It's a cold, drizzly night in Toowoomba (6 October), but that hasn't disheartened the sizeable crowd gathering for The Butterfly Effect's show.
Caligula's Horse begin the night, dropping in fast and heavy from the outset. They blast through fan favourites like 'Marigold' and 'Rust' as the tension in the air thickens."I love this guy in the front," frontman Jim Grey says. "He's giving us the thumbs up for good work. That's the best."
Their final song, 'Dream The Dead’, sports a deliciously thick and heavy intro, before a melodic chorus showcases Grey's brooding, flowing vocals.
High guitar notes ring out giving a sense of urgent hope. The song pauses abruptly as Grey lifts his hands to the air, singing an unexpectedly beautiful falsetto. It rises and falls as the band launch back in before ending their set.
Next up, Thornhill come out under streaming pink lights. The drums beat viciously as the distorted vocal rings out.
Jacob Charlton's ridiculously high vocals scream over the audience. "Toowoomba, how the f... you doing?" he asks, commencing the next song and screaming possibly as high as I've ever heard a man scream. He wears a spiderweb-laced black and silver jacket.
"Jump!" he demands. It's frenetic. Charlton floats effortlessly between deep notes and falsetto, before launching into deep growls. It's impressive and quite an experience.
Suddenly, the lights drop. The Butterfly Effect enter to 'Intro' from their album 'IV'. The bass drones and the atmosphere charges. They run into 'Dark Light' as purple and orange lights flash into the misty room.
Frontman Clint Boge throws his hands out over the audience, pointing and drawing the crowd in as he sings "until we meet again". "It's good to see you," he says after the song ends. "I love you."
'Window And The Watcher' begins and the lights are stunning, gorgeous orange and pink floods the space. Boge's vocals are stunning as he dances around the stage.
They jump into 'A Slow Descent' and the crowd is jumping as the yellow lights flash incessantly across the stage. Clint is forward and commanding as he hangs the microphone out for the audience to sing. The song hangs for a moment and the audience belts out the lyrics before the band ceremoniously rejoins.
The room turns green, and it becomes clear that Boge pulls off wearing a flanny as only he could do. "Always," Clint sings, pointing to the crowd as the band thrashes it out. "Mate you guys are having a good time over there. I'm watching you, this is good value," he remarks.
For 'So Tired', the drumming is incredible. Ben Hall doesn't miss a beat. Something about this show feels different, and suddenly it becomes apparent that not one iPhone is out. Every person is here living the moment together.
'Room Without A View' commences, and Boge's voice blasts out strong, as the lights flash frantically. "Where were you hiding?" Clint asks in drawn-out vocals. They are captivating, a real moment in time.
Hall beats hard on the snare to announce 'Nil By Mouth'. "I don't care," Boge declares, pointing directly. The bass runs up and down the tin walls of Blank Space.
"I just want you to know, if forever exists, inside of me forever you'll go," Clint sings from 'Gone'. His lyrics are poignant and deep, they strike a chord.
The guitar rings out solitary notes to the yellow room for 'Before They Knew'. "It's alright," Boge sings in a beautiful falsetto, and you feel like it is.
"You let me down once again, everybody runs, it's a crime," Boge confesses. The lyrics are moving and emotional, before the band suddenly descend into energetic rhythms.
"Give me one second to breathe!" Clint calls out from 'One Second Of Insanity', before the whole space turns dark. The audience applauds rapturously. "Now you wake up tired, so uninspired to face the world, the world's on fire," Boge sings. The song came out in 2008, but it feels strangely prophetic of the current times.
Kurt Goedhart's guitar solos are impeccable. The song continues for an age, but time seems to be moving very fast.
The encore begins with 'Visiting Hours'. "The years have passed me by, was it worth waiting for?" Boge calls out and surely The Butterfly Effect were worth waiting for.
"Are you ready for the next one?" Boge asks the crowd, as they affirm loudly.
"Last night I dreamt I had you with me, closer still to see you leave," Boge cries, as the crowd responds.
The lyrics are powerful and deep. The lights are incredible, and the band is extremely tight. Overall, it is one memorable experience. Above it all, Boge's voice stands tall.
