HEALTH, Zheani, Joshua Wells & Karina Utomo @ Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide 1/8/2024
HEALTH are fast emerging as one of those bands to start taking notice building a ground swell of support here in Australia which has seen the entire tour sold out. Good luck trying to get a ticket now! The band dipped their toe in playing Dark Mofo in 2023 and a couple of side shows but it has been sky is the limit since. There’s no doubt in mind that this rise will continue and when they will return they will be playing much bigger venues.
As a package this show was the complete experience offering something unique that you wouldn’t ordinary go and see and there was plenty going on to keep it interesting. Experimental drum & bass artist Joshua Wells (Nerve, AR53 Records) and extreme metal vocalist Karina Utomo (KILAT, Rinuwat, High Tension) are an interesting proposition with the duo improvising electronic rhythms and exploratory voicing. It was the sort of thing that defies labels and being pigeonholed in a particular box. In context of the evening it definitely wasn’t out of place as it was a discordant cacophony of textural dark, techno landscapes narrated with shatteringly acute vocals.
Zheani has built quite the following and has also had a meteoric rise with plenty of Adelaide fans getting front and centre to get immersed in the performance. How would your describe the music of Zheani? Again, difficult to label being a combo of rap, hip-hop, metal, industrial, synth-pop, emo and hardcore but uniquely Zheani. Zheani left absolutely nothing on stager giving everything to the performance. There were plenty of talking points after including a “reveal” and getting her kit off on stage going topless to bold song highlights So Fucked Up, Fuck The Hollywood Cult and Bring Wet C***.
HEALTH took to the stage with what seemed like a heroes homecoming welcome in amongst the haze to knock over IDENTITY. Front man Jake Duzsik was minimalist with crowd banter choosing what he did say wisely opening with “We’re HEALTH from Los Angeles we have to fix some shit”. Yep, there a few technical issues throughout their set but that really didn’t matter or detract from their performance. The set list was mostly focused on 2023’s Rat Wars and Adelaide fans were left in awe over the next eighty minutes or so. Seriously elite and when the music is this dynamic and powerful there wasn’t any need for pointless chit chat letting the songs do all the talking.
There was definitely something gripping and captivating about how their music and how they do it. Noise Rock? Even Duzsik himself says that the purists would not describe it as that but more of a “primitive landscape”. The production itself with lights, effects, projections combined made for quite the experience. GOD BOTHERER, CRACK METAL, MEN TODAY and HATEFUL were all stellar building the intensity. STONE FIST and NEW COKE off Death Magic were highlights for me. Duzsik doesn’t give a lot away but did say “we never get to come here, thanks for being here” and adding that the “first time was not as good as this”.
There was still plenty more to come with DEMIGODS, UNLOVED and current single ASHAMED. So good! As the end of the set approach Duzsik said “we could stand here or over there” suggesting that they remain on stage rather than go off and on for an encore. The crowd roared as the band powered through closers CYBERPUNK 2.0.2.0 and DSM-V. That was it, HEALTH’s “RAT-BASED WARFARE TOUR” had infiltrated Adelaide, mission complete and many satisfied fans. We look forward, very much to their next move.
Live Review By Rob Lyon