Story Of The Year - Gig Review & Photo Gallery 8th August @ Forum Melbourne VIC

Story Of The Year
Forum, Melbourne VIC
August 8, 2024
Supports: Senses Fail and Behind Crimson Eyes

Over a year later from their Knotfest performance, Story of the Year are back on Australian shores and taking you on a journey to 2003 where side-swept bangs with blonde streaks were all the rave and if you think you needed more black under your eyes, you probably did. Page Avenue became an iconic album in the post-hardcore scene and to celebrate this big milestone of 20 years, SOTY are playing all of your favourites from the album.

Joining them for a ride down this path of nostalgia is Melbourne’s own post-hardcore heroes Behind Crimson Eyes who kicked off the night with some old hits such as ‘Shakedown’, ‘You’ve Had Your Chance’ and ‘The Bonesman’. The band also debuted their new song 'DEAD.DROP.DEAD' which has been replaying in my head since hearing it live and was definitely one of my favourite songs of the set. Those breakdowns were killer! With their new song, they also announced that they are putting out one last EP before retiring after being a band for two decades.

Next to take the stage at the Forum was New Jersey’s very own Senses Fail who were also celebrating an album anniversary for Let It Enfold You which was released in 2004. Playing the record in full was a trip down memory lane not just for the fans but also for the band who hadn’t played songs like ‘Slow Dance’, ‘Angela Baker and My Obsession With Fire’ and ‘Martini Kiss’ since the album first came out. They had such great banter and energy with the crowd who gave it right back to them who were singing at the top of their lungs to their favourite songs, even starting a circle pit during ‘Rum Is for Drinking, Not For Burning’ and kept the moshing going for the rest of the set. Frontman, Buddy Neilsen was a ball of fire on stage who was bouncing around and even cartwheeling during a couple of songs into their set which was so awesome to see. Finishing off their portion of the show with a mash-up of ‘Break Stuff’, ‘Chop Suey’, ‘Down with the Sickness' and ‘Bulls on Parade’ by some legends of the scene became one big sing-along which was one of the highlights of their set for me. I love it when there are cover songs included in the sets!

A sold-out crowd waited in anticipation for the band of the evening to take the stage and what a show they put on! Story of the Year began the night with the first song of the album ‘And the Hero Will Drown’ followed by ‘Dive Right In’ and ‘Divide and Conquer’. As well as playing classics from the album they also performed a couple of songs from their 2023 release Tear Me To Pieces such as ‘War’ – one of my favourites - ‘Real Life’ and title-track ‘Tear Me to Pieces’. Now it wouldn’t be a typical Australian show without the words “shoey” being chanted over and over again. But before he did one, frontman Dan Marsala shared a new tattoo with us that he got recently of a shoey on his leg because “that’s how much I love your fuckin' weird country”. There wasn’t a single person in that room who wasn’t just as into the show, bouncing around, headbanging and having the best time singing along as the boys up on stage were. There were small mosh pits that were going on with some crowd surfers coming through every now and again. The group's uplifting and spirited energy along with their comedic banter made it feel like we were all good friends hanging out which shows just how much the band are a tight-knit outfit with their fans and it’s an awesome thing to see, especially when it’s with a band you resonate with so much. It’s a unique quality of the best kind and adds to seeing that band live again in the future or reminiscing on the time you did see them while listening to their music. Towards the end of the set, the Forum was lit by flashlights and lighters during the song 'Sidewalks'. The boys even brought back Jason from Senses Fail to play bass with them for 'In the Shadows'. Ending an excellent set with 'Until the Day I Die' was the best way to conclude the night.

Looking back on Story of the Year performing at Knotfest last year with a huge crowd in front of them was great and sparked my interest in the band, but this intimate concert at the Forum with a couple thousand people definitely solidified my adoration for them and their music.

Setlist

And the Hero Will Drown
Dive Right In
Divide and Conquer
Anthem of Our Dying Day
Page Avenue
War
Razorblades
Burning Years
We Don’t Care Anymore
Real Life
Swallow the Knife
Sidewalks
In the Shadows
Tear Me to Pieces
Falling Down
Until the Day I Die

Review and Photo Gallery by Jade Vassiaras Insta: @a.snapshot.of
Please credit Wall of Sound and Jade Vassiaras if you repost photos.

Behind Crimson Eyes

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Senses Fail

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Story Of The Year

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