There’s something about music that can shape your day, your mindset, your motivation, your drive. Whatever the mood, music can take you somewhere else, provide an escape or simply put a smile on your face. Live music is an extension of that. It becomes visceral. It grabs you, and when a performance is done right, the experience becomes yours; personal, defiant and uniting all at the same time.
Tonight, at Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre, Dregg, Future Static and Skindred delivered exactly that. Openers Dregg hit the stage with a vengeance and something to prove. From the intro of “I Can Remember The Future” into “In Search Of”, the power and energy smacked you upside the head. Think Prodigy meets Rage Against The Machine meets System Of A Down but delivered entirely on their own terms. Holy hell, how have these guys missed my radar?
By “PCP Wednesdays”, a space had opened in the crowd, and hardcore freestylers were throwing down. “LV Vest” poured more fuel into the pit, while bassist Aiden Zovic’s spinning kicks and frontman Christopher Mackertich’s captivating presence won the room over. “Butterscotch Biscuits” and the grinding “21st Century Ignorance” kept the intensity high before “Feeling Fine” brought a clap-along intro and a snotty, brash sense of fun.
“Dress Down” saw guitarist Zak Thom seemingly possessed by the grooves driven by drummer Caleb Brew, while closer “Dog C*nts” brought everything home with one final heavy, grooving assault. Tonight’s introduction to Dregg is one I’ll remember for quite some time. It again proves why I always recommend getting to shows early; you never know what you might discover.
Tonight, I discovered Dregg, and I’m damn glad I did.
Setlist : I Can Remember The Future, In Search Of, PCP Wednesdays, LV Vest, Butterscotch Biscuits, 21st Century Ignorance, Feeling Fine, Dress Down, Dog C*nts
DREGG GALLERY
Next came Future Static, another name I knew but had never properly explored. What I found was a band combining nu-metal finesse with a metalcore heart. There’s an elegance to what they do; structured and deliberate, yet capable of turning vicious without warning. From opener “There’s Nowhere Else To Go”, frontwoman Amariah Cook demonstrated an incredible vocal range. She has the voice of an angel and the devil, moving from melodic perfection to the nastiest of dirty vocals in an instant. You can almost see the halo transform into horns.
“Plated Gold” brought pop-punk melody, aggression and attitude before “The Hourglass” ripped the room apart, evolving from something mean and ferocious into a melodic, almost symphonic piece unafraid to dip its toes into progressive territory. It was here that bassist Kira Neil’s importance became impossible to miss. Her vocals weave around Cook’s perfectly, adding another layer and lushness to an already expansive sound.
“Chemical Lobotomy” continued that dynamic before recent single “Ornaments & Memories”, the title track from their forthcoming sophomore album, introduced another dimension. Melodic, haunting and unafraid to breathe, it was evil, divine and everything in between. “State Of Mind” reinforced just how much Future Static are evolving. The new material feels different; not disconnected from their past, but like the natural next chapter.By now, I’d become a fan.
“Gasolina”, dedicated to Skindred, brought rapid-fire lyrics and a massive groove, while “Venenosa” and “Roach Queen” delivered huge riffs, killer melodies and aggression. Closing with new track “Swing” was a clever move, effectively creating a bridge between tonight and what comes next.
Future Static are tight, precise and seemingly uninterested in boundaries. Guitarists Jack Smith and Ryan Qualizza weave around each other brilliantly, while drummer Jackson Trudel provides the powerhouse foundation.
Static has never looked or sounded so appealing.
Setlist: There’s Nowhere Else To Go, Plated Gold, The Hourglass, Chemical Lobotomy, Ornaments & Memories, State Of Mind, Gasolina, Venenosa, Roach Queen, Swing
FUTURE STATIC GALLERY
Then came Skindred.
Tonight wasn’t simply a concert; it was one massive party, and Skindred were our hosts. From AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” blasting through the PA into the “Imperial March” as the band arrived, Northcote Theatre was ready to explode. When “This Is The Sound” kicked in, we bounced, sang and immediately fell into the palm of Webbe’s hand. Every gesture was repeated, every command followed. Hands went up, voices got louder and suddenly thousands of people seemed connected by one shared instinct.
“Set Fazers” continued the frenzy before Webbe announced his intention to create a Melbourne Skindred choir. “It’s an honour to be here with you. It’s an honour to be in Melbourne.”
After warming our voices with increasingly ridiculous noises, “Rat Race” erupted. Webbe really is the pied piper of frontmen. An impromptu singalong of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” followed before “Pressure” somehow incorporated AC/DC’s “Back In Black”. Later, “Radio 01633” morphed into snippets of Metallica, Papa Roach, Van Halen and House Of Pain. It shouldn’t work this effortlessly. It does.
“You Got This”, my favourite track from this year’s album, brought something else — positivity. Beneath the chaos, humour and genre-mashing, Skindred carry an uplifting message that connects. “Kill The Power” annihilated the crowd, “Can I Get A” turned Northcote Theatre into another enormous call-and-response session and then came “Nobody”. For me, it was the highlight. The precision, groove and sheer energy were irresistible. Sadly, it also closed the main set.
There was no way Melbourne was letting them leave that easily. Skindred eventually returned with “Gimmie That Boom”, somehow extracting another reserve of energy from exhausted bodies before “Warning” delivered the perfect finale. And then came the Newport Helicopter. Shirts were removed, raised overhead and spun furiously around the room. Among the sea of clothing was a prosthetic leg being thrust into the air with the same enthusiasm. That image summed up the entire night. Everyone was involved. Everyone belonged.
Benji Webbe, Arya Goggin, Mikey Demus and touring bassist Tommy Gleeson had handed Melbourne an invitation to the biggest party in town, and Northcote Theatre accepted. There are very few bands capable of delivering a 90-minute set that somehow feels like half that length. Skindred did. Dregg gave me a new band to obsess over. Future Static left me eagerly awaiting their next chapter. Skindred reminded me exactly why live music matters.
We arrived as individuals. For 90 minutes, Skindred turned us into one enormous, sweaty, exhausted and ridiculously happy choir. And when the lights came up, nobody wanted the party to end.
Setlist: This Is The Sound, Set Fazers, Rat Race, Pressure, That’s My Jam, Radio 01633, Jump, You Got This, Kill The Power, Can I Get A, Nobody
Encore : Gimmie That Boom, Warning
With thanks to Tiana Speter from Dallas Does PR & Destroy All Lines for the media access.
Photos by Shots By Slaidins Photography
SKINDRED GALLERY
