Live Review: Trophy Eyes, The Hard Aches, Trash Boat, Rumours

28 August 2017 | 6:35 pm | Taylor Marshall

"It becomes near impossible to tell up from down - the legs of a crowd-surfers entwined with the flailing fists of moshers."

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The chill clearly doesn't stop anyone heading out to ex-aircraft hangar The Triffid in Newstead. The door person is already overwhelmed with how many people are ready to enter the venue, and it's blatantly obvious that tonight is going to be gloriously wild and messy.

So early in the night, it's amazing to see the venue packed-out in a sea of band shirts and backwards dad caps. Rumours open the set with an overdose of chorus and reverb, the two guitarists perfectly synchronised in every strum and note. It's a such a vibrant set, comparable in sound to local Brisbane band Good Boy.

As the drum kit shreds into action, a mosh and circle pit begin instantaneously and UK band Trash Boat take the stage. The trebly sounds of the guitars combine with James Grayson's driving bass to deliver a wild, gutsy performance. Lead vocalist Tobi Duncan constantly moves the mic away from his mouth to give the audience a chance to yell out the lyrics of their tracks, showing the overwhelming stage presence of this band.

The Hard Aches, a two-piece punk-rock duo, take the stage and deliver one hell of a well-developed set. It's a show full of singalongs - like Glad That You're Gone and I Get Like This - that fills the room and captures the union between crowd and performer.

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The lights darken and, with hints of a guitar riff building up on stage, the crowd roars as they welcome the most anticipated act of the night, Trophy Eyes. Accompanied by blinding strobe-light effects, they blast into their set and it becomes near impossible to tell up from down - the legs of a crowd-surfers entwined with the flailing fists of moshers, punters sweat-drenched faces pressed against one another. Frontman John Floreani calls for a larger pit and for everyone to go as crazy as possible, and a circle immediately opens up for short-lived track Miracle.

While Trophy Eyes are predominantly known for their punk influence, the band brought things down a touch for Breathe You In. It's a softer tune than their usual repertoire, though the crowd still dived all over each other throughout.

After closing their set proper, the band take the stage again to dive right into a few more tracks. After consistent chants for the band to play Chlorine, the band finally closes their encore with the crowd favourite and as the hangar begins to empty, spirits are high and hearts pace uncontrollably.