There were nostalgic memories of my teenage years as I stepped into the Factory Theatre on Wednesday night for one of the many Sidewaves happening in Sydney. The venue filled up quickly and once the lights dimmed, I knew that the madness would commence in a matter of minutes. Making an extravagant entrance, The Devil Wears Prada stood on stage with so much pride. Sensing from the infectious energy that reflected upon their stance as a band, there was no way any of them could sit still. Unclean vocalist, Mike, leapt on stage so fiercely and so passionately that it was honestly second nature to him. Atmospheric for the most part, it was confronting to see a band lose their shit across stage. But there was no way in hell anybody was getting in their way.
The crowd delighted and thrived off the intensity of each metalcore track. My ears got a true beating from hearing the heaviest of breakdowns to the most intensified electric guitar solos. Clean vocalist, Jeremy, seemed to have a ball on stage too, even if it meant using his vocals to a bare minimum. Playing a tight set, there wasn’t much crowd interaction from the band, but the circle pits still continued nonetheless. They took everything seriously and it was from there they weren’t afraid to set the bar higher than usual.
After what could’ve been a long hiatus for many, I was excited to see Atreyu live for the very first time and my initial thought before they made their arrival was the change in atmosphere. It was cosy and there was more room to breathe and then bam, out of nowhere, the band exploded on stage after a prolonged and eerie introduction. Frontman Alex had insane amounts of energy and his stage presence was beyond exceptional. You’d think after a couple of years they’d be rusty at a live show? Nope, not in their case.
It was during the little moments where Alex interacted with the fans that I felt like the crowd became more alive. There was a sense of community as the band were playing their set; an indescribable union felt by the people as they were mouthing the lyrics to their songs. A sea of fists were up in the air at this point when they started playing “Song For The Optimists” and I can tell you now it was complete madness. Madness. From there, Alex stripped off his shirt and showcased the art museum of tattoos he had on his body, while he took complete control of “Ain’t Love Grand” with Dan, his fellow music comrade, on guitar. The chemistry they sustained was a sight to see and the crowd absolutely loved it.
I have a soft spot for bands that do cover songs and when Atreyu started blasting Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name”, they slayed it good. Alex could pass off as the Energiser Bunny because it was unbelievable how much he was able to move around without even looking the least bit exhausted. However, it was live entertainment at its best, with an old rock and roll song getting a modernised makeover.
Being a crowd favourite and ending their set in a roaring fashion, Atreyu brought “Lip Gloss and Black” back to life, saving the best for last. It was surreal to have witnessed the amount of people that knew all the words to the song and it made me wish that I knew them off by heart too. The band themselves were out of control and there was just so much power and dominance coming from all the corners of the stage. The mosh pits became even more fierce and to think that the crowd was tame at all, would be a lie. It all came down to four words: live, love, burn, die.
The set of Atreyu flashed before my eyes and it was finally time to see Of Mice & Men at their prime. Looking as if the band were ready to take on world domination, it all started with an epic electric guitar solo in “Public Service Announcement” and that’s where it all happened; the crowd gearing up and mentally preparing themselves in the battle of mosh and circle pits. Austin was charming in his performance, whilst revealing his pearly whites once in a while and his eyes fixated on the joy felt by the crowd.
Tino gave out a stellar solo drum performance a few songs into their set, keeping fans on their toes. Having witnessed the empowering music video, “Broken Generation”, seeing it live was something else. Monstrous and earth shattering, the walls of the venue created such instability that it was hard to process my surroundings, but hey, Austin seemed like he knew what he was doing. Well-rehearsed in his movements, Austin took the stage with confidence and dignity, making every single minute count in the limelight.
Compliments go to Aaron for having top-notch clean vocals, which can be commended for his ability to hit all the high notes in “Would You Still Be There”. Even though there would be times where he sounded off pitch, the audience didn’t seem to mind as it was, after all, such an anthemic track with a catchy-as-hell chorus. Crowdsurfing and circle pits weren’t optional and in a matter of seconds, they became priorities for the most part. Suffice it to say, Austin loved the enthusiasm felt by the crowd.
It was wonderful to see Aaron showcase his clean vocals more in “Identity Disorder” and it honestly gave a different side to Of Mice & Men. The lyrical content in some of their songs enclose such deep and meaningful themes that it’s no wonder many have claimed that this band have helped thousands around the world get through the tough ruts of life. It had the substance needed to tie together the hearts and souls of others with a thought-provoking statement – “I question every part of who I am.”
With a series of thank yous from Austin, it was time to say goodbye and the intensity of the crowd began to fade away as soon as the band’s electrifying encore came to a close. Bittersweet feelings came from mainly the younger fans, experiencing already the early stages of post-concert depression. Although depressing for some, others got lucky by sweeping a setlist or even being lucky enough to find a guitar pick off the floor.
For what it’s worth, Of Mice & Men put on an excellent show and to see them where they are now is unbelievable.
———-
