The Fortitude Valley Mall is chockers and as I near The Fortitude Music Hall the line to tonight's final Violent Soho (SOHO) show (10 September) is snaking down to Brunswick Street.
I'm one grateful fan lucky enough to get one last hit of the euphoric energy produced between SOHO and their fans whenever they play it live and loud.Having seen alternative rockers Loser recently at BIGSOUND, I was keen to get me some more and stoked I have arrived early enough to catch both support acts tonight.
Doors open on time and the venue quickly fills. It's no surprise to see punters lining up inside to grab merch which is going to deplete at a rapid rate by the looks of it. Others rush to the barrier to stake their spot for the rest of the night, while others are hitting the bars for liquid refreshments.
The stage is set up for the first support and Loser go 'Head First' with their opener that has bodies moving closer to the stage and heads nodding in time to the music. Well that didn't take long – in no time we have crowd surfers and shoulder riders in the pit.
Loser - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Hitting us some more with their punk-edged rock rhythms we get some of their anthemic sing-along fan faves 'On The Edge' and 'Don't Leave Me' (how apt). The heavy, sombre mood of 'Time Won't Wait' is lapped up by punters.
This three piece from Melbourne have a sound that is dense and immense. Craig Selak (formerly from The Bennies) and Emily Car are making our hearts sync with their tight, rhythmic vibrations. Tim Maxwell shows us he's no whiny vocalist as he lets loose his forceful pipes while tearing it up and down the fretboard.
While 'All The Rage' album celebrates its first birthday, we rejoice the new EP and get a taste of 'Someday' live followed by 'Lazy' and 'Skyward'. Closing with their eponymous song has fans in the pit going rank while the rest of us sang along with great gusto – Loser is winning!
Intermission is rowdy and I can barely hear anything anyone is saying to me, so I default to smile and nod mode. It's nearly time for the second support and apparently many in the crowd know the words to Vanessa Carlton's 'Thousand Miles'; I confess I am not schooled on this.
Punters are now welcoming DZ Deathrays to the stage with loud cheers; I glance up at the balcony and notice many of the punters up out of their seats again as the timeless 'Gina Works At Hearts' set us loose once more.
DZ Deathrays - image © Clea-marie Thorne
DZ Deathrays are their own flavour yet I love how I can hear the '90s influences woven into the fabric of their creations. 'Blood On My Leather' for some reason leaves a hint of Jane's Addiction that's been grafted with RATM on my music palate, which I admit may be more about emotion than technical flavour.
SOHO fans definitely have a soft spot for DZs as punters get 'IN-TO-IT' – sh.t is getting wild on the floor and continues to with 'Like People', 'Ocean Exploder' and 'Make Yourself Mad'.
It doesn't stop there as we're getting more 'Fired Up' with 'Riff City' ahead of one of my favourite darker, fuzzy songs, 'Paranoid' with its smashing drums and riffage that just pulls more crowd surfers up above heads and incites clapping from fans who know the dealio.
Finishing off their banging, fun and hectic set with 'Shred For Summer', I may have thought this crowd couldn't get anymore nuts but apparently it can, especially when Dune Rats are crashing the set to help with a cover of 'Scott Green' – they managed to level up! Heck yeah, what a scream-along!
Sweaty bodies head for refills and whatnot. Others take a minute to rest their tired legs wherever they can find a dry spot in anticipation of the main act.
Beer, rum and sweat are the three major olfactives in the air at the moment and share the atmosphere with the vibing energy that has been created and is now idling during the short break. Well that energy is now being ignited as our living legends and beloved Mansfield Maestros show themselves on stage as the crowd erupts into a welcoming barrage of sounds and gestures from excited punters.
Violent Soho - image © Clea-marie Thorne
The eyes are already misty and the emotions are so confusing you can do nothing but run with them. Opening with 'Sleep Year' I think many of us are already wishing the hiatus could be that short – yeah unlikely, but we can dream.
There is no warming into this set, we have been primed by the first two acts, we are here, we are present and we are out of our minds with joy, sadness and nostalgia. Speaking of nostalgia, there is a mention of the band playing across the mall at Ric's back in the day and many a punter is nodding in remembrance and oh boy, we are getting a Santa sack full our favourites tonight including 'In The Aisle' and 'Viceroy' with a boisterous sing-along.
