I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again - 170 Russell is truly one of my favourite venues. After a relatively uneventful weekend, I found myself arm in arm with my boyfriend as we scaled down the staircase into the familiar bunker-esque room. Rich, blue lighting and a soft haze wrapped around me as a can magically appeared in my hand, and I breathed a hearty sigh of relief. After tracking down Drew and Tristan, I assumed the position of protecting camera bags and before we knew it, it was time for the show to begin.

Fallweather took to the stage, behind them the screen projected their logo with a film overlay, distorting and crackling around the whirling font. The five piece hail from our lovely hometown, Melbourne, and have a heavy influence from the early 2000’s post-hardcore scene. I hadn’t heard of these guys before, but I was blown away by their fervent ferocity. There was no holding back, the pure intensity of their riffs and growls resonated deep within me. A few tracks that stuck out to me were Seconds Of Life, Deadweight and the final track of their set, Tired Eyes. Safe to say, these tunes have made it into the rotation and I will be keeping an eye on these boys.

Between sets I bumped into an old friend, and the yap was so good that time once again slipped through my fingers. The lights dulled, and looking around I noticed how much the room had filled in the short time. It was packed up to the top of the stairs at the back of the room, almost at capacity already. Bad Juju were the perfect follow up for a second act, unleashing an entirely different energy again. Their tracks bounced from melodic alt rock, to groovy nu-metal adjacent riffs. During their set, they showed off with two brand new tracks, and absolutely slammed through some fan favourites such as Nothing To Give and Misery Sticks to Me. The crowd jumped and crashed to every drum kick and sinister breakdown, every pit callout being met with astounding obedience.

The energy in the air practically crackled with anticipation, and despite a thirty minute wait between sets, it never seemed to dissipate. The excitement was not undeserved, it was the band's first Australian headline tour, and with a fanbase as devout as this, it’s no surprise the room was shoulder to shoulder packed. With four studio albums under their belt, and having toured with the likes of Polaris, Any Given Day and Miss May I, this band has firmly rooted themselves as global icons.

Creature is the first song that graces us, the cheers from the audience practically shaking the venue as each member took to the stage. Bodies are immediately flying as vocalist Florent grins down at the chaos, before switching back to biting screams. But, Florent knows that the masses are capable of more, and as the intro to Death rings out he yells, “Melbourne! What the fuck is up! Open this pit, now!”. That’s all it takes as the madness grows more vehement, deliciously meticulous drums tick and bass lines growl around Florents rapping.

During the chorus for Blistering, a younger guy climbs to stand upright on his friends shoulders, stretching upwards and preaching to the choir as he shouted the lyrics “Will you show me the way? My heart is blisterin,”. It didn’t fail to make me grin as he collapsed into a crowd surf, but not distracting me long enough to miss the serene cruelty of the breakdown. Suffocate might have been my favourite of the set, the intro being delicately handled by only Florent and his acoustic guitar, before swelling into its triumphant glory as the rest of the band joined in. The encore consisted of Blood Red and the much beloved Self Made Black Hole.

LANDMVRKS are a testament to their own, having traversed the industry for over a decade now and mastering their artistry along the way. They hold a distinct grip on the scruff of my neck, not only has their most recent album flawed me but to finally get to experience them live has slung them into a whole different ball park. Fiery, tangible passion is apparent from the minute they pick up their instruments, to the very second they leave the stage. There are few bands who hold a league of their own, and LANDMVRKS is certainly one of them.

Photo’s by:

Tristan Skell

LANDMVRKS | 170 Russell

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