Published on spaceshipnews.com.au | 04.09.14
Wednesday September 3, 2014
Review by Charmaine de Souza
Photos by Chris Kerr
When Anberlin announced their plans to split by the end of the year, they were adamant on going out with a bang. And almost exactly one year after gracing our shores, the boys were back at Metropolis Fremantle on Wednesday night to farewell a legion of devoted Perthians on their final world tour. Fans were queuing outside the venue well before doors opened for a night that ensued proved to be well worth the wait.
The Getaway Plan was first, tasked with warming up an already packed venue. No strangers to breakups themselves, the band kicked off the night with an early number from 2011, ‘Flying Colours’. The quartet kept the energy levels up throughout the night, with some delightful synchronised headbanging (intentional or otherwise) on full display for the duration of their set. Due to time restraints, the Melbournians were forced to play a shortened set, but that didn’t stop them from busting out an array of crowd pleasers. Lead vocalist Matthew Wright’s transition from the powerful screams in ‘Sleep Spindles’ to soaring falsettos in ‘Shadows’ was executed with an ease and finesse indicative of the ten solid years of hard work put into the band. Ending with their decidedly biggest hit, ‘Where the City Meets the Sea’, the boys managed to squeeze some toe tapping out of even the most preoccupied audience members.
The excitement in the crowd was palpable before Anberlin had even hit the stage. A raucous cheer filled the room as the lights dimmed and the boys made their way on stage. After a simple opening statement from vocalist Stephen Christian – “We are Anberlin” – the Florida natives launched straight into their first song of the night, ‘Paperthin Hymn’, and the crowd went mental. Rarely do you see hi-fives, fist bumping and rowdy sing-alongs so early on in a band’s set, but the audience was clearly dead set on milking every last moment they had together.
The crowd’s enthusiasm was matched by the five-piece rockers, as Christian sashayed across the stage during tracks like ‘Never Take Friendship Personal’, and literally got down on his knees and crawled across the stage as he performed ‘Self-Starter’. ‘Readyfuels’ earned a huge reaction from fans, with a bassline so heavy you could feel it in your chest. The sheer energy of this performance was so infectious that a number of audience members felt compelled enough to unashamedly smash out some air drums.
A slight change of pace during the sombre ‘(The Symphony of) Blasé’ was met with delicate arm swaying, and even prompted one woman in the crowd’s first attempt at shoulder riding. However, this serene atmosphere was quickly shattered as the boys launched back into a number of headbangers like ‘Feel Good Drag’ and ‘The Resistance’ for the remainder of the night, with performances so dynamic that even got some bartenders drumming along.
After a string of heartfelt thankyous, the band ended their two-hour long set with the appropriately titled track, ‘(*Fin)’, before exiting the stage and meeting the fans that made their twelve-year run possible. The night was bursting with a vibrance unique to the Anberlin brand, and this final night in Perth proved to everyone that they truly were bowing out on top.
http://www.spaceshipnews.com.au/live-review-anberlin-metropolis-fremantle/
Charmaine de Souza 