6th October 2008

Friday Night Live Review

 

Not even hail and stormy weather could deter fans as they made their way to see six local bands and headlining band Closure In Moscow showcase their music in a five-hour event entitled “Friday Night Live”, held at the Glen Waverley Community Centre on Friday, 19 th September.

The event was organised by Quiksound Productions, a group of dedicated young people working under the banner of Monash Youth & Family Services. As part of the statewide FReeZA initiative, Quiksound Productions run youth events within the City of Monash.

The event began with six local bands and ended with Closure In Moscow, a Victorian band on the rise. Closure formed in 2006 and eighteen months later signed a deal with Taperjean Records, which saw the release of their debut “albumette” in 2008, titled The Penance and The Patience. Touring with recognised international bands such as Saosin, Coheed and Cambria, and A Static Lullaby, the band attracted international label interest and has signed a deal with independent United States label Science Records to record their full-length debut album in early 2009.

The opening band Artinem impressed the crowd with their set, playing a selection of original songs, which won the crowd over with their heavy riffs and melodic singing. The second band, Rick's Bar, made their return to the live circuit with an energetic performance that certainly drew the crowd's attention. Local punk rock heroes Three Last Words followed, unleashing a mixture of both old and new material, playing a set that featured classics such as “Drive”, and new songs, including the future live staple “It Won't Show”, all of which were well received by the audience.

After a short break, Click On Colour took to the stage, showcasing their powerful blend of rock and pop to the audience, recalling the sound of iconic powerpop band Kids In Glass Houses. Following Click On Colour, The Quarters hit the stage and captivated the crowd with their Living End-esque punk rock, performing catchy new songs for the crowd, and a surprise cover of The Subways' “Rock & Roll Queen”, before ending on their classic live favourite “When I Speak”. The final local band, Phonik, stunned the audience with not only their visual appearance, but their music, which echoes the classic sound of bands such as Guns ‘N' Roses and Motley Crue. Performing for the mesmerized crowd, Phonik's stage presence was undeniable.

After another short break, the hall darkened, and the iconic Star Wars theme music played as Closure In Moscow came out, to cheers and applause from the eager audience. Opening with their lead single from their albumette, “We Want Guarantees…” blew away the audience and simply highlighted why this band are on the rise both nationally and internationally. The soaring melodic vocals of lead singer Chris De Cinque fused with the intricate, heavy rock provided by the rest of the band to create an epic landscape of sound. The band put their all into the performance, and the audience were simply captured in the moment, experiencing the power and diversity of the band's music at its fullest. Playing songs from their albumette and also some new material likely to feature on their full-length album, Closure took the crowd on a musical journey before their set was done. New song and future Closure classic “Sweetheart” began with a middle-eastern riff before exploding into the band's signature sound, demonstrating the range of influences of the band. Closure's set drew to a close, and with that, the evening was complete – and as the fans left, many were still amazed by the performances they had seen that night.

The sponsors of this event were FreeZA, City of Monash, and Monash Youth and Family Services. The next Quiksound Productions event will be Quiztober – a trivia and acoustic band night, to be held on Friday 17 th October.

Matthew Armstrong (Member of Quiksound Productions)