[Review] The Waifs @ Northcote Theatre, Melbourne 08/06/2023
Review By Terri Nas
Thursday night took me on an adventure to the inner north of Melbourne, to the beautiful and stunningly restored Northcote Theatre. Built over 100 years ago, the building provides a beautiful mood and atmosphere as soon as you enter the doors. With its high ceilings decorated with ornate plaster work and the breathtaking cocktail bar on the mezzanine overlooking the theatre, you feel as if you’ve been transported back to another era. Here, is where I was to have my front row encounter with the talented and melodious Aussie folk rock act, The Waifs.
20 years. 20 years can either feel like yesterday or an entire lifetime ago but in terms of music, time is irrelevant and The Waifs and their nostalgia-inducing music are a testament to that. The band are currently touring to celebrate the 20 years since their chart-topping album Up All Night was released back in 2003.
It was standing room only for the sold-out crowd, and the night began with an introduction from Mama Kin Spender who was the support act for the night. With Mama Kin on vocals and drum/rhythm section, and her offsider, Spender, on guitar and vocals, they provided some funky tracks with deep lyrics and a rich sound to get us moving and in the mood.
The Waifs, consisting of Josh Cunningham, sisters Donna Simpson & Vikki Thorn, and rhythm section Ben Franz & David Ross MacDonald, entered the stage to an excitable audience and got everyone fired up and stomping along with the first song of the night, Fisherman’s Daughter.
Nothing New was to follow, and then we soon found ourselves in London Still in which Donna recalled an entertaining story of trying to use her street cred of the song’s Triple J Hottest 100 success, on a younger generation that had no idea who she was.
We were then immersed in Josh’s life dream of living a solitary life with a personal favourite of mine, Lighthouse. I adore this song for many reasons, but it’s the stunning harmonies in the bridge and Vikki’s harmonica solo that really hits the spot for me.
Flesh & Blood slowed the pace with its slow and gritty vibe, and then we took a “12 hour drive” on Highway One. We kept venturing through the Up All Night album in song order, and then once we arrived at Three Down, the lyrics and melody had me back walking the streets of towns that I love in the Deep South of America.
The Waifs have a literal way of storytelling which has the ability to relay their stories straight to your heart, unleashing a wave of nostalgia and memories that may or may not be your own. Since I’ve Been Around is a perfect example of this, and if you’ve ever moved away from your small hometown to the big city, then it’s one that will hit hard.
To close off the album set was the atmospheric title track, Up All Night. We were then treated to a couple of extra songs from different albums, including a new song written about Donna’s latest love, The Swing.
The Waifs bid us farewell and departed the stage, but naturally the crowd were hungry for more so they had no choice but to reappear for an encore.
The encore was our train ride home from the gig, opening with the fun and upbeat Crazy Train and followed up with the beautiful song written about their grandmother, Bridal Train. After it was requested by many of the punters during the show, we were treated to a final rendition of the much-loved favourite, Gillian.
This was the second time I’ve seen The Waifs this year, and it was so wonderful to experience them in a completely different setting this time. Their unique sound, flawless harmonies, and raw & relatable songwriting is what make this group so well-loved. Speaking to fellow fans, their music plays such a pivotal part in people’s lives through the highs and lows that life brings. A brilliant feel-good gig, and I can’t wait to catch them again.
[Review] Static-X @ Northcote Theatre, Melbourne 19/05/2023
Review By Cassandra Hale
The Northcote Theatre has been a musical hot spot of late but It was my first journey to the venue so I was keen to scope it out. The initial trauma of trying to find a car park was quickly forgotten as I stepped into this beautiful heritage listed venue, steeped with history I knew it would hit the mark perfectly. After seeing Static-X in 2019 and knowing how crazy the crowd was I chose to watch from the balcony tonight and what a vantage point it was. With an unimpeded view of everything I was impressed with my decision and settled in for a killer night of metal madness.
