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TROPHY EYES, Freo Social, 22nd June 2023 / Photo – @tfphotos_

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TROPHY EYES
+ Eliza & The Delusionals + Dust
@ Northcote Theatre, Melbourne,
24th June 2023
(Live Review)

Review by Stephanie Tang

Photos by Talia Ferguson (@tfphotos_)

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TROPHY EYES, Freo Social, 22nd June 2023 / Photo – @tfphotos_

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Coming off the end of a North American tour, set at Slam Dunk festival and a ring of shows in the UK, Trophy Eyes are finally gracing the eyes and ears of home audiences. To show their appreciation, the local hardcore scene welcomes the band back with open arms, selling out both Adelaide and Melbourne shows.

With their latest album dropping only one day before the show, there were questions of how much new content would be played. One punter says they hope for appearances of “The American Dream”, and singles from the new album. Well, they would get their wish. Playing classics such as “Heaven Scent” and “Home Is” to crowd favourites “Chlorine” and “Friday Forever” along with spine tingling newness “Blue Eyed Boy” there was something for old and new fans alike.

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ELIZA & THE DELUSIONALS, Freo Social, 22nd June 2023 / Photo – @tfphotos_

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The wind is howling this evening, as concert goers file into the grandiose Northcote Theatre. Already there is a small crowd gathered at the barricade and perched on seats, along the balcony. With a varied line up of supports, there is subcultural mix of attendees, but all are chatting excitedly, until Newcastle quintet Dust breaks through the dull noise with a piercing sax note.

Like a fog rolling in, the room is engulfed in an immersive experience of post-punk and jazz flourishes. The saxophone is like a snake charmer, taking the audience to another realm with spoken word woven into experimentally raw sounds. The melodies are a little caustic and unsettling, with extended jazz play that makes you lose sense of time. Whilst still in their early years, demonstrating their technical instrumental skills and mastery of tempo change to a captivated crowd, Dust is going to blow up in a big way.

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ELIZA & THE DELUSIONALS, Freo Social, 22nd June 2023 / Photo – @tfphotos_

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Eliza & The Delusionals are up next and bring a wildly different vibe and sound. Klatt’s soothing folksy voice, soon has the crowd bopping along to hazy pop rock nostalgic of the 90’s. More people are trickling into the venue and heading straight to the stage, enthralled by the swirling dreamy melody and relaxed grungy bass. Their melodies are like biting into the zingy sweetness of a pop tart, wrapped in the smoothness of chocolate milk. Eliza & The Delusionals by now, have the crowd properly warmed up and are oozing quiet confidence from every note. Circular laser beams shine onto the glittering disco ball perched up on the arched ceiling, and scatter starlight onto the crowd below. What year is it? It feels like we have all been transported into a 2000’s movie school formal.

Fittingly, the intermission following is filled with nostalgic bangers or maybe it’s coincidence. Either way the crowd can’t help but belt along to Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles”. By now fans are strategically squeezing themselves into every crevice trying to get the best viewing spot for our headline act.

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TROPHY EYES, Freo Social, 22nd June 2023 / Photo – @tfphotos_

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Some bands like to build anticipation with cryptic voiceovers or smoke effects. Not Trophy Eyes they mean business, commandeering the stage and launching straight into “Blue Eyed Boy” they launch a tsunami of energy. The crowd wastes no time screaming along to every word, and it’s the same to follow up “Figure 8”. The emotion from their performance is exhilaratingly intoxicating, a heady mix of soaring vocals, thrashing guitars, and pumping adrenaline.

It must be an amazing feeling to start the tour on such a high. During their set, Floreani reveals to the crowd that the band went into recording their latest album “Suicide and Sunshine” with the intention of breaking up. That was what was decided over Facebook Messenger, but as the album progressed, they decided it would not be their last. Supportive cheers erupt from the audience on all levels at hearing this. Seeing the elated determination on the band’s face, one knows Trophy Eyes is nowhere near the end.

A master lyricist Floreani conveys unnerving honesty with every note and scream. The frontman recently interviewed with Amnplify’s Shaquira Hobbs (HERE), sharing that he chooses to write songs that let him scream with passionate emotion on stage. This is truly evident as there is an element of realism, of honesty, there’s no farce and no smoke to the delivery of a Trophy Eyes performance. That’s the reason why older tracks “Suicide Pact” and “Daydreamer” still stir up pent up angst and fight in the audience. Nothing outside of this room mattered, for now everyone was choosing to exalt in the joy, pain and anger that can be life, through music.

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TROPHY EYES, Freo Social, 22nd June 2023 / Photo – @tfphotos_

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“People Like You” was the last track to be revealed ahead of the new album “Suicide and Sunshine”. As the band had only shared this two days before tonight’s show, it could have been risky with fans not having heard it. Not only was this well received by the crowd, judging by the flying arms and crowd surfers, but they very clearly knew the words too.

Their international shows had clearly primed them for a headline home tour. From sound to stage presence their performance was immaculate. Surprisingly the frontman apologised for his voice midway, as he had blown it out in the lead up to the show. No matter, the crowd’s knowledge of every ward was textbook. There wasn’t a single soul in the room who didn’t sing along to “You Can Count on Me”, resulting in a swirling, soaring symphony of sound, each syllable sparks of fireworks. Vintage track “Bandaid” closed the night, and the band took their bows. With ears ringing, and eyes lit up in happiness, that is how you send a sold out crowd home.

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TROPHY EYES, Freo Social, 22nd June 2023 / Photo – @tfphotos_

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Check out Talia Ferguson’s full gallery of the Freo Social show on the 22nd June 2023 HERE

Check out Stephanie Tang’s review of Trophy Eyes latest album ‘SUICIDE AND SUNSHINE’ HERE

Check out Shaquira Hobbs interview with JOHN FLOREANI from Trophy Eyes HERE

Follow TROPHY EYES
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter

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TROPHY EYES
SUICIDE AND SUNSHINE
AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Thursday 22 June – Fremantle Social Club, Fremantle 
Friday 23 June – The Gov, Adelaide 
Saturday 24 June – Northcote Theatre, Melbourne 
Friday 30 June – The Tivoli, Brisbane
Saturday 1 July – Metro Theatre, Sydney

For all ticket and tour information, go HERE

Buy the album HERE

Press Release 3rd May 2023 (below) HERE

TROPHY EYES
debut brand new track
“KILL”

From forthcoming album
SUICIDE AND SUNSHINE
out June 23
via HOPELESS RECORDS

SUICIDE AND SUNSHINE
AUSTRALIAN TOUR
June/July 2023

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AMNPLIFY – DB