Balance and Composure, Glitterer @ Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide 14/3/2025
The last of the New Bloom Festival side shows hit Adelaide and this one was an absolute ripper just like the previous two. What a bill with the likes of Balance And Composure supported by Glitterer. I can’t speak highly enough of this iteration of New Bloom Festival and the bands brought out to Australia, kudos to the curators of this festival… nailed it.
Glitterer are one of those much talked about bands and finally we got to see them in Adelaide. Initially starting out as a solo project, the band was formed and is fronted by Ned Russin, vocalist and bassist of the band Title Fight. Ned was fantastic to watch literally throwing himself right in to the music.
In forty-five minutes or so the band covered plenty of ground with some twenty-one songs. There was barely a pause in between songs allowing them to catch their breath before rolling in to the next song which is a part of the intensity and energy of performance taking fans on a journey through their back catalogue. Starting with a couple of big ones in I Want To Be Invisible and 1001 it was hard not to be in awe of Ned Russin and the way he goes about it. He didn’t say much letting the music do the talking and all the songs you would expect including the likes of The Same Ordinary, Plastic, Bodies, Can’t Feel Anything and big showstopper Are You Sure? were all there. Impressive, really impressive set!
Balance And Composure are an incredible band and its hard to believe that in 2017 they packed it in after a farewell tour. Fast forward seven years and they are back with a vengeance with highly acclaimed fourth album with you in spirit. Arguably one of their best with this show featuring a healthy selection from it. Opening with any means and massive crowd favourite Tiny Raindrop singer/ guitarist Jon Simmons asked the crowd how they were feeling saying how they are feeling the love adding that they were loving their time in Australia.
If there is any band going around that you said were underrated I would have to add Balance And Composure to that list. So many great songs in their set including the likes of Parachutes, Reflection, Restless and Ain’t It Sweet. Simmons took a moment to reflect on their Thursday night at Cry Baby suggesting he didn’t remember much of what happened also pointing out that Australia has the funniest people in the world. It was another hot one in Lion Arts Factory to which Simmons asked, jokingly, to turn up the heat in here.
Despite the intense heat in the venue that didn’t stop the band going full throttle tearing through cross to bear and Saviour Mode. Postcard was awesome but Simmons did admit to being a touch sad given that this was the second to last show on the tour with good friend Glitterer. There is a touch of irony behind song believe the hype and that we should, no doubt I think we’ll be hearing a lot more from Balance and Composure. Finishing off their set with Quake and Notice Me that was it, no encore, leaving fans wanting more and with a wave and a thank you there was plenty to like and reflect on. Fingers crossed for a return visit sometime soon.
Live Review By Rob Lyon