealand Tour
w/ Closure in Moscow
New ZealandTue 6 June – San Fran, Wellington NZThu 8 June – Turning Fork, Auckland NZPerth, Adelaide and HobartSun 11 June – Rosemount Hotel, Perth WAw/Tangled Thoughts of LeavingMon 12 June – Badlands Bar, Perth WATue 13 June – The Gov, Adelaide SAThu 15 June – Dark Mofo, Hobart TASTickets Herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81ITd6ByRLE
