Trophy Eyes, Boston Manor, TOWNS @ Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide 30/8/2024
It has been a wild adventure for Trophy Eyes however all external noise aside, they released a stomping album, Suicide And Sunshine and now we have an Aussie headline tour to deliver on that electric record.
The band went to dark places and have risen through that to lead this run around their home country before embarking on a UK run with one of tonight’s guests, their friends in Boston Manor. Tonight is a blast of hot sun on a wintry night with a crisp beer.
Adelaide’s very own TOWNS open with their pop punk two-piece thunder. The bands humour is very prevalent, whether it is between band banter, the loving way they describe turn their songs or the feelgood vibes throughout the audience. Newest release L8tely was aired a few months back however now it’s officially released, you are taken aback by how popular it has become so quickly. A sign of things to come for the duo.
Genre fluid Boston Manor hail from the seaside town with their own tower, Blackpool, and that heritage of sound, lights, music, dance and entertainment is all encapsulated in the band tonight.
The flash of red and white lights stun as Container gets the place moving. Floodlights On The Square brings the crowd forward as vocalist Henry Cox, realising the pit is ready for carnage, ignites like a flame on stage.
New track Sliding Doors we are informed is the heaviest track the band has written and as Aussie-British DJ Alan Freeman use to say, ‘not arf!’ The riffs are as sharp as a samurai sword and the crowd respond in a pirouette of bedlam.
Horses In A Dream disco groove has Cox whip the crowd up and Crocus is the wave the crowd surfers have been sitting on. Passenger is vibrant and challenging and the band finish with Foxglove with the buzz still felt long after Boston Manor depart.
Pavarotti’s classic Nessun Dorma blares through the speakers as the stage backlights illuminate the venue. The combination of the tenors voice and the orchestration sends tingles throughout the audience. Trophy Eyes have promised to fly straight like an arrow on this tour and boy do the deliver on that promise.
The combination of the giant that is John Floreani high kicks,, emotional lyrics and ability to co-exist vocally with the audience is eye catching. Through this is music which is dynamic, full of lush melodies and cranking riffs such as Blue Eye Boy and Heaven Sent making this is an all killer, no filler set.
Underneath the blare and glare at the front is drummer Blake Caruso, who has jazz swing to his drumming that allows the band the freedom to be both brutal and gentle in one swoop of his drumsticks.
John is a passionate artist, one who feels deeply and expresses that through his music. Tonight, his speech with the crowd is about how we are all involved in this art and to support each other as they launch through a nonstop blast of Kill, Breathe You In and Choke.
In a night of powerful moments, the noise from the crowd during You Can Count On Me leading into closer Chlorine sounds like 10,000 people are in this venue, all generating enough electricity that Tesla would be proud.
Tonight’s show ends and there is a sense of warmth within. A sense that tonight was enjoying the musical comforts that Trophy Eyes provide after a dull working week. Trophy Eyes have the keys to a room that helps you escape life for a few hours, and I recommend you walk through that door.
Live Review By Iain McCallum