Melbourne’s own Witchgrinder got the night off and running and let me tell you these guys rock hard. Every time I see them they show more and more growth as a band and are super tight. The theatre was already packed with the fans turning up early so they had a mass of punters cheering them on for the whole set. Treating us to a thirty-minute thrill ride full of all the best of their catalogue which included Bloodlust, Rigor Mortis and their new single Dead by Dawn which was lapped up by the eager hoards. I certainly recommend getting along to one of their shows you will be glad you did.
Tonight’s show was SOiL’s first in three years and what a treat it was. Playing their hit albums Scars in its entirety for the rapidly filling theatre. Recently talking with bass player Tim King I could feel his excitement about this tour and winding back the twenty or so years and reliving this album back on the stage. They worked through the tracks verbatim with the exception of Halo which I knew would be the last of the night. Opening with Breaking Me Down they were off and running stirring the crowd with Need To Feel and Wide Open. Hands clapping in unison as they powered through the set, Understanding Me, My Own Unreal and Inside played out while singer Ryan McCombs worked the stage with his energy filled performance. Two Skins, The One and Black 7 were smashed out, time flying by so fast and before I knew it the killer intro of Halo was ringing out. The packed crowd happy to take over the vocals and let rip enjoying the last song of the night. Ryan jumping in to the pit holding out the microphone for a tad extra amplification. What an absolute delight to have SOiL here in Australia, they crushed their set and certainly set the bar high for Static-X.
The hoards were pushing forward and you could not get another person in Northcote Theatre with a shoehorn, and let me tell you it was hot, damn hot. The place was amped, and the white noise was deafening as we waited for the climax of the night Statix-X. For the uneducated, the original band are back in place with XerO at the helm on vocals. The most fitting tribute to Wayne is a celebration of his insanely good music, so here we are tearing it up celebrating the belated 20th anniversary of Machine. Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline rang out, the crowd more than happy to deliver the bom, bom bom’s on queue, taking the energy up another notch, and in a strange twist the Time Warp lead into the start of the show. The night was peppered with hits from this Machine and plenty of other gems to keep the hoards satisfied. Permanence, This Is Not and Structural Defect was the opening trifecta, and I thought XerO was impressive last tour, but holy shit has he had some serious upgrades!! He stood in Wayne’s shoes and filled them to the brim, in fact he overflowed them. He was perfection, his voice, his movements his whole persona wreaked Wayne Static, it was encapsulated in every pore and I was well impressed. His new look comes courtesy of none other than Eddie Yang, and he absolutely nailed the concept of ZerO and what Staic-X hoped to portrait. He captured the theme of Machine in spades as ZerO came complete with glowing red eyes and a mohawk made from cables, the industrial feel was alive in him, and it was a sight to behold.
Tony Campos had the bass covered adding his growls to the tunes for good measure, he worked the stage like the seasoned professional he is, and was clearly having a lot of fun. Love Dump and Wisconsin Death Trip and Bled For Days blasted out as Koichi Fukuda ripped it up on guitar, this pocket rocket bounced from one side of the stage to the other with undying energy. The stage set up was one of epic proportions, although I think the show should have come with its own seizure warning! The screen and lighting itself was a sensory journey that burnt my retinas on more than one occasion. Pulsing with lyrics, flashing lights and images it took the show to the next level for the whole night. It was well suited to the music and made for a holistic feel of industrial metal. Kudos to the lighting team, job well done!
It was just over an hour of power like no other, Static -X pushing the songs hard and fast, Terminator Oscillator, Destroy All and Get To The Gone to name a mere few from the setlist. The fans were surfing across the top and the mosh was in full flight, everyone happy to be back involved in all the craziness of an unrestricted live gig. I did a quick trip downstairs to gauge the vibe just as ZerO said “everybody fucking jump” and you could feel the floor move underneath you as the bouncing ensued, it was electric to say the least. Ken Jay was a demon on the drums, what a treat to see them all together playing as Cannibal and the Nine In Nails cover of Terrible Lie which they released this year blasted out. XerO paid respects to Wayne with Cold and the fans united with arms swaying side to side taking in the love for Mr Static, it was quite emotional to be part of, his images gracing the big screen in a mark of love and respect. Then things ramped up with I’m With Stupid, fans running on pure adrenaline by this time of night as huge balloons were released into the theatre. What a spectacle it was from my vantage point in the balcony, these massive gas bags being punched with reckless abandon.
