Papa Roach

170 Russell, Melbourne

21/01/18 (Live Review)

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Roughly 20 years and 9 albums later, Papa Roach finally embark on their first headline tour of Australia. The euphoric vibe radiating from the long-time waiting fans who crowded into 170 Russell for night one of two sell out shows in Melbourne was palpable.

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Local rockers, The Ugly Kings, put their all into warming up the crowd for the main act. They made a decent attempt to win over the gig goers with their power blues, wearing influences like Jack White and The Black Keys clearly on their sleeves. Initially, they received a passive response from the crowd, however through the sheer confidence and swagger emanating from the stage, The Ugly Kings managed to get the crowd to participate in a sing-a-long before leaving the stage.

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Anticipation hit its peak when the lights went out and intro track, Pharoahe Monch’s Simon Says , blared through the speakers. What felt like an eternity later, the curtain used to conceal the stage dramatically dropped revealing Papa Roach tearing through Crooked Teeth, the title track of their most recent album of the same name. Not a band to let the energy drop, they dove straight into fan favorites Getting Away with Murder and Between Angels and Insects.

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Together with the band, the crowd went absolutely Bezerk from start to finish. Everything you could possibly imagine to happen at a rock show happened; Band members getting in and amongst the crowd, crowd surfing, circle pits, wall of deaths, gig goers jumping on friends’ shoulders (Yes, even in a mid-sized, indoor venue!). The bouncing never stopped, horns raised to the ceiling never wavered, air instruments kept playing and every single word was screamed passionately back at the band. Slower tracks Scars, Periscope and Gravity allowed a slight breather; however, things were amped right back up in the form of Blur’s Song 2 with a resounding WHOO HOO!

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Part of Papa Roach’s appeal is front man Jacoby Shaddix’s genuine honesty, message of hope and pursuit of finding the light in dark places. After paying tribute to the late Chester Bennington by transitioning Forever into a cover of Linkin Park’s In The End, Shaddix encouraged everyone to turn to a friend and let them know that they have their backs, no matter what.  From the front to the back, you could feel the love the fans have for the band and the love that band have for their fans.

With an ever growing back catalogue of catchy tunes, not everyone’s favourite track could be included in the set list, but I guarantee that no-one left the venue unsatisfied! New material seamlessly fit in with the old in the live setting and old school fans were treated to gems such as Dead Cell!  Unfortunately, the night had to come to an end, but it went out with a bang with obligatory sing-a-longs to Last Resort and …To Be Loved.

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Papa Roach have come a long way since their early Nu Metal days. They have managed to grow, evolve and stay relevant. Their live presence is force to be reckoned with! If you have not seen Papa Roach live, add it to your bucket list, you will not regret it!

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