A Day To RememberWith the standard 10pm sound restrictions in place, Melbourne's Dream On Dreamer are thrust out into the Brisbane evening not long after 6pm and make the most of their shotgun slot, pumping up a solid early pit with an intense set of heart starters. Operating as a five-piece now with former keys player Daniel Jungwirth moving onto bass, the band are clinical in their delivery – former textural frills unneeded – and the introduction of guitarist/clean vocalist Zach Britt injects new tracks like Loveless and The World In Front Of Me with an improved sense of emotion and clarity. Frontman Marcel Gadacz is ever gracious with his appreciation for those who came to rage early, but as it stands, we should be the one's thanking Dream On Dreamer, the locals showing they can more than mix it with the big boys.
Although they have one of the shittiest band names in heavy music, The Devil Wears Prada know how to get it done when they unload in a live setting. Another group that has shed keys and synths for a more streamlined and muscular approach, they blast through their 45-minute set while running relentlessly across the Riverstage, presenting select new songs such as Gloom as well as a best of selection from their most recent fare, with highlights including Mammoth and Assistant To The Regional Manager. The drumming of Daniel Williams is relentless and hits you right in the middle of the chest, while wild vocalist Mike Hranica gives just enough space for the melody in between his howls and roars so that nothing winds up sounding monotonous.
The rain has held off, everyone is in high spirits – it's time for the headliners. And when you sign up for a performance from A Day To Remember, you know you're going to get some fun. The Florida five-piece have long stood against the metalcore status quo, whether it's with their unashamed pop punk stretches in song or their colourful stage shows, and we cop both those sides tonight in amongst the obligatory breakdowns and fist-pumping shout-alongs. The quintet don't hold back, offering up a big list of fan favourites as well as energy levels that stay on the red line for their whole set. Almost half of the 20 songs are pulled from 2009's Homesick record, with the whole thing basically a big fucking party, with plenty of pitting and crowd surfing taking place. A four-song encore led by an acoustic It's Complicated and concluding with The Downfall Of Us All caps it all off, the masses sweaty, the faces smiling, confetti cannons showering us with ribbon rainbows.
