5SOS, Muki @ Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide 16/8/2018
If you couldn’t tell by the screams in Adelaide last Thursday night after 5 Seconds of Summer hit the stage, then were you even in town! With line-ups all the way down Henley Beach Road and some poor punters even having lined-up since 7:00am that morning, this sold out show was definitely off to a big start!
Before walking into the venue, I heard a loud thunder of screams. Rest assured I wasn’t late, in fact I was on time. Security informed me that they turned on the lights. At this point a fly could’ve landed on stage and there would be a thousand set of lungs screaming. But before the real mega screaming started there was support act Muki. Referred to as Australia’s answer to Charli XCX, she showed us she meant business. Full of confidence and girl power she sang her way through her set of originals like her single Friends Don’t Make Out and even a cover of the Spice Girls hit Wanna Be. Even surprising everyone by jumping into the audience to get up close and personal!
But who’s kidding who? We all knew who everyone was there for – 5 Seconds of Summer. OK here’s a little confession – I may or may not have been a little excited myself. It’s so easy to get caught up in the atmosphere and energy that 5SOS fans produce that I felt like a 16 sixteen year old again. In the seas of young screaming girls, I did see a few young men and even a local Adelaide identity Lionel. With his bright orange and lime coloured jacket and red and white pinned striped trousers he danced and fist pumped like the best of them! Just an FYI Lionel is not sixteen and more the other end of the age scale but good on him and “yay!”’ for him too as he had a VIP lanyard. THAT was the ticket to have which included entry to the sound check.
So, when 5SOS did finally come on stage after what felt “like forever” the loud piercing screams started and pretty much didn’t finish until the band left the stage. At this point ear plugs would have come in handy. Something I need to remember for the next time! Determined not to be drowned out by the thousands of screams 5SOS started their set with the thumping sounds of Babylon.
The Meet You There tour was mainly a playlist straight from their third album Youngblood. Songs with an 80s pop feel like Talk Fast, Moving Along, More, Want You Back and Girls Talk Boys from the Ghostbuster’s soundtrack. I’m sure that song has a touch of Duran Duran feels to it. Maybe that’s why I liked it!
The energy form 5SOS was electric whether they played new or old favourites like She’s Kinda Hot, Waste the Night and Jet Black Heart. Live 5SOS are harder and edgier. The beats were loud and thunderous which I preferred compared to the album recordings. They had the crowd safely and securely in their pocket singing along to every lyric all the while jumping up and down to the beat.
Even the slower songs of Ghost of You, Lie to Me, Why Wont You Love Me, Better Man and Valentine got the same screaming reaction. Actually, I don’t think there was a song that wasn’t followed by screams. Even when the guys were silent there were screams. I’d bet my left arm there were plenty of sore throats the following day!
The tender moments of the night came from the melancholic yet touching song Amnesia which you could say it was an unscripted duet with the crowd. They sang loud and proud along with the band and knew every word like it was their anthem. When lead singer Luke Hemmings sat alone with his piano to sing the heartfelt The Only Reason with Michael Clifford and Callum Hood joining in for their verses it created a welcomed silence and serenity from the crowd. It was soulful and sultry. At one point during the song he encouraged the crowd to sing along with him. Cue more loud singing and screaming!
It was impressive to see that each band member got their moment to shine. Each member either sang lead vocals or flaunted their guitar skills. Drummer Ashton Irwin got to show off his banging skills which for me was the heart of the band’s sound during the show. These guys are real musicians and that’s refreshing to see at a time when there’s so much plastic pop. They have a real appreciation for their fans by constantly thanking them for supporting them and promising to come back again.
Then it was back to rocking it with the big hits left for last. If you thought the screams were loud before you hadn’t heard anything until She Looks So Perfect and Youngblood. It’s surprising that Thebarton Theatre is still standing! Take away all the screaming girls and you have four guys rocking their hearts out playing some pretty mature pop rock songs.
Live Review by Anastasia Lambis