WHILE SHE SLEEPS, STICK TO YOUR GUNS, OCEAN SLEEPER & BOUNDARIES - Live @ Magnet House, Perth 03/10/2024
WHILE SHE SLEEPS (UK) ‘Live in Australia’ with STICK TO YOUR GUNS (USA), OCEAN SLEEPER (AUS) and BOUNDARIES (USA)
Magnet House, Perth 03/10/2024
Review by Marco Ieritano
Photo gallery by Jessica Ieritano
Opening the night was Connecticut’s BOUNDARIES, who delivered a relentless and energetic metalcore performance, instantly filling the area in front of the stage and igniting the pit early on. Their mix of dissonant chords and creative breakdowns harkened back to mid-2000s metalcore, while adding their own unique twist. Tim Sullivan impressed with his ability to flawlessly handle clean vocals while drumming, seamlessly blending melody and aggression. Their final song, ‘Easily Erased’, had the whole crowd waving in unison, leaving the audience buzzing with adrenaline.
OCEAN SLEEPER brought an electrifying energy to the stage from the moment they stepped on, with frontman Karl Spiessl commanding the crowd as the pit exploded into chaos. Their ability to switch seamlessly from softer, crowd-pleasing moments, where everyone clapped along, to intense, crushing breakdowns that sparked a wall of death was impressive. The only thing that detracted from my personal experience of their set was the heavy and obvious use of backing tracks, especially clean vocals, which had me questioning how much was actually live, however the crowd didn't mind so if that works for them, then good on them. The set even included a special moment with the crowd singing Happy Birthday to Karl, adding a personal touch to the night.
Taking the stage to ‘Tequila’, STICK TO YOUR GUNS were up next. Vocalist, Jesse Barnett, promised movement and that's exactly what they got during the opening breakdown. The set was filled with plenty of hardcore action, keeping the energy high and priming the crowd for more. Despite a brief moment of technical difficulties, the band quickly regained momentum, even celebrating drummer Adam Galindo's birthday with a circle pit in his honour. A highlight of the set was the powerful one-two punch of ‘Amber’ and ‘Against Them All’, which left the crowd buzzing and perfectly primed for WHILE SHE SLEEPS to take over.
WHILE SHE SLEEPS exploded onto the stage with the adrenaline-pumping track ‘RAINBOWS’, immediately capturing the crowd’s energy as frontman Lawrence ‘Loz’ Taylor declared, "We're not here to fuck spiders." The statement rang true as the band powered through their set with impeccable precision. ‘SLEEPS SOCIETY’ took things to an entirely new level, with Loz and Mat Welsh delivering flawless vocals, backed perfectly by Sean Long and Aaran McKenzie. The band's tightness was undeniable, and when Loz demanded the crowd jump, the response was electric. Aaran even took his bass into the crowd, where a circle pit formed around him, and later, Loz joined in on the action, crowdsurfing during ‘Anti-Social’ before finishing the song with the bold declaration, "Now we're motherfucking cooking."
The crowd interaction continued as ‘SELF-HELL’ had everyone waving their hands side to side, chanting the lyrics, "let's praise the love." When the band asked to "turn this room into a festival" for ‘Four Walls’, the audience obliged, with people on shoulders and lighters swaying to the music. Their gratitude to the crowd was evident throughout the night, Loz even acknowledging a brave fan he met at the merch desk, who told him that they were battling anxiety and were sticking it out to see WHILE SHE SLEEPS, which Loz congratulated their bravery and announced that they have the best fans.
Yet ANOTHER birthday was also celebrated, this time their photographer, who was presented with a cake and candles before diving into a Chemical Brothers cover of ‘Go’. As the night went on, ‘TO THE FLOWERS’ became a standout moment, with the crowd instinctively, without instruction, kneeling down in ‘Slipknot-style’ before bursting back to life, showcasing the band's ability to create truly immersive live experiences. The song also incredibly showcases Sean’s unique and intricate guitar playing style, with his double-whammy pedal precision.
The set concluded with an epic performance of ‘SYSTEMATIC’, which had the crowd kneeling once more before erupting into a massive jump as Magnet House's ceiling lights moved up and down, even surprising the band. It was the perfect ending to a night of non-stop energy, with WHILE SHE SLEEPS delivering a brilliantly executed and unforgettable show.
