Gang Of YouthsGang Of Youths exploded onto the Fremantle scene Saturday night, wrapping up the final leg of their Australian album tour celebrating Go Father In Lightness. Their longest and most conceptually developed release yet has received critical acclaim across the board, and expectation for a passionate stage delivery was high as hundreds of fans filled Metropolis.
The night kicked off with some tunes from Fountaineer, a relatively new band on the scene, they did a perfect job of warming up the crowd with buzzing and dreamy indie riffs. Singles like The Cricketers were a definite highlight. After a short break, triple j's rising indie-rock darling Ruby Fields hit the stage to show off her latest guitar-driven anthems. Delivering a tight and polished set, she's definitely one to watch on the festival circuit this summer.
The headline act appeared a little earlier than expected for a Saturday night, but still not a moment too soon. Radiant lighting filled the tight Metro's stage as one-by-one Gang Of Youths filed out. Their commanding stage presence was immediate as the first guitar chords lapped at the audience like the gentle rhythmic push of the tide before the inevitable wave built up into a thundering rendition of What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?. The crowd surged forward, growing in numbers as the venue quickly filled to capacity, hundreds of sweaty, willing bodies piled into the main theatre to witness the spectacle.
It was clear from within the first minute or so that not a single person on stage was holding back. The passion and deep-seated emotion carried in the music was clear, most of all from lead singer David Le'aupepe, his powerful pipes effortlessly echoing throughout the room with smooth baritone lows that built to soaring highs.
In stark contrast to the powerful indie-rock ballads that opened the set, after three or so tracks the lights went down and Le'aupepe slid onto a piano for a gentle rendition of Kansas under a simple spotlight. It was impressive to see the singer open himself up for such an intimate and vulnerable moment so early in the night. It was no mean feat to quickly switch the mood from thrashing rock to such subtle and delicate folk/soul, which connected so personally with the crowd.
A true highlight of the night was the trio of songs at the heart of the set, a delicate instrumental interlude built up into the bass line of Let Me Down Easy, before launching into a roaring performance of the song itself. All-time fave Magnolia came up shortly after, with Le'aupepe teasing the crowd with a witty musing on life, ''We're all just drunk and stumbling around in the dark, for a kebab." Arguably the band's most popular song even after the release of their latest album, the 1000-strong crowd responded in pure delight and dedication, chanting every single word with mesmerising glee.
Then came their latest single and possibly the finest track of the night, The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows, which switched the vibe back to a more thoughtful and passionate feel as the slow-burn song built up to a stunning climax of guitars, percussion and incredible vocals.
Le'aupepe was lively and energetic, truly the heart and soul of the show. He carried passion throughout the entire night, it was deeply impressive to see such commanding and charismatic stage presence from a man just into his mid-20s. The way he held the stage felt like he'd been an entertainer all of his life. Neither the crowd's nor the band's enthusiasm waned as the show slid into its closing songs. Vital Signs was the supposed finale of the night, with a build up into a head-banging guitar solo complete with seizure-inducing strobe lighting to end the night on a buzz, as Le'aupepe saluted the crowd and exited the stage.
Almost immediately, the pleas for an encore began, belting out three words in perfect unison; "one more song!" (a couple of the more intoxicated punters clearly hadn't had enough of the hype and were even demanding Magnolia be played once more). It wasn't long before GOY obliged and returned to the stage to a roar. Belting out a four-track encore, ending with a gentle reminder and a poetic show closer to go on and Say Yes To Life. Gang Of Youths delivered a truly remarkable concert filled with passion, energy and emotion, it's safe to say not a single person left feeling short-changed. For the best part of two hours, Le'aupepe and his Gang gave it their all, playing possibly the best show of the year so far.
