Under a glassy moonlight glow of the Hindley St Music Hall's regal chandelier, patient South Australian fans of Canada's most legendary post-hardcore ensemble Alexisonfire assembled.
Having held onto some of the hottest tickets in town for the grand finale of the band's Australian tour, they were witness to one of the most blazingly energetic shows money can buy on a late February evening (27 February).Alexisonfire, an act with an enduringly powerful and emotive back catalogue, literally packed cover to cover with anthemic, iconic and timeless material have been gradually welcomed back onto stages internationally after a hiatus from 2011-2015, last visiting the continent in 2017. Last year they released a number of singles and a colossal new album, 'Otherness'.
Luca Brasi, the longstanding Tasmanian melodic punk quartet, have opened up every date on this whirlwind Australian visit with Alexisonfire.
With a bright, clean, inoffensive yet urgent sound and cadence, the band, led by frontman Tyler Richardson, a confident and passionate showman with a charming Australian wit, powered through 30 minutes of cheerful pop-punk rowdiness.
It was little to no obstacle whatsoever for the group to get the growing crowd enthused, as it appeared many attendees were well versed and clued in with the outfit's body of work, singing along and delighted with the short selection of tuneful numbers.
Luca Brasi - image © Mike Lockheart
Alexisonfire were then swiftly greeted to tremendous, feverish applause, arriving onstage with little air or grace surrounding them; only a near tangible focus and determination to deliver the unforgettable emotionally charged shows they're rightly known for.
The break-neck sudden kick-start of 'Drunks, Lovers, Sinners And Saints' saw a cacophonic trade-off of rage-filled screams emanating from guitarist Wade MacNeill and vocalist George Pettit; a harsh but fitting introduction to the colourful palette of Alexisonfire's unpredictable sound.
Alexisonfire - image © Mike Lockheart
With wave after wave of crushing verse and bridge, the monumentally uplifting chorus ushered in the soaring vocal talent of guitarist Dallas Green, commanding the attention of the room.
With a penchant for surprises, the set list (while carrying staples played on most dates of this tour) was on this night drastically reordered, adding a level of wavering intensity and calm reflection in equal measure, especially following the former song and 'Boiled Frogs' with an emotive performance of newer single 'Sans Soleil', a heart-achingly honest appeal for "hanging onto hope during the heaviest times".
Green's incomparable ability to sustain his soaring vocals was most evident on 'Rough Hands', a song that segued with a haunting piano outro into bonafide AOF classic '44. Calibre Love Letter' – catching the baited audience off guard and leading to one of the biggest sing-alongs of the evening.
Alexisonfire - image © Mike Lockheart
While Petitt has been on record about playing their older material stating: "As much as we love playing the old songs, we don't want to be a nostalgia act," this cut from the band's debut self-titled album, very likely being the first AOF music many in the room had heard, it was impossible not to let one's mind wander in a montage-like reprisal of teenage life, the career of this band and its influence on those touched by their work in tandem.
Remarkably for the climactic date of the tour, energy is high and seemingly boundless, evident none more so than within bassist Christopher Steele, who empathically accents every break and slam delivered via the song's hard-hitting riffs.
Alexisonfire - image © Mike Lockheart
This was especially the case during the tight musical syncopation required to launch into 2006 title track 'Crisis' – performed with terrifying gesticulation and aggression from MacNeill and Pettit, two imposing figures on the intimate Music Hall stage.
Before closing their set, and making a regretful sounding return to "the harsh Canadian tundra", Wade and George took turns reminiscing about the importance Adelaide has played in the band’s career – being the first Australian city the band had played in.
After revelling in anecdotes about other misadventures in town, opportunity was taken to sincerely thank the band's "spectacular" crew, with Pettit admitting in earnest: "We are almost useless individuals, we require a lot of help to do things, they do the heavy lifting, we love them dearly."
Alexisonfire - image © Mike Lockheart
They closed with a triumvirate of intense sing-alongs and jammed epics from their repertoire, 'Accidents' and 'Happiness By The Kilowatt' bookend a standout performance of instantly recognisable and mega chant-along 'This Could Be Anywhere In The World’ – all three songs that define the energy, optimism and hardiness of this band.
More photos from the show.
