Sevendust, Red Hook @ The Gov, Adelaide 29/4/2019
Lajon Witherspoon, the diminutive in stature however huge in voice lead vocalist of Sevendust, leans on his microphone stand, sweat dripping from his brow and proclaims ‘Sevendust don’t do concerts, we do family reunions’.
Sevendust have arrived on their All I See Is War’ tour to Adelaide, bringing with them Sydney’s RedHook, an effervescent whirl of energy with an upward trajectory of a space rocket.
Having recently been in town with Hands Like Houses – with a spot on the prestigious Download UK festival at Donington on the horizon – RedHook have in vocalist Emmy Mack, a vicious snarling leader of a revolution one minute before contouring into butter wouldn’t melt in mouth singer the next.
Backed by the bass heavy Surburban and guitarist Craig Wilkinson the crowd swells as they are symbolically pulled to the front by the power of the band shifting through the levels of the music world. An infectious blend of punk rock with alternative heavy grooves, the causal drop of RATM classic Guerilla Radio’ is the final kill shot the band delivered on a glorious performance.
Opening with the lead single Dirty, off the new album All I See Is War, Sevendust announce their presence in Adelaide like a homecoming king, fresh from the battlefield.
The electricity in the venue is palpable, stretching to all four corners of the room as the band trade vocal blows with the crowd early doors. By the time Denial is presented, the warring mosh pits have begun, with the gallant knights of the crowd surfing realm overseeing the battlefield below.
The drums and bass vibrations from Morgan Rose and Vince Hornsby compare to the charge of cavalry, so much so that the gentleman next to me has to hold onto the post to stay upright. Bitch, Dead Set and Waffle are then delivered with the ferocity of machine gun fire.
Angels Son’ slows the pace, the emotional context meaning different things to different people, all though lost in their own special precious moment before an expertly executed Shine is slain.
The final epic conclusion to this battle of metal is the sonic explosion of Black, which has guitarist Clint Lowery lose his ear piece, as it flys out due to ferocity of Lowery’s physical exertions. The flag of victory is finally raised during Face To Face declaring the end of battle.
Lajon leaves us with that one last message, ‘Sevendust don’t do concerts, we do family reunions’. Tonight, band and audience have fought like siblings, expending every ounce of energy out of each other, before finishing knowing each other gave everything. For Sevendust, this was a war they didn’t just see, they won.
Live Review By Iain McCallum