It’s Saturday night in Sydney, I have my first gig of the new year to attend and its a sold out; double header at the Metro, Neck Deep with State Champs.
Opening things up for the night are local lads With Confidence, these guys have just recently been signed to Hopeless Records which is really great news for them. The line outside to get in is huge, the floor is filling up fast with young audience members keen to start singing along to their pop punk beats, a keen fan throw’s a rose on stage to lead singer Jayden Seeley. They cover Blink 182’s ‘Feeling This’, which is well received, a mosh pit ensues…… when does a local opening support act ever get this kind of attention? I think to myself, these guys are definitely going places.
State Champs Album Around the World and Back made the the top ten list in SCENEzine albums of 2015 I couldn’t wait to hear some tracks from it live. The 5 piece take the stage with the energy you come to expect from this pop punk power house, they open with Secrets and we all sing along at the chorus “I have got more secrets then you will ever know” . “Are we ready for a good night?” asks lead singer Derek Discanio? well it sure seems that way with the enthusiasm coming from the crowd. From then on out its all hands up and non stop movement. A circle pit opens up for Perfect Score and I see Captain America get swept up in the ensuing mosh, All you are is History keeps us pumped. For their third visit to Australia, State Champs claim this is possibly their best experience here and I am inclined to believe them. With that sentiment in mind, it feels like the band are really at home here, they encourage us to get crazy and crazy is what we give them. Hard to please comes on, another song I love, and another sing-along is held. Next comes props to With Confidence and then its losing myself an more circle pit action. It is closing time and they ask “can we handle one more?” a scream of YES is let out, bodies start flying through the air and on the last chorus of Elevated, the lead singer crowd surfs and is lost in the pit what a show, glad I was part of it!
After seeing the two already great performances it is head liners Neck Deep turn. Fast Furious and energetic is the best way to describe what was unfolding before my eyes playing first up Citizens of Earth followed straight into Loosing teeth and its on like Donkey Kong. The heavy riffed Gold Steps drops in like a bomb the crowd sings along followed that into Grief and we all just can’t stop singing and moving the set is filled with great tracks Over and Over the energy never dies its like the freaking Energizer Bunny. The encore hits us up with Head to the ground Kali Ma and can’t kick up the roots
All in All this night was an awesome night of Punk Rock with the line up all international affair with bands from Australia, America and the UK if you haven’t caught up with this tour yet then get on board and if you missed it when it was in your city then get on a plane and catch it in the next city it hits
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Review By Chad
Photos Shot By Christian Ross