Limp Bizkit, Of Mice & Men, Ocean Grove @ Entertainment Centre, Adelaide 22/3/2018
The Adelaide Entertainment Centre is the location for tonight’s show, and fans are still streaming into the venue as local Australian outfit Ocean Grove take to the stage. With a recent European and US tour under their belts, the Melbourne quintet work the huge stage very well and are an exciting band to watch. Their sound is well suited to this bill, and as they move through songs from their 2017 release The Rhapsody Tapes it’s clear that Ocean Grove’s star is on the rise. They close their set with their stomping track Stratosphere Love and leave the crowd well and truly energised.
Next up onstage are Californian natives Of Mice and Men. They are no strangers to our shores, having toured here before, but this is the band’s first Australian tour since the departure of long time vocalist Austin Carlile. With bassist Aaron Pauley stepping up and assuming both vocal and bass duties, this leaner consolidated OM&M line up has certainly not lost any of its punch, ripping through their energetic set to the now massive crowd. Opening with the anthemic Defy from the recently released album of the same name, their set is a blistering cross section of new tunes such as Warzone and Instincts mixed with older favourites like Bones Exposed and Would you still be there?. Of Mice & Men are a seriously talented band, and tonight they look hungrier than ever.
Last but certainly not least, the stars of the show Limp Bizkit take to the stage right on schedule. They launch straight into their set with the instantly recognisable riffage of Hotdog, whipping the vocal crowd into a frenzy. The capacity crowd are here for a show, and for the next hour and fifteen minutes Fred Durst & co deliver exactly that. Fred Durst masterfully conducts the chaos, while enigmatic guitarist Wes Borland never stops moving and is electrifying to watch. Birthday boy John Otto’s pounding drums keep the room bouncing with every beat, and DJ Lethal is clearly enjoying his return to the line up after a lengthy absence. Feeding from the crowd’s energy, the group burn through hit after hit, dropping classics Rollin’, Livin It Up, Broke and through a lengthy rendition of clear crowd favourite Nookie with a little help from an extremely enthusiastic fan brought onstage to sing the ending. When Durst asks the crowd “Do you think we can fly?” during My Generation, the room explodes with the mosh pit erupting into a sea of bodies.
Their creative output may have slowed over the last few years, but Limp Bizkit’s live show still packs an almighty punch. It’s been nearly 20 years since the release of their breakout album Significant Other, but tonight the band deliver all the hits in an awesome display of energy that show no signs of them slowing down. Keep on rollin’…
Live Review by Samuel Phillips