Project Description
REAL FRIENDS
+ Columbus + Harbours
@Fowlers Live, Adelaide
(2/8/17) – Live Review
by Lavender Baj
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It’s been a solid two years since Chicago pop punk band, Real Friends have hit Australian shores but we’re glad to have them back in the country this month touring with some of the best talent that the Australian music scene has to offer.
The crowd at Fowlers was pretty impressive, especially for a Wednesday night in Adelaide, which gives me a little bit of hope that the local music scene will outlive the impending closure of the venue early next year.
The show kicked off with Adelaide locals, Forbidden Envy, who warmed up the stage playing tracks of their recently released debut EP, ’Do You Feel The Same Way Now?’.
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Forbidden Envy – “Do you feel the same way now?”
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Next up was The Away Game, who put on a pleasantly surprising set for this first-time listener. Playing tracks off their ‘Tiffany’ EP, the local 3-piece had the crowd rocking out to their Blink-182/Bowling For Soup-esque sound.
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By the time Melbournian alternative rockers, Harbours took the stage, the bar had been set pretty high. As a first-time attendee of one of their gigs, I was assured by friends/long-time Harbours fanboys that the set would be one to remember. Opening the set with an explosive performance their most recent release, Flicker and Fade, the boys sent the crowd wild. With an epic stage presence and an incredible ability to interact with the audience, front man Tory Robertson opened up to the crowd about his own personal mental health struggles and the importance of seeking help. The set featured a whole bunch of fan faves including Take Me Under, Nothing Stays The Same and Room Without A View before concluding the set with a killer performance of Pulling Teeth. All in all, a good set from the good guys of the Aussie music scene.
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Harbours /// Photo by Brayden Taylor
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Brisbane boys, Columbus were next up, playing a killer set as per usual. For a mere 3-piece, these guys sure know how to make some noise, busting out track after track of pure bangers. Surprisingly there were a lot of audience members who’d never heard them before (clearly living under a rock because these guys were only in Adelaide a few months ago supporting Trophy Eyes). The boys smashed out all the hit tracks like Daffodil, Say What You Want (unfortunately without ROAM’s Alex Costello featuring) and of course Spring Forever.
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Columbus
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And last, but certainly not least, Real Friends took the stage to show Adelaide what the Illinois boys are made of. Fowlers was as packed out as I’ve seen it in a while, and the crowd was ready to rock out to the final set of the night. The perfectly curated set featured an ideal mix of nostalgic throwbacks and recent bangers from the band that’s had a soft spot in our hearts for years. Highlights of the set included tracks like Loose Ends, I’ve Given Up On You and Sixteen, all of which received a warm ol’ Adelaide welcome from the audience.
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REAL FRIENDS
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Following the tragic passing of music legend, Chester Bennington last month, frontman Dan Lamberton gave a meaningful speech to the crowd about mental illness, an issue that is particularly prevalent within the music scene. The evening concluded with a memorable performance of Summer, before fans scrambled to buy last-minute merch and head home to get some sleep (because Wednesday gigs are fun, but Thursday hangovers? Not so much).
Definitely a showcase of the good guys of the Australian and international music scene, Wednesday was just a night filled with good music, good friends, good times and great bands. If you’re lucky enough to be located in Melbourne, you can catch this killer lineup at The Evelyn Hotel on Thursday (3rd August) or on Friday at Arrow on Swanston.
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AMNPLIFY – DB
My nickname is “The Amnplifier”. Why? Because around here my focus is on being a conduit for providing greater outcomes that people come here for. My day to day “work” is living in the moment, and I love helping others concentrate on finding their connection to themselves through their experiences.
Why start a music environment? The truth is I love music, I love writing, and I love life. I work with musicians every day, and I feel certain that I will be until they put me in the ground. I have been managing people in businesses of some sort for over thirty five years so along the way I have developed some “wisdom” from my regular and constant “observations”.
Amnplify your experience. That is what we want you to do here, and if you want to let me know why you do, or don’t, shoot me a message on Facebook.
Hope you enjoy yourself here and find something that hits you somewhere.
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