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I Prevail

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I PREVAIL
+ Motionless In White
+ Windwaker
@ Metropolis Fremantle
21st June 2022
(Live Review)

Photos and Review by Talia Ferguson

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I Prevail // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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As I stand outside Metropolis in Fremantle watching the huge crowds of people file into the venue, an older couple approach me – “What’s going on over here?” they ask, intrigued as to why so many young people in dark clothing were lining up down the block. I tell them about I Prevail and how their sold out Trauma Tour had been postponed for more than 2 years due to COVID, so their fans were eager to finally be able to see them again. Once they walked away, another man asked me the same question and I found myself repeating the same spiel. “I hope the show’s as good as you want it to be!” he said as he walked off. And it sure was.

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Windwaker // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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Windwaker // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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The anticipation for Windwaker grew quickly. They were due to start at 7:30, but as time slowly passed and they weren’t on stage yet, you could see people were starting to get antsy. At 8:00 they finally hit the stage, to a very warm reception from the crowd. The Melbourne based band had released their latest album ‘Love Language’ in May, and performed a collection of songs from that release (Including a debut live performance of ‘Superstitious Fantasy’), as well as some older songs, and even snuck in a cheeky cover of Britney Spears’ Toxic, which in my opinion, was great, even if the band themselves think it’s a bit of a meme. Overall, Windwaker really brought the energy; if you hadn’t seen the lineup, you would think they were the headlining band! From the getgo, lead singer Will King was encouraging the crowd to start circle pits, walls of death, and to get moving as much as possible, whilst guitarist Jesse Crofts and bassist Indey Salvestro were headbanging like their careers depended on it. Definitely add them to your ‘Must See’ live bands list if you haven’t seen them already, as they’re certainly not one to be missed!

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Motionless In White // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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Motionless In White // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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Motionless in White were up next; their set time being pushed back due to the late start, but the crowd didn’t seem phased anymore. They were now energised and ready to go harder than ever for the next two bands. Motionless in White came on stage to the roar of the crowd; they hadn’t been to Australia since 2017 – to Perth specifically since 2015, so they had been sorely missed by their fans. And MIW missed them just as much. You can tell how much they love being on that stage by the sheer amount of crowd interaction there was during a 45 minute set. Before playing ‘Thoughts & Prayers’ from album ‘Disguise’, singer Chris Motionless stated that he wanted everyone to sing along, regardless of if they knew the band or not. As he started saying the line he wanted the new fans to learn, “When you face the truth, open your fucking eyes”, the crowd cut him off midway by screaming the lyrics. Before going into fan favourite ‘Reincarnate’ from the album of the same name, Chris asked the crowd if they knew what a ‘bangover’ was, and said that they all went so hard that they had a bangover at work the next day. From watching the crowd from the back of the room, I’d say there were a lot of sore necks the next day. Before they started their last song of the set, the crowd slowly erupted into chants of “One more song, one more song…”. Chris Motionless takes the mic, laughing, and says “That is actually the first time we’ve actually been on stage in the middle of playing and you guys asked for one more song!” They then ended their set with ‘Another Life’, which came with a beautiful crowd singalong.

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I Prevail // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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I Prevail // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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I Prevail // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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Finally it was time for I Prevail. They opened their set with heavy hitter ‘Bow Down’ from the album everyone was there to celebrate, ‘Trauma’. After taking a classic Australian shoey, vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe told the crowd that 45 minutes prior, he was in hospital with ‘the worst heart pains he’d ever had’ but decided to go ahead with the show because there was no way he was going to miss another Australian show. That brave announcement came with a huge round of applause and many cheers from the crowd. They got back into the swing of things by playing a song that was said to be highly requested in that night’s VIP group – ‘Hurricane’, then asked if we wanted to be the first crowd to hear their newest single ‘Body Bag’ live, to which the crowd obviously said (or rather screamed) yes. This song came with circle pits and moshing to the extreme, as did older song ‘Deadweight’. Clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser took crowd involvement to the max during ‘Paranoid’, informing fans that “Whatever we do, you do”; the song then ended with an epic drum solo from drummer Gabe Helguera.

During a slower part of their set, the band dedicated emotional song ‘Breaking Down’ to anyone who had struggled during COVID lockdown periods. The energy was brought up one final time as the band asked the crowd to prove to them why they should come back. As they started their final song ‘Come and Get It’, Eric jokingly threw in an ”Oh wah ah ah ah” from Down With the Sickness and an “Arf Arf” from Counting Worms, and sent the crowd into a frenzy. Although the crew had to check up on him a couple of times throughout the set to see if he was doing okay, I think Eric still nailed his vocals and performance. The whole band had incredible energy, and to top it all off, their light show was amazing! The rest of their Australian tour is sold out, so if you’re not lucky enough to have a ticket, you’ll have to see them next time. Check HERE for dates.

Check out Talia Ferguson’s gallery of this event HERE

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I Prevail // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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I Prevail // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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I Prevail // Photo – Talia Ferguson

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Follow I PREVAIL

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Press Release June 2022 (below) HERE

I PREVAIL
announce new album
‘TRUE POWER’ 
out Friday 19 August

& share video for first single
‘BODY BAG‘

SOLD OUT AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL HEADLINE TOUR
KICKS OFF NEXT WEEK!

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AMNPLIFY – DB