Live Review: The Amity Affliction at The Hordern Pavilion 2024 – Spotlight Report
On Saturday night, Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion played host to a kickass tour featuring four epic bands. It is a tour that has almost entirely sold out I might add – tickets to Sydney’s second show on Monday are still available (only just). The Amity Affliction’s Let The Ocean Take Me – 10 Year Anniversary Tour was an epic showcase of the metalcore scene and was a brilliant way to spend any Saturday night.
Straight out of the gate – and yes, pun absolutely intended – was Melbourne’s own Heavensgate. While these guys were probably a little less known than the bands following them – they are a younger band after all – they put on a great show and were a brilliant choice to kick the night off; they really showed what they’re made of, steadily growing their fan base and getting some well-deserved attention. From everything I’m seeing, these guys are a band to keep your eye on.
Next up were metalcore icons We Came As Romans. The venue seemed filled to bursting when these guys hit the stage. And every single person in there was headbanging for the entire set, which was made up of a great mix of hits including opener ‘Darkbloom’, as well as songs like ‘Wasted Age’, ‘Cold Like War’, and ‘Black Hole’. There was also a heartfelt tribute to band member Kyle Pavone who passed away in 2018. Going for a night of good vibes, vocalist Dave Stephens encouraged the crowd to leave their worries outside, to mosh however they wanted, and to keep the circle pit going for the entire set. The band were a well-chosen support, ramping up the crowd and making sure we were all having fun, but it was bassist Andy Glass had me hooked with his killer energy (side note: why is everyone always trying to pimp him out? Dave jokingly offered to give his number out to the girls in the crowd). They definitely left the crowd wanting more.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Ice Nine Kills were the headline band because they really stole the show on Saturday night. The excitement in the air was palpable as the band’s props were placed on stage while classic horror movie soundtracks played in the background. The band were welcomed to the stage with a video introduction that was clearly not necessary going by the screams of the crowd. The band took to the stage to open with ‘Rainy Day’. A band known for their theatrics, and a love of all things horror, they held nothing back for their performance, which featured video footage from their movie-style music videos, actors playing key roles from horror movies (with actors playing Marion Crane for ‘The Shower Scene’, Art the Clown for ‘A Work of Art’, and Hannibal Lecter for ‘Meat and Greet’). It was a jam-packed set that honestly felt much longer than it was for all the right reasons. Spencer’s vocals were impeccable, their stage presence was incredible and the show was absolutely amazing from start to finish. I’d heard great things about these guys and I was not disappointed. They went above and beyond and left the crowd feeling as though they’d just experienced one hell of a horror movie.
Following Ice Nine Kills would not have been an easy task, but The Amity Affliction had decades of love from homegrown fans and a killer setlist on their side. Performing their iconic metalcore album Let The Ocean Take Me in full, the band ensured it was a nostalgic night for their fans, many of whom have a strong emotional connection with the record. Obviously, the set opened with ‘Pittsburgh’ (the album opener), and once they’d played the album in full, included additional fan favourite tracks including ‘I See Dead People’, ‘All My Friends Are Dead’ and of course ‘Open Letter’, which was definitely a highlight for me, before they closed the night with ‘Soak Me In Bleach’. Hearing Amity live is always a joy; they play together so well and the vocals always sound flawless. And Saturday night was no exception. The pyrotechnics were also hugely impressive, with fire shooting up and raining down throughout the set, though the band relied predominantly on their performance despite the flames. Their stage presence, while not as over-the-top in-your-face energetic as INK’s had been, was a familiar and comforting experience for those of us who’ve been listening to them since the early days (but let’s not focus too much on that or us older fans will start to feel our age).
I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if those few remaining tickets for Monday night are quickly snapped up by people wanting to see the bands again after Saturday night’s performances. It certainly was a night to remember and each band made their mark on the fans.
