The Forum

Bombay Bicycle Club (UK)

Jack Steadman, Bombay Bicycle Club - The Forum, 20th March 2012

Gallery: Bombay Bicycle Club

London lads Bombay Bicycle Club seemingly exceeded even their own expectations with their standalone shows in Melbourne. Originally booked for Richmond’s Corner Hotel, ticket sales were so fierce that it saw the gig moved to the far more plush surrounds of the Forum Theatre.

In Melbourne to support Mancunians Elbow the following night, Bombay Bicycle Club  seemed to revel in headlining their own stage.

Already with 3 albums behind them, the boys from Crouch End in North London delivered a set which showed why they’ve gained such a big following back home in the UK.

What’s clear from the moment Jack Steadman strides to the front of stage is just how capable a live act BBC are. Musically, the sound is as true to the record as anything you’d hear, and Steadman’s voice is a melodic missile that cuts through the mix provided by bandmates Jamie MacColl (Guitar), the babyfaced Ed Nash (Bass) and Suren De Saram (Drums). Louis Bhose does an incredible job also on keys, guitar and banjo.

They’re admittedly shy though, and rely heavily on the songs to reach the audience rather than engaging in too much on stage chat. Thankfully, the strength of the songs carries the crowd along with them.

Kicking off the night with How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep, the slow burning opener from last year’s A Different Kind of Fix, it doesn’t take the band long to kick into gear. The metronomic intro of Your Eyes follows, and Steadman’s high pitched vocal floats over the low-fi backing from the band.

Stepping back briefly to 2009, Magnet - the third single from debut album I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose - sees the band click into a higher gear, wrestling with their guitars against furious strobing. Hey, it was a prick to photograph but it looked pretty good. (more…)

Zakk Wylde (USA)

Zakk Wylde - The Forum Theatre, 28th February 2012

Gallery: Zakk Wylde

Arriving at the Forum Theatre it was immediately evident that there were more people outside sucking down ciggies than there were inside the venue ahead of Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society’s Soundwave sideshow. Slowly though the sea of black leather, beards and bandanas made their way inside the ornate Melbourne theatre to practice their devil horn finger gestures and chanting of ‘B-L-S!’.

Taking to the stage in black leathers and in a native American Indian headdress, Wylde and his black 10-up boots stormed around the stage and ripped into Crazy Horse from 2010’s Order of the Black. The high octane opening gave way to Funeral Bell, with Wylde’s growling vocal projecting from behind a mic stand adorned with skulls and a cross. Interesting.

The back to back assault of Overlord into Parade had the sweaty, hairy sea of black at the Forum heaving, and it was at this level that the night remained – intense, angry and loud.

It’s clear that the man with the black and white guitar has a huge following, and he’s a seriously fast and technical guitarist.

And the word of the night is Black.

The Church


Steve Kilbey, The Church, Forum Theatre, 30th December 2011

Gallery: The Church

Three albums in three hours. For paying punters tonight who’d forked out $60, that worked out to be about what you’d pay for the 3 albums at JB Hi- Fi. On paper, not a bad deal.

Iconic Australian band The Church brought their ambitious and shamelessly self-indulgent Future | Past | Perfect tour to Melbourne in that vortex of time that is the gap between Christmas and New Year. The brief was simple: 3 albums – 2009′s Untitled #23, 1992′s Priest=Aura and 1988′s hugely popular Starfish played in full.

Untitled #23 kicked things off, an album on which frontman Steve Kilbey delivered all the lead vocals. The crowd were appreciative though not particularly ‘involved’, and there were a few empty seats at the Forum, configured as a fully seated venue. The songwriting though is solid, even if Kilbey’s voice tonight wasn’t particularly so, but Pangaea and Anchorage in particular shone.

After a short break (intermissions at a gig??), the band returned to deliver all the songs from their critically acclaimed Priest=Aura. Eclectic and complex, this isn’t an album for everyone and it definitely drew a more muted reponse than the previous offering.

Yet another intermission and it was time for the most widely known and revered collection of work – Starfish. Whilst songwriter Steve Kilbey has unashamedly dined out on the second track – Under The Milky Way – since the day it was released, Starfish is an album with real depth that goes beyond being defined by the success of that track.

Reptile in particular mounted a strong case for best track of the night, and it’s clear that this is the album the 500 strong crowd enjoyed the most.

It’s hard to fault the value for money on offer tonight, but at times the deep excavation of album tracks and extended atmospheric solos challenged the neutral listener. Still Vocalist and Bassist Kilbey, along with bandmates Peter Koppes (Guitar & Vocals), Marty Willson-Piper (Guitar & Bass) and drummer Tim Powles showed the strength of their convictions by delivering 3 such contrasting albums to their fans at the always incredible Forum Theatre in Melbourne on the penultimate night of 2011.

Dropkick Murphys (USA)

Al Barr, The Dropkick Murphys, Forum Theatre, 25th October 2011

Gallery: The Dropkick Murphys

Is there a band in the world that has a more dedicated and just so damn happy bunch of fans than The Dropkick Murphys?

The band took to the stage at the Forum just after 9:30pm, and kicked off an incredible set that whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

Opening with Hang ‘Em High from their current release Going Out In Style, the Boston celtic-punks ebbed and flowed their way through a set that never missed a beat.

Take Em Down was a quieter moment, with the song dedicated by bassist and sometime vocalist Ken Casey to the ongoing Occupy protests.