Tony stepped forward to show his appreciation to the Australian crowd as he introduced the band and then it was the one we had all been waiting for Push It!! To say the Northcote Theatre exploded would be an understatement, it was every man for himself as the floor became a blur of bouncing and moshing and all things that we love about a metal gig. As they left the stage for the final time, my heart felt full, a most deserving tribute to the great Wayne Static and if he was watching I am sure he would have felt it too.
Thank you Static-X, you came, your saw and you kicked out mother fucking arses!
[Review] Sleep Token @ Northcote Theatre, Melbourne 30/04/2023
Review By Kynan Arden
The metal scene in recent years has evolved into many diverse sub genres and in themselves take their own unique styles, with some groups taking this on such as Bad Omens, Thornhill, Spiritbox, and Sleep Token. I had the incredible opportunity to see the latter of this bunch at Northcote Theatre, and if anybody said that you could not mix the filthiest of breakdowns with ethereal electronics that is a lie (try telling that to Pertubator. I dare you)
After fans packed together like tuna and bartenders delivered drinks into mosh pits as if we just invented in-house hospo DoorDash, a thick smog of smoke shielded the stage and within it, Sleep Token’s mysterious, identity-ridden front man Vessel, with his tremendous vocal dynamic, opened the night with Chokehold before the remaining mask-clad members joined him as they quickly flowed into an early fan favourite, The Summoning, to which both myself and half the venue collectively lost our voices to this baby-making anthem, and salivated at the unstoppable drum solo halfway through.
With a thunderous stick-wielded behind the kit, an engaging guitarist and bassist, the highly energetic Vessel and his enthusiastic moves, and the three statue-like, robed backing vocalists, Sleep Token set the scene of a real dark and gothic tone, infused with modern day pop and electronic influences, and the whole design of the entire being clad with villainous outfits and being devoid of any form of identity really adds the theme, in some way being comparable to a melancholic performance rather than your stock metal gig. The fans were enchanted by this phenomenal performance from beginning to end, head banging, moshing, and raving alike to the group’s discography of powerful numbers.
Sleep Token wasted no time for the entire hour and a half they performed, perfecting a flawless performance that kept you engaged every second. From the sultry, seductive undertones of Hypnosis, to the ever so energetic yet angst teeth gritting Granite, carrying over to the oh so behemoth-like Alkaline, every first note or beat of each track sent roars and applause thundering through the theatre, and every lyric was sung loudly as long as there were any, and no amount of makeup of masks could hide the pure energy surging through the members of Sleep Token and clear enjoyment behind the anonymity. It was an experience experiencing such a diversity between heavy, dancey, and mellow/slow songs, an experience which I admire.
Additionally, the band did not spare a cheeky nature as they teased us fans multiple times exiting the stage in short minute long intervals, and truly milked the opportunity to playfully keep us waiting before the conclusive encore, constructing not one but three mosh pits during the finale, The Offering, before the group blessed us with their gratitude upon departing. However, the classic local chant, “One More Song!”, quickly erupted from within the crowd, pleading a final hoorah. To my surprise, this worked, as Vessel took position behind the keys, accompanied by the stunning backing harmonies from the three backing vocalists, and excitingly presented a live debut of their newest single, DYWTYLM.
It’s safe to say that for their first headline tour of Australia, the underground entity that is Sleep Token certainly delivered an unforgettable live experience after shaking the metal industry worldwide with their hits. I have a sneaking suspicion this is only really still the beginning of this powerhouse of a band’s journey, and I’m beyond excited to see what’s next.
