After a run of red-hot Good Things Festival appearances and blistering headline side shows, the resilient and enduring appeal of American nu-metal frontrunners Limp Bizkit was on full display on Friday night in Melbourne.
Saying farewell to Australia at John Cain Arena (8 December), the band brought every bit as much energy to their performance as their baying crowd, performing an unrelenting set consisting exclusively of hits.Opening the concert was Brisbane-based trap artist Zheani, whose demonic, pixie-like aura led to an enigmatic and disorienting set of darkly pop-oriented numbers.
Throwing shapes and pirouetting across the stage, all the while silhouetted against hyper-suggestive body-horror visuals behind, her sharp tone spat embittered words of scorn and righteous self-assurance.
Zheani - image © Mike Lockheart
Despite advisory warning from doctors, Limp Bizkit's iconic frontman Fred Durst stepped onto the lowlit stage with his band mates, sharing aloud his much welcomed decision to go ahead with the night's show.
Clearly battling health issues judging from the sound of his raspy speaking voice, Durst postulated on his situation, ambling on some understanding, ultimately chalking it up to being "just one of those days" – thus igniting a righteous surge of sound and movement, as 'Break Stuff' ushered in chaos.
The band's remarkable ability to bridge generational gaps within their audience was evident early, even ahead of doors opening.
Limp Bizkit - image © Mike Lockheart
Amidst the sea of passionate fans, a striking sight unfolded: a diverse amalgamation of different age groups, including a substantial contingent of younger attendees who likely hadn't taken their first steps when Limp Bizkit first skyrocketed to fame in the late '90s.
The band's music, having transcended time, acted as a magnetic force, drawing in not just the loyal followers who grew up with their groundbreaking sound, but also a newer generation eager to experience the fervour that had left an indelible mark on the musical landscape, perhaps in large part due to recent viral performances (Lollapalooza 2021, and the hit Netflix doco series on the infamous Woodstock festival in 1999).
Limp Bizkit - image © Mike Lockheart
For many older fans, the concert was a nostalgic trip down memory lane, evoking a sense of youthful rebellion and raw, unfiltered energy that defined an era. It was a chance to relive the anthems that had soundtracked formative years.
Indeed, the music and cathartic energy it evokes is perhaps well suited in an era of financial hardship and political frustration that so many are enduring, and few bands go quite as hard as Bizkit and guitarist Wes Borland's simplistic yet powerful, rage-filled riffing.
Speaking of Borland, his stage presence is a spectacle in itself. An ever-evolving wardrobe of costumes and theatrical playing style added a layer of visual intrigue to the performance.
Whether clad in elaborate facepaint, masks, or eccentric outfits, Borland's presence is ever enigmatic and captivating, perfectly complementing the band's intense energy. For their run of Australasian and Japanese concerts this year, his garb has included some hundred home-made synthetic teeth draped from a ghostly shell-like helmet and sharp fitting white suit.
Limp Bizkit - image © Mike Lockheart
Decorated head to toe with hand-drawn floral patterns, his gaze – penetrating and sinister – juxtaposed with frontman Durst's cynical humour and beachy attire.
The fact Limp Bizkit's music, which once encapsulated the zeitgeist of a particular era, continues to resonate with a new crop of listeners underscores its timeless quality.
This concert served as a living testament to the band's enduring influence, bridging the gap between those who experienced their rise firsthand and those who discovered their music in a world vastly different from the one in which it originated.
Paying homage to hits of the past, the band ventured into covers of Nirvana's 'Heart Shaped Box', and a bar of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', along with their own infamous renditions of 'Faith' and 'Behind Blue Eyes'.
Never ones to take themselves too seriously, Durst and co. toyed with the audience's expectation of the contemporary rock show, altogether foregoing much in the way of a visual production, or merchandise. The focus falls squarely onto the riffs, the energy and emotion that their relatively rudimentary music induces.
Limp Bizkit - image © Mike Lockheart
Ever defiant to formula and rules, amid a jammed medley of 'Nookie' and 'Full Nelson', Durst then revelled in his own mischief, resorting to exceed the venue's stage curfew, and in remarkable form, closed the show with the very same song that opened it, 'Break Stuff', this time going twice as hard, wringing out every, last ounce of energy his crowd could muster.
More photos from the show.
