Live Review: Cog, Sleepmakeswaves, Switchkicker

Comeback shows can make us forget the bad times and that’s what the last six years have been like without the greatness that is Cog, the greatest progressive rock band Australia has produced.

Starting the night were the Adelaideans Switchkicker. Now a duo, bringing hard rock music into the new-age and wielding the electronic launch pads and keys with one-handed ferociousness while gripping the microphone like a snake with the other. Industrial hard-rock is one way to define the Dan’s (Sutherland and Newstead) sound. Once we get past the fact there are no guitars, the music is excellently tight and solid.

A wall of glorious melt-your-face sound is the only way to describe sleepmakeswaves. If there was a lack of guitars in the previous act, this Sydney four-piece make up for it. The band look positively ecstatic to be on stage, soaking in the vibe of the growing crowd. Bassist/keyboardist Alex Wilson prowls the stage with guitarists Otto Wicks-Green and Daniel Oreskovic. Finishing with Something Like Avalanches, we are perfectly primed for the main act.

Six years is a long time not to hear from your favourite band. The Gower brothers, Flynn and Luke grace the stage with drummer Lucius Borich to a backdrop of strobing light before jumping into Doors. Looking and sounding like they just left our stages yesterday, they are as tight as they ever have been. Borich’s drumming is still in the upper echelons of the art and Flynn’s vocals are spine-tinglingly soaring. 

Then Flynn tells us what we’re dying to hear. '..so we’re going to try and release a new album.'

When they dive into Resonate, the crowd erupt. Moshpits, fists in the air, lyrics belted out in pure elation. Swamp is as poignant a view of Australia’s politics as ever and we sing it like possessed.

And then Flynn tells us what we’re dying to hear. “..so we’re going to try and release a new album soon..”. Pandemonium! Two albums is not nearly enough Cog. One-hundred minutes after coming back to a stage in Sydney, Cog walk off to the echoes of No Other Way. It was a perfect comeback, filled with nostalgia and love. 

Cog fans are not going anywhere and we trust they are back for good.