Despite being saturated from the relentless rain, when I step through the doors of the Thebarton Theatre I'm immediately met by a welcomed burst of heat.
There is an energised buzz in the air (8 June); I hear friends talking about the time they saw Henry Rollins at Soundwave while dads are assuring their sons they're "in for a good night".The crowd, spanning early teens to late 70s, has gathered for punks angriest Mr Nice Guy. In Australia for the first time since 2016, the renowned musician, writer and radio host is at the beginning of his 18-date spoken word tour 'Good To See You'.
As the clock struck 8:01pm, Henry burst onto the stage, instantly igniting the crowd. Cheers, screams and then a hushed silence fills the venue, foreshadowing the captivating night that awaited us.
Despite being an intimate show, Henry holds the microphone intensely with the lead looped around his wrist, reminiscent of his days screaming at audiences in Black Flag.
"Live urgently, live eventfully," he declares, setting the tone for the next two and a half hours.
Referring to himself as the "world's most travelled rock & roll guy", Henry shared his love of experiencing places without stages waiting for him: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Antarctica to name a few.
A global pandemic had taken these opportunities away from him and admittedly, I was hoping this wasn't going to be a show centred around Covid-19.
Instead, Henry passionately expressed his desire to play a part in making the century end better than it began. He delved into speculations on why people do what they do and offered honest, sometimes brutal, and matter-of-fact insights.
Henry's mission to eliminate homophobia and racism in the younger generations was clear, as he acknowledged the futility of trying to change the minds of entrenched middle-aged individuals.
Furthermore, if Rollins did encounter youth displaying insolent behaviour, he would "sit them down and make them listen to the Ramones, Bad Brains and The Clash".
Currently residing in Los Angeles at the bottom of the Hollywood Hills, much of the content was inspired by American corruption, cleverly tailored to resonate with the packed room of Australian fans.
By sharing stories of his controversial upbringing, encounters with 'stalkers', and false accusations, Rollins seamlessly intertwined these narratives with the overarching themes of resilience, anger and unwavering determination.
A great show inspires you to become better, while a truly exceptional one leaves you only wanting to be unapologetically yourself. Henry Rollins embodied the latter.
Mentally exhausted from absorbing every word he uttered, I couldn't help but wonder how Henry felt at the end of his show. I mean, the man didn't take a sip of water the entire time.