Shipping Up To Boston deliverd an amazing end to the main set, before the crowd favourite and inevitable cause of stage invasion Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced saw everyone from streakers, to stagedivers to grandmothers take to the stage.

Closing with the AC/DC classic TNT, not a single person inside the Forum left without a smile on their face. An incredible gig from an incredible band, made even better by incredible fans.

Black Dice, Lucky Dragons (USA)

Bjorn Copeland, Black Dice, The Forum Theatre, 8th October 2011

Gallery: Black Dice
Gallery: Lucky Dragons

Saturday night, and the Forum Theatre played host to one of the best gigs of the year. Unfortunately that wasn’t THIS Saturday night, but 7 days prior when Gotye graced the stage.

This Saturday night, it played host to a double act of Black Dice & Lucky Dragons, a couple of electronica experimentalists from the USA, forming part of the Melbourne Festival.

Make no mistake. It wasn’t good.

Lucky Dragons are described as coming from the ‘post song age’, an age where music has no necessary beginning, middle or end. If that’s the brief, they nailed it at the Forum tonight.

Part nonsensical warbling, part atmospheric background, part repetitive effects generated noise, the set seemed to go on forever. Looking bored throughout, Sarah Rara and Luke Fischbeck never really hit the mark. In fact I’m not sure they ever really had a mark in sight. (more…)

Kimbra

Kimbra, The Forum Theatre, 9th September 2011

Gallery: Kimbra

Since crossing the Tasman in 2007, kiwi Kimbra has built up a stunning reputation built on her incredible voice, intoxicating melodies and commanding stage presence.

Her live show at the Forum couldn’t have come at a better time, currently sitting atop the Aria singles chart with her Gotye duet Somebody That I Used To Know. There’s a real buzz about Kimbra at the moment and after tonight, it’s most certainly justified.

She was the first artist I caught at Splendour in the Grass in July, and left a real impression then so I was stoked to get the gig doing some shots for Faster Louder.

Taking to the stage in a spectacular pink dress, and standing back to the crowd, she launched into a slew of tracks from her newly release album, Vows. Debut single and album opener Settle Down kicked off the night and got a fantastic reception, with it’s a-capella opening sequence it was a great choice . This led into Good Intent before really hitting stride with Limbo. (more…)

Husky

Husky Gawenda, Husky, The Forum Theatre, 9th September 2011

Gallery: Husky

Melbourne 4 piece Husky have been working their backsides off of late. It seems they’ve been playing almost constantly for the past couple of months, supporting touring artists and delivering their own shows to boot.

Tonight they played the brilliant Forum Theatre in Melbourne ahead of Kimbra’s set, and delivered 45 mins of indie folk melodies that were well suited to the 1929 built venue.

Vocalist Husky Gawender is an engaging performer. While contemporaries who work in a similar genre of music tend to be understated on stage, shy, and at times even dull, Gawender seems happy to hold a conversation with the crowd in front of him.

Dark Sea is a particular highlight, but the band seemed to battle with sound tonight, the bass in particular was uncharacteristically loud for this style of music. These guys can really play though, and while the set was solid it never really seemed to reach lift off. (more…)

Miami Horror

Ben Plant & Josh Moriarty, Miami Horror, The Forum, 9th July 2011

Gallery: Miami Horror

When snapping bands it’s often easy to zone out a bit, concentrate on the pictures and see the music as secondary. It’s a shame, but it happens. Not tonight though. At Miami Horror’s hotly awaited Melbourne show at the Forum, there were times when I took a break clicking from behind the lens to watch what the 4 lads from Melbourne were doing on stage.

Surrounded by 10 foot high plants and washes of colour, fluoro tubes and strobes, the electro rock outfit delivered song after song of crowd-rousing music.

Whilst the music is undoubtedly the brainchild of synth player and producer Ben Plant, live it’s the frontman Josh Moriarty who steals the show.

At times pacing the stage and interracting with bandmates Aaron Shanahan (Drums) and Daniel Whitechurch (Bass/Keys), Mariarty is the clear focal point for the audience. And all this while delivering a bunch of moves that he might actually have to pay Prince royalties for.

Either way, it works.

(more…)

Gold Fields

Gold Fields, The Forum, 9th July 2011

Gallery: Gold Fields

When you’re called Gold Fields, there’s got to be a Ballarat connection, right? Sure enough, the Victorian guitar/electronic 5 piece hail from west of Melbourne, and they opened up for Miami Horror at the Forum on Saturday night.

Gaining plenty of airplay after winning Triple J’s Unearthed competition for last years Falls Festival, Gold Fields have squeezed in a trip around the UK and later in the year will be on the Parklife bill.

OK, so I was there to take photos, and I did. But it’s tricky to get too many when the band ask the lights to be switched off… thanks guys. Still, the sounds was good, the crowd appreciative, and every so often we got a glimpse of faces from the shadows.

(more…)

Manic Street Preachers (UK)

James Dean Bradfield, Manic Street Preachers, Forum Theatre, Melbourne 20th November 2010

Gallery: Manic Street Preachers

I’d never looked forward to gig as much as this one. Here’s a band who played one of the top handful of shows I’ve ever seen back in 1999 at the Prince of Wales Hotel in St Kilda. I figured, and accepted they were never coming back.

I’d missed them by a month in the US back in 2009, so it wasn’t meant to be as far as I could tell. When the shows were announced midway through 2009, even before we had a new album in our hands, well I was pretty pumped.

And then I saw they were playing at the Forum Theatre, quite possibly my favourite venue in the world. It was perfect really. All they had to do was show up and be as good as I remembered them. (more…)