Live Review: Trophy Eyes w/ The Hard Aches & Trash Boat @ The Triffid – 26.08.2017

Arguably one of Australia’s hardest working bands, Trophy Eyes have gone from win to win in these last few years. Since 2014 they’ve released two stellar punk albums, journeyed on two Warped Tour’s, and a tonne more tours and festivals both in Australia and around the world, rarely slowing down for a break. Proving they deserve to be where they are, Trophy Eyes embarked on their second sold out Australian tour in six months, still off the back of their successful sophomore album Chemical Miracle.

Hailing from the UK, Trash Boat are an energetic punk band that are very much likened to Trophy Eyes. Playing their first ever Brisbane show, they came out pumped and ready to deliver. Smashing through songs new and old, it became clear that these guys had more of a following than expected. The Triffid was packed despite being only the second band on the bill and the fans at the front knew the words to the majority of the tunes. Popular tracks like Strangers and Eleven got the room moving and screaming. The Trash Boat boys brought more energy and heavy vibes than I expected, and there’s no doubt that a headline show would be worth seeing!

Aussie faves The Hard Aches were the main support for the night—clearly a great fit with Trophy Eyes fans almost as stoked to see the supporting duo. The dynamic pair played a set of hits from their EP ‘I Freak Out’ and album ‘Pheromones’ such as Gut Full and Glad That You’re Gone. Fresh single Brain Drain is hard not to love, and is a teaser of where they’re headed for their next release. Rounding out with the catchy, upbeat I Get Like This, these boys had well and truly got the crowd pumped for what everyone knew was going to be a huge set from Trophy Eyes.

Having seen Trophy Eyes earlier this year and in the past, I thought I knew what I was in for, but oh boy was that a mistake. As soon as opener Home Is kicked into heavy gear, the entire room was moving. Tearing apart the hanger-come-venue, energetic tracks Counting Sheep and In Return showcased the band’s composure as a group. The bass pumped and the drums thumped, as vocalist John Floreani’s unique vocal style, that so powerfully ebs and flows between clean and unclean, radiated with emotion.

Over their few years as a band, John and the guys have learnt how to not only excite a crowd, but to connect with them and touch their hearts, imploring them to chant statements such as, “it’s ok, to not be ok,” and to hug our friends and tell them we love them. It had been a long day for myself, and my mind was ready for rest, but Trophy Eyes seemed to shoot adrenaline into the air with older, rugged songs May 24, Tired Hearts and Bandaid, carefully placed throughout the set to excite the day-one fans. Firing out the majority of the prodigious ‘Chemical Miracle’, it was clear they had truly put as much heart and soul into the album as they do at a hundred live shows. They strummed, crashed and screamed their way through Rain On Me and Suicide Pact, before delivering a speech on suicide and dedicating the driving and emotional track Miracle to those who are no longer with us.

Filled with emotion and happiness, I leapt on top of the crowd and screamed my lungs out to set finisher Heaven Sent, allowing myself to be carried closer to the band I so dearly love. John returned with an acoustic guitar, the light shining on him alone, reminiscent of how much he reveals and bares in every song he writes. He began Daydreamer on his own, but his brothers joined him by the first chorus. The crowd as a whole came together to sing along to the touching and honest words, “I got friends, I got friends. They don’t love me, like I love them.”

But the biggest singalong of the night came with Chlorine, the pop-inspired tune resonated with every single person within the venue. The smoke cannons blasted, energising the crowd once more, with the band sounding flawless despite putting their all into the past hour. The outro verse of the song has become somewhat of an iconic mark for both the band and the fans, as tired and raspy voices relish in the final moments and words of a night they loved so intensely.

Photo: Candace Krieger//Wall of Sound (Gallary HERE)