Walter SchreifelsIt's 8pm when Walter Schreifels walks on stage with his guitar and plays Requiem. From the very first note, he has the audience captivated with his gravelly vocals, which call to mind Bob Dylan or Ryan Adams, and his entertaining banter. "I learnt about kangaroos in such depth," he says, recounting a tale that we later discover (from a fan) is borrowed from the plot of action-comedy film Kangaroo Jack. Schreifels shares the stories and inspiration behind each song, which cover everything: our distracted lives (People Running), being homesick (Wild Pandas), making up over breakfast (Audrey) and worrying about Lil' Kim (Ballad Of Lil' Kim). Schreifels ends his set with Open Letter, which he dedicates to Frank Iero and his band. The song is an ode for a friend who passed away.
After a false start, Frank Iero & The Patience bounce on stage before screaming fans. "Hey friends, how are we doing?" Iero shouts into his microphone. "I had a bunch of shit to say about kangaroos but Walter took it all." With that said, the New Jersey four-piece throw their punk fury into Tragician. Iero's vocals are almost drowned out by the deeper hardcore growls of his guitarist and bassist. They storm through another two tracks - All I Want Is Nothing and Blood Infections - before Iero tells the crowd about the band's crazy tour schedule. "I have no voice left," he says, "so this mic is as much yours as it is mine." Despite his self-confessed lack of voice, Iero spends the rest of the night screaming, growling and shouting through the set.
The band play with texture, shifting from sections with just Iero and his guitar to a full-band sound. The tracks move between punk, new wave and hardcore, all played fast and at '11' volume. Towards the end, a fan holds up a sign with a song request. Iero laughs, "Yes we're playing that one, just not yet."
The night wraps up with Iero calling Schreifels back on stage to cover Ramones' Rockaway Beach. Schreifels sings the second verse, but we can't hear him as his microphone isn't working. Not that it matters. Both the band and fans shout out every word.
