Live Review: Gyroscope, The Love Junkies, Graphic Characters

With smooth rock vocals from guitarist Chris Winterburn, drummer Jarryd Price hell-bent on annihilating his kit and tight, gritty bass from Mark Wallington, it was clear a run of shows in some of the country’s best rooms had kicked up the intensity of Graphic Characters’ live show, setting an exciting new pace for the band.

Good things indeed come in threes, and when local rockers The Love Junkies set up shop with a pedal overload, tampering with tones until everything locked in perfectly, it was time for grunge rock mayhem. They made enough noise to fill the room three times over, and the playful and eclectic nature of their tracks left no dull moments. Guitarist Mitch McDonald and bassist Robbie Rumble threw a wealth of vocal variations around punk, grunge, and rock riffs with creative, blistering beats from Lewis Walsh. The Love Junkies pertain a credible originality that few can match.

Gyroscope playing their classic debut, Sound Shattering Sound, ten years after its release in full was, for some, the most anticipated show of the year. Fists thrust into the air in synchronisation for opener Confidence In Confidentiality with suffocating bass from Brad Campbell and a booming kick drum from drummer Rob Nassif that was borderline dangerous. Frontman Daniel Sanders wasted no time getting up close and personal with the audience, climbing into a sea of clapping hands for Safe Forever. Playing the classic album in full saw tracks surface that usually wouldn’t make the set, and Hollow Like Cheyenne and Get Down were pleasant additions.i

“We’re going to slow it down a little bit; we’re getting old,” Campbell joked. Equipped with an acoustic guitar, Sanders led Misery. Punters knew exactly what was coming, but each track was met with unrivalled excitement.

Making its live debut on the tour, My Hands Are Tied smashed it, making its exclusion from the set over the past ten years criminal. From Zoran Trivic’s guitar work and Nassif’s insane drumming to the crowd screaming along, Driving For The Storm encapsulated the vibe of the album perfectly and slid nicely into album closer You Try Waiting This Long – a slower number that allowed for reflection before hits from the band’s other three records were delivered, closing a solid set with Snakeskin. Expectations were shattered and the ringing in ears reflected screeching guitars from a night that will live on, much like the legacy of the band’s game-changing debut.