[Review] Ashnikko @ Northcote Theatre, Melbourne 01/04/2023
Review By Nikki Eenick
I went into Ashnikko’s show at Northcote Theatre a casual listener. I’ve left a full convert to the blue-haired, bisexual, psychedelic way of life.
While we wait in the cloaking room and wander to the bar, we are stars in an early-2000s teen movie; soundtrack courtesy of support act, Donatachi. Blasting DJ-mixes of iconic 1990s, 2000s and 2010s bangers like TLC’s No Scrubs, Destiny’s Child classic Bills, Bills, Bills as well as upbeat, poppy, and undeniably fun original tracks like b2b heartbeat. Donatachi has such a cute aesthetic; something straight out of Scott Pilgrim VS. The World, which elevates their hyperpop track-list to new levels of camp. Feeling down? At a picnic? Visiting Nan? Put on some Donatachi and watch all the bad vibes wash away.
The stage is framed by two pieces of floor-to-ceiling inflatable coral, and a projection screen at the back, humming with a pink hue as we wait excitedly for our headliner; Queer, hyperpop icon Ashnikko, to take the stage. This is her first Australian tour, and her fans are overjoyed. At first, we are standing on the upper-level of the venue, casually taking in the anticipatory energy, but as soon as she takes the stage, we run down to be in the crowd of people on the ground-floor. Her energy is infectious, it would be such a waste to not be dancing and jostling and scream-singing with everyone else.
Starting with Deal With It, her energy is already a 10/10. Wearing a tiny plaid mini skirt yet somehow still high-kicking and rolling on the floor, she has perfectly mastered the balance between athletic performance and sex-appeal. Distorted memes flashing on the projector screen behind her remind us of why she is such a Gen Z icon. Throughout the show, however, she’ll use that same screen for visuals of a porcelain doll version of herself being eaten alive by cockroaches, of Italian-neo-noir-horror-esque sequences of her removing her own porcelain face, of falling stars and rainfall. She is so authentically herself and the screen acts as a window into her mind.
Ashnikko loves to talk to her audience, and we are hooked on every word, every syllable. In one of her talks, she reminds us of the importance of a balanced diet. “I’ve eaten so many mushrooms the last few years”. Her crowd loves her, throughout the show there are countless bracelets, bras and crocheted mushrooms thrown on stage. “You guys are trying to kill me” she laughs, nearly sliding on a bracelet mid-song. Someone else holds up their sign – “Is that my tits?! Nice!”. Unfazed, confident, and impossible to dull, Ashnikko is serving herself on a platter for us. And it’s such a tasty main meal (sans shrooms). The coral on either side of the stage starts to inflate and deflate, I feel like I’m tripping. She has us locked in a pseudo-psychedelic trance.
“Is anyone having a slumber party tonight?” She asks, innocently. A crowd of voices start cheering. Never have I heard a song as unabashedly about female pleasure, Queer female pleasure, as Slumber Party. Potentially Ashnikko’s biggest hit, everyone in that room knows every word. Originally, a collaboration with Princess Nokia, instead of cutting the verse out of her song, Ashnikko fully embraces the in-your-face sexuality of the track and drops down to the floor, seductively dancing until it’s her time to sing again and she jumps to her feet and is back to that same, semi-manic, fully engrossing stage presence. As the song ends, me and my friend make friends with the people next to us. All of us standing with our feet together and fingers together in a “shy girl” pose (those who get it, get it). We all say the last few lines together.
I’m shy…. I’m so shy….
And then we smirk at each other, like it’s an inside joke, and go back to our singalong.
Ashnikko is openly and proudly bisexual, and the lighting for her show flashes in the colours of the bisexual flag (pink, purple and blue) throughout the entire night. I’m surrounded by a sea of women, many of them there with their female lover. It’s a night of inclusivity, unashamed sexuality, and a celebration of Queerness.
