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Devin Townsend and his band of merry men packed out Capitol on Friday night to a crowd of progressive metal heads, assisted by Australia’s Sleepmakeswaves.

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Devin Townsend Project @ Capitol 26/05/17

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Sleepmakeswaves kicked off the night without taking a moment to pick the energy right up. Their style of progressive metal compliments the mood for those eagerly anticipating Hevy Devy. Their sound is sharp, heavy and exhilarating. Songs such as Tundra took the audience to some heavy spaces, but it was their daring ventures into The Edge of Everything, a track over 10 minutes, that won me over. Admittedly, I was going in fresh to Sleepmakeswaves, but walking away from the venue I found myself adding their albums to my Spotify to check out later.

With only a 20 minute wait, it was time for Devin Townsend to perform to a packed out Capitol. Fans geeked out once his presence had graced the stage, and within a few moments heads were banging and foots were stomping.

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Devin Townsend Project @ Capitol 26/05/17

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I’ve always likened Devin Townsend to a Cheshire cat. One moment you’re in a soundscape of relaxed guitar melodies and soothing vocals, then the next you’re quickly picked up by increasingly gained guitars and aggressive vocals. It’s a charm to Devin’s music and that presence is oh-so-more menacingly in the live setting. You don’t know where you’ve been, and who knows where you’re going.
Fans were treated to a selection from not only the Devin Townsend Project, but also tracks from the Devin Townsend Band and his solo project. Dropping tracks such as Hyperdrive, Supercrush and Kingdom, the next took a journey through Hevy Devy’s many ventures. While the set was chockers full of Hevy Devy’s finest, I was craving to hear material from either Deconstruction or Ki, which seemed like a missed opportunity given the significance of those albums.
Devin Townsend is also one of the most offbeat performers you can see in the live setting. His endearing and thankful energy is infectious, while the rest of his band are just as engaging. Witty onstage banter and comical expressions meant that there was never a dull moment on stage. Fans screamed and shouted to Devin while he –being the Canadian he is- looked each punter in the eye and profusely thanked them.

Dave Young and Brian Waddell also created an intimate relationship with the crowd, becoming familiar with certain punters up by the barrier and making them feel truly loved. I struggle to believe that there would have been even one fan walking away from Capitol on Friday night feeling disconnected.

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