Gig

Stand Atlantic - Gig Review & Photo Gallery 2nd April @ Beer Deluxe, Albury NSW

Tyler Lubke

/10

Apr 5, 2025

7 min read

Stand Atlantic
Beer Deluxe, Albury NSW
April 2, 2025
Supports: RedHook and Hevenshe.

I consider myself a fan of heavier music. As such, my music consumption is predominately a heavier mix of metalcore, deathcore and hardcore. I don’t often listen to the punk genre, but when I do it’s because they stand out. Stand Atlantic bleed authenticity and passionate expression throughout their evolving discography and has been one of the few outliers in my listening. The chaotic reputation of their shows had me chomping at the bit to see them on their latest regional run, alongside touring buddies in RedHook and Hevenshe.

I have admired Jenna McDougall’s versatile vocals as part of Tonight Alive, however I hadn’t listened to any Hevenshe prior to this gig. My first impression of her performance was that she was breathtaking. Jenna has crafted music throughout her career for all kinds of vibes – from energetic anthems to introspective ballads – and to see that translated into Hevenshe was a sight to behold. Aided by Alex Powys of RedHook on drum duties, she riffed and sang through powerful pop rock songs both familiar to fans and unreleased. The energy was upbeat and genuine throughout the set, delighting newcomers and fans alike. Jenna made sure to take the time to talk the audience about the importance and growth of women in the scene, how in the 2000s you’d barely see another woman on a lineup but tonight she’s on a tour fronted by badass women. These messages of femme empowerment accompanied the importance of following your dreams and starting your musical adventure. Taking on these crucial messages, and soul touching tunes has left me astounded with my first Hevenshe experience.

It’s been great to see RedHook evolve as a live presence over the years. Their energetic performance featured bangers from Mutation and Postcard from a Living Hell which were awesome to behold. Apart from long running set inclusion and personal favourite ‘Bad Decisions’, the show was a fresh live experience for me. Emmy Mack is a firecracker of charisma, delivering attitude and enthusiasm as she belts and screams through the performance. She made the effort to get involved with the crowd, making sure we felt a part of the show. Emmy jumped on the barrier, hung out in the moshpit mid-song, and brought up a crowd guestie for Sly Withers’ parts in ‘Soju’ alongside an epic sax solo. RedHook's live show is only going to continue evolving, and we are so here for it.

Stand Atlantic blew me the fuck away. From the minute they began playing, the night was such a party. You could feel the genuine joy as the band ripped through a stacked setlist, reaching all the way back to their earliest releases, pulling songs from as far back as Skinny Dipping and Sidewinder. The band delivered breakdowns and heavier hitting sounds with the likes of ‘SEX ON THE BEACH’, ‘KISSIN’ KILLER COBRAS’ and ‘WARZ0NE’, solidifying that Stand Atlantic aren’t just another punk band. They’d change this up with a piano rendition of ‘Toothpick’, and a cover of ‘Drops of Jupiter’. Bonnie Fraser told us of the cursed nature of her first love song ‘LOVE U ANYWAY’, and despite the origin story the air was pulsating with passion as Hevenshe took to the stage once more for a live feature on one of my favourite tracks. The upbeat happiness in the room filled my heart, and the hype grew as RedHook’s Craig Wilkinson jumped on to lend his guitar skills. You can see from the comfort he had, and the playful chaos with Stand Atlantic that this truly is a touring party of good mates having the times of their lives. That kind of comradery is inspiring and is the kind of chemistry bands should aspire to have. After a fake encore, I got the opportunity to sing my heart out with the Albury folk to my top song ‘Coffee at Midnight’. It was one of the many moments I get to experience in this life, that rekindled my deep love for live music. The chance to enjoy and have a level of participation with likeminded fans around me, with talented musicians is why I do this. Stand Atlantic turned it up one last time for ‘GIRL$’, as they instructed the audience to crouch down and jump on their command. This was the ultimate climax of a stellar night of music.

This tour is so important for so many reasons. Stand Atlantic curated a multi-faceted touring lineup of femme talent that kicks ass. Inspiring stories from Hevenshe and icons in RedHook also got their chance to shine on a 14-date regional run, ensuring smaller venues witnessed next level performances. The Albury crowd can be hit or miss, I’ve been to shows with big names where the crowd yap and use the gig as a hang out spot rather than seeing the artist. I am pleased to say that at Stand Atlantic’s halfway stop on this tour, Albury gave back the kind of energy that’s needed to ensure we keep getting regional shows. The passion displayed by audience members and bands is why we get to do what we do. This show was a reminder of everything live music can be when artists and fans collide with heart.

Review and Photo Gallery by Tyler Lubke. Please credit Wall of Sound and Tyler Lubke if you repost photos.