Detroit Michigan metal, alternative, hard rock band Pop Evil are touring Australia for the first time with headline dates around the country, tonight they hit up the Metro in Sydney. This isn’t the first time we at SCENEzine have experienced Pop Evil’s high energy live shows. They opened for Poison and Cheap Trick last year on the “Poison…Nothin’ But A Good Time 2018” tour in Las Vegas (Read our review ). Their live show blew us away then and I know they will do it again here at The Metro tonight.

Exploding on to the stage the band open with all the fast furious action of their single Boss’s Daughter the band waste no time establishing a connection with the audience and showcase what a Pop Evil show is all about. With five albums under their belt the setlist was a great mix from across all five records with some fun set highlights thrown in making it even more enjoyable for the fans Deal With The Devil mashed up with Bodies by Disturbed plus Last Man Standing with some Eye of the Tiger showcasing the bands personality.

Pop Evil just place so much energy and passion in their show, mixed in with a huge sound that just blasts you right in the ear drums and smacks in you the chest. The five piece are pure talent, they have an electric stage presence which is overwhelming, drummer Hayley Crammer really something to watch. Front man Leigh Kakaty is a powerhouse vocalist with all the rage of Zack De La Rocha and then harmonisation sound of the late Chris Cornell and in what I would describe as a truly bombastic live music moment he jumps the barrier enters the crowd and goes around the whole room giving every fan a high five before jumping back on stage finishing out the main set. Their would be no sleeping through the encore as they sang so loud they be Waking Lions and then left us with Trenches.

Tonights gig at The Metro will go down in history as Legendary seeing Pop Evil give their all in a venue this size may never happen again. In a pre tour interview with SCENEzine vocalist Leigh Kataty said “be open minded, give us the opportunity and we will deliver. It’s all about the live show. We are going to do our best to put on a great show” And they did just that.

Review – Chad Heard

Photo Gallery – Christian Ross