Story Of The Year, Senses Fail, Behind Crimson Eyes @ The Gov, Adelaide 6/8/2024
Page Avenue didn’t just catapult Story Of The Year into the mainstreams collective consciousness, it transcended generations, passed down as a pop punk classic of this century. Tonight, we get to witness the albums twentieth anniversary tour.
The Gov seems fitting for the band and this album, it’s intimate yet expansive, the sound pristine and hey, we’ve all got good memories of this place too.
Along for the party is Senses Fail and Melbourne’s Behind Crimson Eyes who open first.
They are bouncy, they are fun, and they certainly are right for the audience. The bands cherry flavoured songs led by vocalist Josh Stuart are a great appetiser for the evening, even if ‘DEAD.DROP. DEAD.’ Is their swansong before retiring. Judging by the people engaged in the bands warm emotive show, there are a lot of people here for them this evening who will be sad to see them go.
Senses Fail intro music is the whistled song from American Horror Story however there is nothing horrific about them tonight. Right from opening track Tie Her Down, everyone is up singing and clapping. The compact stage doesn’t hold the band back as they rip through the hefty track listing of Let It Unfold You on their own twentieth anniversary run.
Senses Fail stay true to the running order, Buried A Lie, Rum Is For Drinking, Not For Burning and Choke On This has vocalist Buddy Nielsen lovingly state that this smells like Adelaide, a love of Coopers beer all before engaging the audience to sing the national anthem while completing a shoey.
The fun continues throughout the set list, each one someone’s favourite, and they finish with a flurry of covers. One hour, fourteen songs, humour, and light-hearted fun. Worth it.
All roads lead to Adam Russell, Ryan Phillips, Dan Marsala and Josh Wills place on Page Avenue. It’s Story Of The Year’s night and they obliterate the stage with the energy of those same guys twenty years ago.
Jumps, high kicks, laughter, and some bloody great tunes make up the evening. While the set list is heavily weighted towards Page Avenue, as Dan notes, it’s not in running order and they sprinkle thigh slapping newer tracks throughout.
Opening with And The Hero Will Drown, the venue instantly transports back twenty years, as fans – young and old – sing every word back.
Ryan’s guitar sounds sharp and Josh’s drums hit hard, while Dan and Adam lead the crowd throughout hand clapping, waving phone camera lights and general tomfoolery.
War is exceptional, Razorblades searing and We Don’t Care Anymore rock before, we are led to believe, a first time in Adelaide performance of Swallow The Knife.
A beautiful moment for Sidewalks has the band illuminated by phone lights as the audience actually take over the vocals for a magical moment that will stay long in the memory. The band clearly enjoying this as much as the fans.
Finishing with Tear Me To Pieces and naturally Until The Day I Die, it’s obvious the sold out crowd have enjoyed being taken down memory lane to Page Avenue. Some would even stay here if they could, such is its inner meaning to all, young and old.
Live Review By Iain McCallum