The Bronx seem to share a special connection with Australian live music audiences, could it be we just get each other (read our interview with frontman Matt Caughtran to find out more about that), whatever it is the band are currently on tour across this great wide land and tonight they are ripping it up in Sydney at the Metro.
Opening on this tour for The Bronx is High Tension something the band did four years ago upon the very same stage. Right from the opening track, vocalist Karina Utomo shows she is a dominate fierce force filled with the sound of rage, she screams venom up on the mic, at first it’s just standing up on the stage, then it is pressed up on the barrier only to take it over into the pit and scream in the crowd. This Melbourne quartet have an extreme live show, drummer Lauren Hammel is simply dynamite, guitarist Mike Deslandes one gnarly shredder, all of this goes to producing the bands’ heavy sound. Call it what you will but simply put this band is heavy and have been creating a buzz all across 2018 so put in the effort, turn up and let High Tension be the band that gets you ready for The Bronx.
Who doesn’t love a bit of midweek punk? Apparently quite a lot of us Sydney-sider’s love it, as for we have turned up in huge numbers tonight to see LA punk band The Bronx slay it at the Metro. As a funky samba type beat plays them on to the stage they walk out to a heroes welcome as we make some mother fucking noise,” it is about to go down in Sydney, no rules tonight, not when the Bronx are in town” declares vocalist Matt Caughthran. They waste no time ripping into Unholy Hand the crowd waste no time getting the fuck up and we are only half way through the opening track and Matt has already staged dived into the pit and made it back on stage to finish the song and let rip the next one Sore Throat.
You can tell straight from the get go this show is going to be epic, the band and the crowd are so full of energy it was simply electrifying. A Bronx show is often heralded as one of the best live music experiences and tonight was no different. The Bronx came to fuck shit up and they did, of course some tracks get us going more than others and when Heart Attack American came on the place went off, back to front the mosh pit swelled and people kept crashing over the barrier like waves upon the rocks.
Once it seemed like the energy level had dropped ever so slightly and it was time to pick it back up by taking things up a notch with They Will Kill Us All. That one was definitely for all the old school punk rockers in the building tonight, but straight after that shit got even more crazy with Knifeman. As Matt jumped down into the pit the mob swarmed around him, but knowing the drill they quickly formed the biggest and nastiest circle pit yet and when the band bought it back in, it was absolute chaos on floor. They finished out the set with Around the Horn and this gave us a kick ass display of slick guitar work from Joby, we held our hands high and clapped loudly as the song cut out, the band thank us and exit the stage.
My ears are left ringing, my legs ache from the stomping and my body is covered in sweat and not all of it my own, but I feel ecstatic with the one more song chant in full effect. They come back out and give us heartfelt thanks and we make some noise, for not only The Bronx but all the bands tonight, without further ado we go back to fucking shit up with I Got Chills. We would be given one last chance to let it all out with show closer History’s Stranglers and then it was peace out Sydney and another great Bronx show comes to a close.
Review – Chad
Photo Gallery – Christian Ross
