Ever wondered what 700 screaming, impatient Parkway Drive fans sound like on a Sunday night? I’ll give you six hints:
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE! OI OI OI!
Representing all the things that make Australia great: surfing, a laid back attitude, awesome music and a whole lot of fun, Parkway Drive came and conquered the nation’s capital and showed us why they’re Australia’s favourite exports.
Survival opened up the night and made an impression on the eager Canberra audience. But it was Northlane, one of Sydney’s biggest metal-core bands who’ve received an overwhelming response to their debut album, who really got the crowd moving. Front man Adrian Fitipaldes, sported a blue Nike shirt and commanded the stage. A few drum difficulties early in the set didn’t get in the way of a quality performance from the young guns. It was surprising and pleasing to see just how many fans these guys have outside of their hometown, with the crowd singing along to songs like Discoveries and Dispossession.
Returning from one of their many hiatuses, I Killed the Prom Queen showed why they remain one of the biggest bands in the Aussie scene. Despite playing less than a dozen shows a year, IKTPQ have a following that up and coming bands can only dream of. Undoubtedly though, it needs to be said that their success is largely owed to the presence of Jonah Weinhofen, who’s full time gig is guitarist in infamous English metal-core band, Bring Me the Horizon. If you don’t know who they are you probably have no business reading this review anyway. Prom Queen had the crowd in a frenzy, it was mental – circle pits and crowd-surfing galore. The lads were having as much fun on stage as their followers were down below, and the energy in the room grew as every song they played brought the arrival of Parkway a little closer.
When Parkway Drive finally took the stage at 10pm, the crowd lost their shit. All smiles, the five boys from Byron launched into their set, which instantly sent the room spinning. Playing their biggest hits Karma and Boneyards, it wasn’t until Winston announced “Enough of the slow songs, time for some heavy sh*t!” that’s when the crowd really let loose. Security seemed to be at odds as to how to manage the melee. There was simply no stopping these kids. All they wanted to do was rock out to Parkway, and there was nothing, not even a few laser-pointing, overweight security guards, that could stop them. Finishing with everyone’s favourite song, the crowd launched into “CARRION, IN A MOMENT I’M LOST!” Parkway Drive closed the night in style, and surely it was as much a night to remember for them as it was, for what has to be, some of their biggest fans.
The University of Canberra turned on an awesome night of hardcore music, one that Canberra deserves to see plenty more of. The success of not only the night, but Parkway Drive as a band can be measured simply by taking one look at the types of people who come out to the shows. Metros, hipsters, surfers, gothics, suits, footy-heads, soccer heroes and regular joes – all different, but somehow, when they’re all under the Parkway spell, the differences are forgotten. Like I said, Parkway Drive represent all that’s great about Australia.
Photography by Aaron Player
