How Can It Get Any Better Than This
Sunami x Outta Pocket in Nambour
For this show, I was almost going to put it together as another live gallery post. Although after it has unfolded and many discussions have been held in person and online, the night has me thinking. How can it get any better than this? Not that this has been the best possible lineup, but rather the fact that the mountain of hardcore music our scene is climbing must soon reach its apex. More on this as a conclusion to this piece, for now, let’s go over the night.
Without question, this was a stacked lineup that far exceeded the entry fee. Opening the night was local favourites Two Seventy. I have discussed in detail working with these guys on some editorial stuff previously, as I continue to shoot more and more of their shows. At this point, I’m just as big a fan as the rest of the community. Young kids with immense talent and an ever-growing style. They have some new music to release in the near future, a first and very anticipated release. With this, I arranged with the boys to film a new track of theirs, which they closed with. I had my camera perched on the sound desk filming, a GoPro on the feedbacks, and another generous photographer filming (thanks Jorja). While I lurked around with my handycam to get even more angles, the boys had other cams set up too. So with all this footage, I am keen to put it all together. Here is a very early teaser:
As for their set, fast, raw and aggressive. Warranting an amazing crowd response, as to be expected at a home show. Onward and upward for the lads, and the new track… certified classic.
Newcastle’s Feel The Pain followed, and the energy shifted again. There’s a density to their sound that doesn’t just fill a room, it presses against your chest. I’ve shot them a few times now, and this time felt different to the last. I think mainly due to their EP “World In Two” now being released. People fighting for mic grabs on their super catchy and, in my opinion, bouncy and groovy hardcore. The kind of set where you’re half-focused on framing a shot and half-dodging boots flying by your head.
I can’t remember exactly who I was speaking with after Feel The Pain, but I do recall saying I can’t believe we still have Outta Pocket and Sunami yet to play. Furthermore, showcasing the bands that have already destroyed on stage. In the lead-up to shows, I do tend to listen to the bands that are going to perform. I think I listened to Outta Pocket the most, including the new EP. I was really hyped for this set. With bodies already flying, I knew it was about to kick up a gear. Outta Pockets sounds just feels violent. Hard vocals with what has to be one of the tightest snares in the game. There were, in fact, piles of bodies, kids launching off anything they could climb, no pause between songs, just wave after wave of chaos. The crowd response I was expecting was surpassed, and I wouldn’t be surprised if these guys were the favourite of the night for some.
By the time Sunami walked out, the room was already running hot. Nambour isn’t usually the dot on the map for a night like this (to elaborate on this later), and that’s probably why it felt so electric. The whole thing unfolding in this little space, with bodies piling on top of each other, every song landing like a sledgehammer, it was surreal. Between firing off frames, I kept catching myself just standing there, smiling at the chaos in front of me. Just full of joy of what had taken place, and that I still had Sunami to watch. I like to think I’m still a fan first and then a photographer second. I was feeling that at this show.
I love Sunami so much, and let’s say out of the more “mainstream” (if you could take it that far) hardcore bands, they would be my favourite. Just a great, fully crowd-received set from these guys. Some audio issues weren’t going to get in the way of the night as they belted out some new and older material. My favourite track of theirs is gate crasher, and try as I might, I couldn’t quite get to the mic for an intro “Sunami style bitch” grab.
To circle back around to my title and intro, I had this feeling driving home: how do you get bigger than this? For context, Nambour, where all this magic is taking place, is not in fact a major tour stop destination (well, not anymore). It is in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast in Australia. A quick Google search of the Sunshine Coast would reveal stunning beaches with luxury tourist accommodation and attractions. It would fail to mention Nambour. Often considered and harmfully labelled as the more subpar section of the Coast. It is a lower socioeconomic region, and with that come common offshoots such as drug use, homelessness and a lower sense of living standard. Though what is often missed by, let’s call them snobbier suburbs, is the thriving arts and music culture community within Nambour's grittier streets. In fact, there are only two dedicated special entertainment precincts (SEP) in the state. One is the Fortitude Valley in the state capital, Brisbane, with the other being, you guessed it, Nambour!
So how, in fact, can it get any bigger? For starters, the fine people at Beastmode keep adding tour stops in Nambour. Which now leads to almost instant sold-out All Ages shows. Maybe a bigger venue is required, though the current spiritual home, The Black Box Theatre, would be sadly missed. But how much longer can a 100-cap venue produce these shows and warrant its sustainability? Maybe that’s the secret behind it after all. Intimate all ages hardcore to a thriving crowd who are so stoked these bands are playing in their mislabeled gem of a town. All I know is I count the sleeps to the next show, to see amazing music, catch up with friends and continue to let my creative ambitions thrive.
*** As an extra note, as I type away at this piece, another show just dropped. So the mountain has yet to be ascended, folks. The dream run continues as I look up how many sleeps to this show.
Thanks for reading and taking a look at my photography. If you're yet to subscribe, it would mean so much if you could and then share this post.
Great read!
Crazy to think 270 pretty much had a mic grab every song; without ANY music out!