Let me start this review advising that Wednesday night gigs aren’t for the faint of heart. As I write this, I’ve just slept for 5 hours and worked an 8 hour shift, my ears are still ringing and the stamp on my wrist still looks fresh, and yet I can’t find myself holding any regrets. Last night, Drew, Tristan and I found ourselves shuffling down Swanston Street and descending the familiar, steep stairs of Max Watts to catch Sydney based band Bloom’s biggest headline show to date. I’ve only caught them live once, back in 2022, when they opened for Void of Vision (RIP) at this exact venue. Having been lucky enough to have sat down with vocalist Jono at the start of the night (go watch here!) he ensured me that he was still trying to wrap his head around it, feeling equal parts nervous, honoured and blessed.

The first band to take the stage was NTH RD, who I’ve had the pleasure of seeing quite a few times now, watching as they’ve evolved into the gritty, atmospheric staple in any locals rotation. As per usual, they were tight, effortlessly so, and as they played through their most recent single “The Death Of Us,” I found myself grinning in the back corner of the venue. Something I noticed about the crowd tonight was their attentiveness. Sure, there were small murmurs shared between mates here and there, but everyone's eyes were glued to the stage and hands were poised to clap every time the last chords rang out.

I snuck away to snatch up a cheeky pint, then weaved my way through the bodies and shuffled up to the barricade just in time for the start of Saving Face’s set. Off stage, these lads are very cheeky and down to earth, but as they took their spots on stage, a certain kind of prowess set in. Slamming into their first track, I felt my beer splashing on my leg as my head and body snapped in time to the gnarly riffs. I may have only dabbled in melodic metalcore in my time, but I can assure that these guys are masters within the genre, with mind bending drums and scorchingly devastating vocals that translate brilliantly live. As if the set couldn’t get cooler, Jordan Dunbar from Starve jumped on stage to unleash his wrath, and at this point, the crowd began to get sweatier and more electric, cheers practically shaking the floor as the band waved their inevitable goodbyes.

Saving Face & Jordan Dunbar / Photo Credit: @_tristanphotos

With what felt like no time to spare, the screen on the back of the stage lit up with a galaxy, and a cat with lasers beaming out of its eyes, which I thought was fucking awesome and took me right back to my old Tunblr reposts circa 2014. It was Avoid’s first time performing in Australia, and I’d heard many praises of their live sets, and they sure did not disappoint. Ripping out a pig squeal in their first song, lead singer Benny Scholl was a spectacle of how to be an amazing front man. Equally hilarious and talented, his vocals tore through the venue as more and more bodies moved into the pit. Slamming through so e bangers such as “Cowabunga” and “Burn”, the room was entirely enamoured by the precision of each cymbal crash and shrill of the guitar. For their final song, Scholl warned the crowd that he wanted 15 crowdsurfers, minimum, and that he was in fact counting. As the track played out, bodies flew over the barricade, and the band grinned ear to ear at the chaos.

Soon enough, it was time for the main act. The lights dimmed as the incandescent opening chords to “Out of Reach” bounced off the venue walls, and the audience's roars of cheering nearly overwhelmed the PA system. I could have sworn that every single person in the room was singing along, and it was also cool to see people from all different age brackets sharing the same smile on their faces as they snapped their heads in time. Whether it’s the insane amount of touring, or the long time the band has now been together, it’s astonishing to see how fluent they are with one another. Regardless of the complex breakdowns or the tempo changes, each track is so clearly and brilliantly constructed and played, leaving me in awe at certain points. Between nearly every song, Jono took to the mic to express his gratitude to the audience and the long-time fans, a look of genuine astonishment washing over his face as he took in the crowd.

“So many of you have ridden with us from the start until where we are tonight, and for that we couldn’t be more grateful,” he said, before the band slammed into “Belrose,” definitely my favourite of the night. It was so gorgeously serene, as the soft whirring slipped in between the twinky guitars, I felt goosebumps shimmer over my skin. “Tongue Tied” was a close second though, as Mikaila Delgado herself jumped on stage to sing her parts, the love and excitement they all shared was palpable. “That’s enough of the sad shit,” Jono announces, and with no delay the opening chords of “Act II” roar through the speakers. This show was a complete and utter success, with endless crowdsurfers and the most passionate audience I’ve seen in a very long time, it was hard not to feel like a proud parent in some strange way. A complete full circle for a band who deserves it more than anything, they’ve worked their asses off to get to where they are today, and I hope that after tonight they can see how much it has all paid off.

Huge thanks to Destroy All Lines!

Bloom | Max Watts | Melbourne | 18th February

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