Live Review: British India @ The Triffid, 11.12.15

“We are British India. We’re from Melbourne, Victoria. It’s nice to be in tropical paradise. Now you’re about to dance like you’ve never danced before.”

And thus started off a raucous, kickass night at the Triffid with more crowd surfing I’ve seen at a tight venue than at any large festival I’ve ever been to. Perhaps this is a testament to the love, emotion, and sheer enthusiasm that fans have for British India’s music; each song was met with thrashing bodies, mosh pits, and unrestrained waves of crowd surfing.

The set list was equal parts older and newer tracks; some crowd favourites were the classics Summer Forgive Me and Run The Red Light, as well as Suddenly and Right By Your Side from their new album “Nothing Touches Me”.

As the night progressed, the air in the Triffid became hotter, thicker, and heavier with sweaty bodies that jumped, climbed, and moved without restraint through the music. Declan Melia’s impassioned vocals echoed through the crowd, met by bassist Will Drummond’s waves that layered drummer Matt O’Gormon’s beats and lead guitarist Nic Wilson’s powerful riffs.

Herein lies the magic of a British India gig: the connection felt between the audience and the four lads on stage was absolutely enthralling. Even if you didn’t know the lyrics to an older song, it didn’t matter; the surrounding enthusiasm was enough to power you–and all of Brisbane, for that matter–for the night.

“Man, this venue is fuckin’ amazing. You’ve got good music in Brisbane. You’ve always had. It feels like playing in the belly of a whale, which is a dream I’ve always had…” Melia divulged, pushing his bangs back from his eyes and beaming with gratitude for both his fans and the Triffid’s killer atmosphere.

Midnight soon approached and the end of the set came way too quickly. As the band returned on stage for a well-awaited encore, a warm and yellow light surfaced them, revealing the gargantuan effort they had put forth into their performance; Melia’s black tee, initially clean and dry, was now soaked and clung to his body. His hair was drenched. His body glistened. And as he began to sing the last song of the night, the crowd gave their final efforts, thrashing, moving, and, indeed, “danc[ing] like [they’ve] never danced before,” as Melia had promised two hours earlier.

For hardcore fans and for those who simply want a taste of connected, unadulterated musical energy, British India puts out a show that can’t be missed.