Violent Soho - image © Clea-marie Thorne
And if I was to call that last one boisterous, 'Love Is A Heavy Word' upped the ante with punters chiming in another 10 decibels above that. There is not a still body in the crowd on the lower level and I reckon not many, if any on the venue top level as SOHO are killing it with a passion and ferocity that is as usual laden with a frenetic energy that we're amplifying back at them.
United in song, dance with arms flailing, glasses raised we get into the recent release 'Kamikaze', which we already know the words by heart before we get mistier with 'So Sentimental' and 'Saramona Said'. A woman riding on shoulders is holding a t-shirt high for the band members to see – written on it are the words that reflect what we are all thinking: 'Don't leave us.'
Violent Soho - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Knowing this is the very last SOHO show for possibly a very long time has fans conflicted. Me personally, I know I want to scream like a toddler and stomp my feet and shout "it's not fair", but the responsible me who totally gets it's not about me – gets it.
As punters we are expressing our SOHO love as hard and loud as the lads play their music. Boerdam, Henery, Tidswell and Hardy are relentless in their playing, eye contact is made with punters locking in the energy connection, which is intense from the beginning to the end of the show. Henery is making a small tornado with the additional amount of windmilling he is spinning out tonight!
Violent Soho - image © Clea-marie Thorne
We continue to take it in and willingly participate in the live experience some more with 'Fur Eyes' and 'How To Taste', which have thankfully made this last set list. It's not too much of an exaggeration to say there are times punters are singing along louder than the band before us.
'Vacation Forever' comes next and as the band are working through these beloved bangers, emotions are running even more high and I hazard a guess that many minds who know the name of this song, are thinking 'I hope not!'.
Violent Soho - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Three of the best – what am I blabbing about, three! Sheesh! MORE of the best comes at us with 'Jesus Stole My Girlfriend', and the timeless classics 'Like Soda' and 'Covered In Chrome' that has us screaming "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" as loud as we can.
The night could have ended there, but the exchange of energy fuelled them up enough to return after the flock of fans gave a mad round of stomping that shook the crap out the foundations of the TFMH.
The vibrations called the quartet back onstage for a long encore starting with 'Dope Calypso' (when the crowd prepared to yell out the words the dark backdrop fell away to reveal a white one behind it and we are singing: "Nothing's gonna save us. . . my only dope calypso," nearly taking the roof off.
Violent Soho - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Then again with 'Pick It Up Again'. Ecstatic, we explode into a rabid frenzy at the start of 'Tinderbox' and then the SOHO fan choir is giving their all to sing the melody. Singing, dancing, moshing continue and do not let up for one minute.
As 'Muscle Junkie' kicks in and we pushed those "F... You's" from the bottom of diaphragms through our hoarse throats, this flock of SOHO worshippers know the end is nigh when 'OK Cathedral' begins – such a fitting song to end all live songs for SOHO; that is of course, until the next time.
With many hugs between band members onstage and standing in front of their faithful followers soaking up the love emanating from us, I couldn't help but get caught up in the bittersweet emotion and failed to take notes from here.
Violent Soho - image © Clea-marie Thorne
There were many thanks given, including to Michael Hardy (Trim Reaper) on tubs and immense gratitude for the many people that have journeyed this far with SOHO; from memory among them were their booking manager, I OH U staff, production crew and fans and many, many more.
Mixed emotions are whirling in the venue. I am witness to real tears from punters before and during the show depending on punters personal connection with the songs on the set list. I'm guessing there were a lot more behind the scenes as the band left the stage after throwing keepsakes to devotees. Henery even personally gifted a set list by reaching over and handing it to a punter over the barrier.
Violent Soho - image © Clea-marie Thorne
SOHO's hiatus of unknown length is commencing with a private afterparty at The Zoo to mourn the sojourn and celebrate the achievements thus far with drinks and hugs aplenty oh and pizza! Get this: One pizza is even named 'Cheeses Stole My Girlfriend' – love it!
There is much reminiscing and I can definitely feel and almost see the love-energy flowing to and from the lads as they connect with their close friends, family and privileged others in the confines of The Zoo. Please don't make us wait too long SOHO – I am already longing for the next time!
More photos from the show.
