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DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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DANCE GAVIN DANCE
+ Closure in Moscow + Heartline
@ Forum, Melbourne,
12th November 2023
(Live Review)

Review and photos  by Michael Gow (@alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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When this tour was announced, there was an air of anticipation. Initially, the lineup consisted of Dance Gavin Dance and Nothing More. However, due to circumstances beyond their control, Nothing More couldn’t make it down under, since their 2015 appearance at Soundwave Festival. But in stepped two great local bands: Melbourne’s Closure in Moscow and Adelaide’s Heartline.

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Heartline – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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First up for the night was Heartline, with their powerful drumming, enormous riffs, and powerful vocals. Heartline is an incredibly energetic band, and it pairs perfectly with the powerful sound they produce. The crowd started to headbang during their set, but the full energy of the crowd was yet to come. The band played various songs from their catalogue, including “DeLorean,” “Loose,” “As the Crow Flies,” as well as a new song or two, just to name a few. During the set, singer Luke Taylor asked the crowd to crouch, and then, as the music took off, he asked them all to jump, and they eagerly obliged. As the set was coming to an end, Luke asked the crowd to jump one more time.

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CLOSURE IN MOSCOW – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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As Heartline finished, the crowd was buzzing, and in stepped the well-established band Closure in Moscow. I’m very familiar with this band, having been a fan for many years and getting to see them for the first-time last year at Max Watts. So, when they got added to the bill for the night, I was super pumped, even though the band I originally wanted to see, Nothing More, couldn’t make it. But as the band started to play, I soon forgot they weren’t initially meant to be playing tonight. Lead singer Christopher De Cinque said to the crowd, “Thank you, Dance Gavin Dance, for having us on at the last minute.” He also expressed his happiness about playing at the iconic Forum Theatre. As the crowd was already pumped from Heartline’s set, they started by bopping their heads and then progressed to headbanging to the music. Closure in Moscow played various songs from their catalogue, including new songs off their new album like “Soft Hell,” “Jaeger Bomb,” “Primal Sinister,” and “Love Lash,” as well as old favourites like “Kissing Cousins,” “Pink Lemonade,” and “Happy Days,” among a few other songs. The crowd was almost fully energized for what was to come. Tonight was a night where you could feel the drums beneath your feet as well.

It was a perfect fit to have Closure in Moscow added to the bill at the last minute, as they really got the crowd going with only one more band to go, headliner Dance Gavin Dance.

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DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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Now came the moment everyone was waiting for: when headliners Dance Gavin Dance would take the stage. The two singers, Jon Mess and Tilian Pearson, both came decked out in Hawaiian shirts, while other band members also dressed to impress. The band was thankful for being there that night, as the crowd was getting very engaged with the music, and the band was loving it. One of the band members said it was such an amazing night because they could remember back to when they played for 75 people, and now they were playing to many times that at a large international venue. The screams and cleans during the set were something to behold. During the set, it was funny to see a crowd member randomly throw a hat high into the sky, adding to the entertainment of the night.

The crowd spontaneously went into clapping at times during the set, and it was only later that things started to take off. The occasional crowd surfer appeared high above everyone, and at one point, the band asked the crowd to open the floor to create a circle pit, and of course, they were happy to oblige. That’s when things really started to go wild. At one point, one of the band members said, “Alright, how are we feeling?” to the cheering crowd. They were a very laid-back band, except for the bass player, who was moving around quite often. Other than that, movement around the stage was minimal, but that didn’t take anything away from the energy of the night. At one point, drummer Matt Mingus stood up like a conductor, instructing the crowd as he waved his drumsticks. The crowd proved they were true fans by singing loudly along to every song. Songs on Dance Gavin Dance’s setlist tonight included hits like “Headhunter,” “Prisoner,” “Summertime Gladness,” as well as the big hit, “We Own the Night,” among many other favorites.

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DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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As the night was coming to a close, you could see the crowd enjoying themselves, especially one punter who was sitting high atop someone’s shoulders. The night ended with their song “Evaporate” off their 2018 album “Artificial Selection.”

As the night ended, it was such a great feeling to see all three bands performing at the top of their game, especially Heartline and Closure in Moscow, who, as mentioned, were last-minute additions, but they proved by the end of the night that they were worthy of being on the bill.

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DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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Check out Michael Gow’s (@alchemi_glow_music_phot) full gallery of this event HERE

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DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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Follow DANCE GAVIN DANCE
Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

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DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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Destroy All Lines Presents

DANCE GAVIN DANCE
AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2023

with special guests CLOSURE IN MOSCOW

TOUR DATES:

SUNDAY 12 NOVEMBER – THE FORUM, MELBOURNE
TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER – MAGNET HOUSE, PERTH
THURSDAY 16 NOVEMBER – THE GOV, ADELAIDE
FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER – ROUNDHOUSE, SYDNEY
SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER – THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE
TUESDAY 21 NOVEMBER – POWERSTATION, AUCKLAND

Tickets from destroyalllines.com

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DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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Press Release 13th June 2023 (below) HERE

DANCE GAVIN DANCE
Australian Tour 2023
with special guests
NOTHING MORE

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AMNPLIFY – DB