Maybe my favourite performance of the night was her rendition of Maggots. Before it starts, she gets us to scream, as loud and as angrily as we can. “My housemates used to ban me to one scream a day. Now it’s time for yours”. This track has a punkier edge than many of her other songs and it’s great to see her mixing camp and extravagance with a tougher, don’t-fuck-with-me, yelling edge. She is a force to be reckoned with. The room is lit up with flashing blue lights and the projection screen looks like it’s covered in eyes, but it’s hard to tell over the swarm of people moshing and jumping around in front of me.
But, without a doubt, the highlight of the night is Cry. It’s just such an undeniable banger. Every line, I find myself nodding. She just gets it. I really can’t find the words to describe how fucking unreal this song was live. Her vocals live were outdoing her vocals on the recording. She would be jumping around, dancing in the red strobe light, and then screaming, somehow in perfect, angelic tones:
Bitch! / Are you trying to make me cry? / Are you trying to make me lose it? / You win some and lose some / This could get gruesome
There’s not a single person in that room who isn’t screaming along. Even those of us who half-knew the words, suddenly knew every word. The energy for those 3 minutes could fuel me for the rest of my life. So fun. So cathartic. I wish I had the words to describe it to you.
As a break from the track, she sits us down for an anecdote. “One day, like two years ago, I was walking through the woods tripping balls. I wasn’t wearing shoes and I felt my feet becoming the moss, and I fell asleep at the base of this tree. At the top were two beautiful, winged creatures and they said ‘bitch, what the fuck are you doing?’ and I said, ‘I’m decomposing, let me decompose!’ and then they said, ‘ok but kiss me on the lips first’. And so, I did. Then these tendrils of moss came out of them, and I said ‘oh! I have a gay little album to write. And so, I did. And it comes out on Tuesday! After my experience with the moss-feet, I realised, nothing matters. The world is burning, and I have worms in my brains.” And then she launches immediately into Worms. We are laughing and trying to sing along. She’s so eclectic and deeply authentic, it’s almost impressive.
Then she pulls out a chair and says “Now I need something from you guys”. I was fully expecting someone in the front row to get a lap-dance. But no. “The chair is out, and it’s time to slow things down a little. I do a little…. Exercise, a little self-love, a little…. guided mediation thing. If you could just lean into it. Close your eyes for a second”.
We do.
“Imagine a real bioluminescent blue cloud.”
I see a cloud the same colour as Ashnikko’s electric-blue hair.
“It’s so beautiful, and you feel it travelling down to your fingertips and there’s this blue electricity coming out. It’s soft, and it doesn’t hurt. Give your head and your abdomen a hug, and repeat after me:
Hello my love
(Hello my love. My headache I didn’t know I had is being soothed by blue light)
I’m proud of you. Nobody is perfect. We are on a floating rock in space. I love you, baby”
Amen. Everyone is a little teary and a lot rejuvenated.
Ashnikko spends the rest of her time either acapella rapping songs like Manners. Or letting us into the world of Ashton Nicole Casey. After an audience member collapses, she stops entirely to make sure they’re ok. “I’m a really claustrophic person, so I am so thankful you’re all here today. I hate being crowded – and that’s on PTSD.” And then later, after being forced to do the Australian right-of-passage; The Shooey. She not only gags and makes a joke about a fungal infection, but goes on to say “I should be sponsored by pepto bismol, if my gut could be anthropomorphised it would be a very sad peace sign. Any IBS girls here? Any Spooky Bitches?” After which the stage goes black and red and we launch into You Make Me Sick!
Finishing with Daisy, a TikTok viral sensation. She cuts herself off halfway through the first verse. “Come on. This is Australia. You guys are meant to be the rowdiest crowds in. the. world. And that’s all you’ve got? Let’s go again. Like you mean it this time.” And we give it all we can. After which she says thank you, and it’s genuinely sad to see her go, like saying goodbye to that friend you rarely see, but when you see them it’s like no time has passed. And as soon as she’s off, the house lights come up. No encore. No more. That’s it.
We are left begging for more. Smiling ear to ear and laughing with the people around us. I have never had so much fun at the back of such a sweaty theatre.
