As far as highlights go in our band’s career, Saturday would have to be the pinnacle – hands down. Drunkards with their shirts off (guys and girls), incessant moshing, heavy music, and best of all, so many friends and family who came out to show their support… oh, and don’t forget the confetti machine!
The day started with our band Atlantis Awaits, who I’ll lovingly refer to as AA; kicking off with an early jam and chill out at our studio. Energy levels were high and we were riding the vibe. From there it was time for the fun part – load in. Facetiousness aside, it’s always cool when the bands get there early, everything is getting set, the venue is empty and you start getting amped for the night ahead. We’d managed to get our hands on a monster lighting rig and confetti cannon, so from the get-go we had a feeling the show would be huge. Well, at least that it’d look huge. A few hours later, and after a final sound check before doors opened, it was off to record a quick interview with local media. And then it was on.
The ANU Bar served as the perfect setting for our Album Launch. With doors opening at 8pm and already a crowd lining up early to get in, there was a buzz in the air where you could just feel that something special was going to happen.
The night kicked off with a two-piece acoustic act, The Alternative taking the stage. These young lads have only played a handful of gigs but already, their skill and ambition is undeniable. What I found most impressive was the creativity in their original songs. Whilst their covers served for some fun sing-alongs (not withstanding an Atlantis Awaits cover of The Angel which I biasedly thought was great!), it was their originals, which seemed to please the appreciative crowd. Jonah William’s clever tapping was complemented nicely by Nathan Reynold’s genuine vocals. It was a good set and these lads have plenty of talent between them.
Funk rock band Pleased to Jive You were up next. By this time, the crowd was growing rapidly in size and inebriation. It was a shame more of the attendees didn’t come across from the bar area to check out these young lads, because frankly…they kicked ass. This was a different genre completely from the two bands about to follow, but I think it served as a cool contrast and was an opportunity for the boys to access a new type of crowd. With their offbeat rhythms and complex time signatures, these guys have talent that far exceeds the likes of me and it was fun to watch!
But the clock was ticking and it wasn’t long before the hard-core When Giants Sleep ripped into their set. It was fast, energetic and intense. Whilst it may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, the guys had a solid crowd and I was stoked to watch them tear up the stage and heard a lot of positive feedback especially on front man Arnie’s brutal screams.
At 11.00pm it was AA’s turn. With the beers loaded up on stage and set lists in place, there was nothing left to do but play our hearts out. Just before jumping on, we’d received word that we’d clocked up 300 payers for the night, which had exceeded our expectations and psyched us up even more. So with a quick fist bump, we jumped on stage and got to it. I’ve always liked being the drummer because I get an awesome view of the guys (and gal) in the band in front of me as well as the crowd. Speaking of which, it was a ruthless audience and by God was it awesome! The mosh pit filled immediately. There were spilled drinks everywhere, which saw almost everyone take a tumble. I saw a few blood noses and more than a few people limp off to the side still smiling! It’s all part of the fun though, right? After belting 7 songs from the album, we finished our set with an old favourite Deeper Than Me, the end of which saw the crowd, led by bass player Steve Wright, form a wall of death. Again…it was immense.
After heading off stage, front woman Tegan Rogers returned on her own to play Dreamchaser on the keyboard, which then saw all of us jump back and on rock out the last half of the song. After finishing the song, came the night’s highlight for me – with the confetti cannon still spewing out paper, we managed to take a few photos of the band with the crowd in the background. That photo to me pretty much sums up the night, and I probably would’ve been better off submitting that photo alone instead of this review.
All in all it was an awesome night and we were all stoked with all the bands that played and everyone who came out and supported us. I’m not going to get all cliché and say it was a humbling experience and all that, but it was fucking epic and I can’t wait to do it again, even bigger and better!
Written by Robbie Allison-Young
Senior Account Manager at ZOO Advertising
Drummer of Atlantis Awaits
