Live Review: 5 Seconds of Summer w/ Hey Violet & With Confidence @ Riverstage, Brisbane
Beyonce was right, it’s the girls who run the world. At least that was the case at Riverstage last Sunday night when 5 Seconds of Summer hit Brisbane for one of the last shows in their ‘Sounds Good Feels Good’ world tour. Even the tough-looking security couldn’t completely restrain the thousands of screaming fans (and their parents) from squishing together like cans of sardines, not to mention the handful of 5SOS devotees who camped out two days prior to make sure they got the best spots in the house.
The night may have been brimming with manic teenybopper excitement, but with the air pleasantly cool, the sky clear and Oz’s hottest boyband hitting the stage, so it was inevitable everyone was going to have one helluva good time!
Kicking off the night were Sydney alternative pop-rock hunks With Confidence, who were a cross between The Killers and Blink-182. The quartet quickly won over the young crowd with infectious hooks, punchy riffs, grungy roars, and purposeful hair flips. It also didn’t hurt their rep when they playfully discussed who the most handsome 5SOS member was.
Girl-powered main support act Hey Violet continued to keep spirits high with their unique blend of hip-hop infused punk. With raw screechy vocals and a feisty attitude reminiscent of 90’s female punk quintet Letters From Cleo, the Los Angeles 4-piece had the crowd dancing along to their eclectic repertoire, which included a rockified cover of The Chainsmokers’ Don’t Let Me Down.
During the set frontwoman Rena Lovelis’ motherly instincts kicked in when she saw fans were getting pulled out of the crowd for being too rough. “Stay safe and stay hydrated,” she urged, before the spunky quartet finished with tongue-in-cheek diss jam Fuqboi.
Just when it seemed like the audience’s anticipation was about to spontaneously combust, 5SOS, donned in casual black and white threads, strolled on stage in all their dishevelled brilliance. Ear-shattering cheers turned into reverent silence as the adored quartet opened with the soft floating ambiance of Carry On, during which guitarist Michael Clifford surprised fans on the piano.
The quiet didn’t last long as the boys smashed straight into loud and proud rock anthem Hey Everybody, encouraging the rowdy crowd to sing at the top of their lungs. This was followed by the fun-loving Money and the fast-paced flirtiness of 2014 hit Don’t Stop.
After warmly greeting the audience, frontman Luke Hemmings reminded fans to be aware of the small space in which the first rows were occupying. “Take care of each other out there,” he encouraged, no doubt being asked to make a statement by the overstressed security guards. He also mentioned the last time they played in Brisbane was for 250 people at the Old Museum, “There are just a few more people this time!”.
Long Way Home began with a deliciously wicked drum solo from Ashton Irwin while Outer Space’s Queen-esque jubilancy saw Clifford’s return to the piano. He may have ended with a flawless classical cadence but he still asked fans not to post any videos of him showing off his hidden skill. “I told my mum I can play the piano and if she sees it she’ll be disappointed,” he joked.
Bassist Calum Hood was a crowd favourite as evidence by the screams every time he sang solo. His boyish tones were especially praised during love serenade Vapor and melancholic heartbreaker Amnesia. Irwin also stood out but for his comical facial expressions, which ranged from looking like he had just gone 10 rounds with Rocky to appearing constipated as he smashed the crap out of the drums.
After an electrifying call-and-response guitar solo between Clifford and Hemmings in Castaway, the lads left the stage with Clifford remaining. Biding his time with silent suspense, the charismatic guitarist finally broke into the first lines of Jet Black Heart. The introspective ballad always seemed close to Clifford’s heart but seeing him perform it live exposed a rare vulnerability in his usual outgoing persona.
Crowd favourites included cheeky single Good Girls and Ghostbuster dance number Girls Talk Boys, where the audience managed to out sing the rockers. Just before the guys ‘finished’ with their famous cover of The Romantics’ What I Like About You, Crawford made sure everyone knew they needed to cheer for an encore as soon as they left the stage.
True to their promise, fans chanted 5SOS until the boys returned with sun-drenched blaster She’s Kinda Hot and iconic smash hit She Looks So Perfect, the latter eliciting a series of powerful screams that seemed to vibrate through every bone in the body. As the guys thanked the audience and left the stage for good, it was clear from the thousands of fans sporting huge grins and hyper spirits the night was just beginning…
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