American emo favourites and self-proclaimed best friend bands, Free Throw and Microwave are at the tail end of their Australian co-headline tour, with their second last show being held at Adelaide's Lion Arts Factory.
It's a modern emo's idea of heaven and the support acts, Garage Sale and Kurralta Park, give the early birds a taste of what's being created in Australia, both interstate and in Adelaide (2 August).
Only a ten-minute drive away from home, the three-piece band Kurralta Park (also a suburb for any non-Adelaidians reading) start off the night to a respectable early turnout crowd for 7pm on a Saturday night.
Their straight-up punk, Australiana sound is a welcome fit for the night as they churn through songs from their 2023 EP 'I Told My Boss I Was A Rockstar And New He Fired Me'.
It's a promising showing from a band with loads of potential ahead of their debut album 'Powell Street' that will be released on 22 August.
Kurralta Park - image © Thomas Jackson
Melbourne indie/ alt/ emo quartet, Garage Sale are on the final night of the tour (missing out on Perth). They've been opening for Microwave and Free Throw around the country, and they look confident and comfortable onstage.
They tease a preview of their upcoming album 'Any Day Now' with 'Punching Up', 'Not For Me' and the unreleased 'Kick It'. It's a polished and levelled-up sound, which doesn't move too far away from their 2024 EP 'Stars Fall 2'.
The rest of their set list is from this EP and they end on 'Sink In Yr Ship' and 'Movie'. The set is a dreamy, mellow break before Microwave and Free Throw send the room into a frenzy.
Garage Sale - image © Thomas Jackson
Atlanta emo quartet, Microwave take the stage fittingly opening with the first song from their first album 'Stovall', before moving into the anthem 'Lighterless' which sees the room's energy reach its peak only two songs in.
The electricity in the room continues as they do three songs – the title track, 'Circling The Drain' and 'Bored Of Being Sad' – from their latest album, 2024's 'Let's Start Degeneracy', back to back.
The mix of high tempo and slower songs, and screaming and clean vocals from vocalist Nathan Hardy, spread out evenly throughout the set list, keeps everyone in the audience engaged throughout. It feels like no time at all before they end with 'Trash Stains', 'Vomit' and 'But Not Often' with everyone screaming along.
Microwave - image © Thomas Jackson
Sometimes there's those tours where you can tell everyone is just ecstatic to be there. This is evident as Free Throw vocalist Cory Castro gushes about the tour with their "best friend band, Microwave".
It's only the second time Free Throw's visited Australia, but the crowd loves them like an old friend. The audience sings along word for word from the first song 'Such Luck', as it builds from Cory performing solo to the full-band onslaught.
They speed through the set list as Cory comments there's lots to get through in a short amount of time. The set list mostly consists of their debut album, 'Those Days Are Gone' – which recently saw new life in a ten-year deluxe version with special guests – including live essentials 'Pallet Town' and 'Tongue Tied'.
The iconic bassline of 'Two Beers In' acts as a siren song calling for beers to be tossed around the room. Adelaide is treated to 'Now Kith', which Cory says is a "special treat" they haven't played anywhere else on tour.
Free Throw - image © Thomas Jackson
Nathan Hardy jumps back up onto the stage lending a hand on vocals for 'What Day Is It, October?', which he re-recorded with the band for the aforementioned deluxe edition.
The night finishes with 'Hey Ken, Someone Methodically Mushed The Donuts' as Cory screams: "I wouldn't sleep for days, but now I sleep for days," to the crowd.
Tonight was one of those perfectly billed co-headline shows from two bands at the top of their genre.
More photos from the concert.
