As I arrive, rolling into Brisbane's The Tivoli I'm met by a sea of side fringes, fishnets, and mid-2000s nostalgia.
Short Stack are getting the local emos fired up like it's 2009 all over again (6 June). The crowd's already losing it before a single chord’s even rung out—phones up, eyeliner running, voices cracking from pre-emptive screaming.Joining in the musical fray are two warm-up acts who aren't just making noise – they're kicking the doors off. First up, Days Like These come pumping out onstage and tearing it up with the likes of 'Show Me Love', 'Baby Blue', and 'Sourpuss' hitting the crowd with a triple-shot of hooks and bite.
Punters are moving early, drawn in by the tight transitions and charismatic delivery. From there, it's a riot of colour and sound – 'Primadonna' comes strutting in, and their cover of 3OH!3's 'Don't Trust Me' sends a ripple of sing-alongs through the front third. While their closer 'Bloodshed' seals their set with a flourish of sweat and conviction.
Days Like These - image © Clea-marie Thorne
We get a break with fine vintage punk emo tunes keeping us in the mood, coming at us through the venue PA while late arrivals cram in,and others still queueing for merch memorabilia hopeful their tee sizes don't sell out. Loads of excitable chatter and reminiscing heard between songs and softer notes.
Second support Friends Of Friends follow it up with a slick and surprisingly emotional turn. Opening with 'Heaven', they set the tone with Barnaby Baker's smooth vocals and steady build-ups.
They then fire straight into the glistening stomp of 'Morphine' and the snarling punch of 'Anti-Christ'. By 'End Of The World' the room's swaying, and by the time 'Attention', 'Graves', and 'Wolfgang' hit, the band has a few hundred new fans mouthing their lyrics.
They wrap with a scorcher – a cover of Paramore's 'Ain't It Fun', giving it their own punchy twist and sending the crowd off with a familiar anthem that still hits like a freight train.
Friends Of Friends - image © Clea-marie Thorne
The merch desk has been absolutely rinsed – what started as a wall of gear is now down to a few lonely white tees and the odd vinyl. There was a lot, now there's not. Emo economics at work. Then it's time.
The lights drop and chaos erupts as Short Stack storm the stage to 'Ladies & Gentlemen'. Shaun Diviney (vocals/ guitar) struts out like he never left, all skinny jeans and swagger, (I'm not seeing the eyeliner and the hair do's average Joe) punching out riffs while grinning like a bloke who knows he's got everyone in the palm of his hand.
Andy Clemmensen (bass/ backing vocals) is looking like a garage-rock dad, but still with the energy to be bouncing across the stage, slapping that bass with the same chaotic dynamism he brought 15 years ago. Behind the tubs, Bradie Webb (drums) is absolutely belting it, laying down thunderous fills with surgical precision and a face that says he's loving every bloody second.
Short Stack - image © Clea-marie Thorne
They charge through 'Princess', 'Shimmy A Go Go', and 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' without coming up for air. Each one's a grenade lobbed straight into the pit. We are reminded that some of these songs were written while the lads were still in high school. Jeepers. Diviney jokingly admits they had to learn them again and try and remember what they were about.
By the time 'Counting The Stars' hits with mobile phone lights shining towards the stage rocking to and for in obeyance, punters are soaked in sweat and screaming their hearts out, hugging their mates and grabbing strangers to shout lyrics together. It's such a feel-good gig vibe right now.
Short Stack - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Then comes a surprise combo – medley mode activated – smashing through 'Before Angels Fall', 'One Step Closer', '17', and 'It's4u' in a turbo-blur of riffs and chaos. 'Armageddon' is my favourite. Boom! It crashes in like a brick wall, and then it's 'Amy', tender and raw, getting phone torches twinkling in the air again.
After that, Diviney and Clemmensen walk offstage, leaving Webb alone to flex hard on the kit, dropping a drum solo remix of 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger' that's turning Daft Punk into drum & thrash. It's unhinged brilliance.
The lads return for 'Thick As Thieves' and then the big hitters start flying. 'Shotgun Wedding' gets arms pumping, and 'Planets' comes with cold sparks going off like mini lava eruptions, lighting the whole room in flashes of gold and squeals of delight. They duck off, but no one's buying that it's done.
Short Stack - image © Clea-marie Thorne
The encore kicks off with 'We Dance To A Different Disco, Honey' and the whole place explodes – hair flying, eyeliner running again, punters screaming like they're possessed.
Then 'The Back Of My Head' rolls in, and so do three young tykes, in Short Stack band tees, running and dancing across the stage; even one of the young whipper snappers gets to sing into the mic with Diviney (maybe this one is his sons?) while mum records it on the phone in the wings. So gorgeous. A new generation of Short Stack progeny not afraid to let loose in front of a crowd. Yew! Rock on.
This exhibition is followed by the banger of all bangers, 'Sway, Sway Baby!'. Finishing on a high, they pull the classic move with more sparks shooting upwards igniting the air. We know it's over when we they put their backs to the crowd. While the crowd shot is snapped, punters are throwing horns, hearts, and chaos into the air behind them.
Short Stack - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Walking out of The Tiv, ears ringing and fringe damp with the sweat of nostalgia, it's clear Short Stack aren't just some throwback novelty act. They're still kicking, still shredding, still giving a packed-out room of emos-turned-adults (and their offspring or baby bros and sissies) a night worth screaming about.
They might've come from MySpace, but they're owning this moment like seasoned pros. Here's to another 15 years of eyeliner (not so much these days), breakdowns, and bloody catchy hooks. Thank you, very much.
More photos from the concert.
