Parkway Drive – John Cain Arena Melbourne – 24 September 2024
Review: Craig Eriksson. Photos: David Harris Photography
Parkway Drive’s 20-Year Anniversary Australian Tour 2024 at John Cain Arena, Melbourne on Tuesday evening was a wonderful celebration in every way. I heard fans freely using the word ‘epic’ to describe the show on their way out.
I saw Parkway Drive two years ago at Knotfest in Melbourne and they completely blew me away with their performance, so I knew I was going to see something extraordinary tonight. Parkway Drive have a reputation for delivering incredible live shows. This time, Winston McCall who is the screamo lead singer had announced they were going to deliver their biggest stage production to date, providing a ‘grand vision’ that would ‘create a moment’ for fans which would stick in their heads and make a lasting impression. I can vouch that their show certainly achieved their goal. The concert was full throttle from start to the end featuring pyrotechnics, flames, fire and rain, dancers, a string trio, huge riffs, theatrics and various visual displays throughout their solid 2-hour spectacular. It was absolutely insane and brutal!
It’s been a remarkable journey for Parkway Drive who formed back in 2003 in Byron Bay, NSW, Australia. Their name derived after the street where they first practiced, played and performed, known as ‘The Parkway House’. However, their unique style of hardcore, punk, alternative metal limited them playing in local venues. Thankfully they were discovered by Michael Crafter of band I Killed The Prom Queen who was at their first gig at Byron Bay Youth Centre and took a keen interest in the band, inviting them to support his group, consequently giving them the break they needed. Tonight we saw Michael join Winston on stage to sing BONEYARDS. Winston expressed his gratitude to Michael for kick-starting Parkway Drive’s incredible 20-year milestone.
These days Parkway Drive have built up a cult following and are massive, world renowned hardcore alternative metal band. They are one of Australia’s premiere heavy metal exports with the likes of Airbourne and The Amity Affliction.
The lights dimmed as the crowd waited eagerly in anticipation for Parkway Drive to appear. I noticed everyone on the floor had their backs to the main stage. With that, Parkway Drive appeared from the back of the venue ‘Rocky Balboa’ style with spotlights on Winston who was wearing a white hooded robe and looked like a Prize Fighter heading into the ring to fight. He was accompanied with the other band members dressed in black along with two flag bearers waving giant black flags and a security escort. It was a grand entrance watching them walk through the sea of fans doing high fives and fist bumps as they headed towards the small platform stage which was about 20 metres from the main stage and resembled a boxing ring. Fans were well and truly pumped ready to watch this Title Fight!
A drumkit rose from out of the stage floor, as the band ripped into their first two songs CARRION (2007 Horizons album) and the anthem-like, crowd sing-a-long PREY (2018 Reverence album), all from this small platform stage in amongst the fans. Right from the get-go you could feel the euphoria in the arena. Fans were going crazy, circle pits were developing and crowd surfing started and never ended throughout the whole evening.
From the rooftop, a drawbridge descended joining the small platform stage with the main stage. The black curtains lifted revealing an industrial-like main stage setting with giant steel beams, dirt mounds and huge drum rig, as though they were in an old steelworks yard. Four dancers appeared moving around the stage doing orchestrated flips, tumble rolls, break-dancing moves and jumps in an artistic manner as the band ripped into GLITCH (2022 Darker Still) with full pyrotechnics. The high energy and intensity in which the band deliver their songs is so infectious. Next up was SLEEPWALKER (2010 Deep Blue). Winston’s screamo voice was at its peak and the band were playing fast and furious in a manic way and the pyrotechnics were in full force. Your brain is trying to keep up and comprehend what the hell is going on, it almost gives you death by brain-freeze like a 7-Eleven Slurpee.
Winston sang most of their songs from the small platform stage clearly wanting to connect with their fans and be up close and personal. My favourite Parkway Drive song VICE GRIP (2016 Ire album) was next. The powerful anthem lyrics: “One Life, One Shot, Give It All You Got, Get Up, Get Up, Keep The Flame Alive.” The crowd went totally bonkers for this song including yours truly and my buddy Tadius who was with me tonight.
BONEYARDS (2007 Horizons) was next which I mentioned earlier. Clearly a very special moment with Winston sharing vocals with Crafter on Boneyards.
Winston remained on the small platform stage and heavy rainfall appeared, soaking Winston as he sang HORIZONS. The effect of the pouring rain on Winston dressed in a black trench coat looked incredible.
CEMETERY BLOOM (2018 Reverence) followed, commencing with a circle of monks dressed in black robes huddled together chanting as the small stage lit up green. One of the monks removed their hood to reveal Winston as he broke into song. The other monks were the four professional dancers. This was a very creative and dramatic moment in the show.
Another crowd favourite, THE VOID (2018 Reverence) with chorus: “It’s alive, can you feel it taking hold again? In your mind, all your demons are rattling chains, welcome to a world of pain.” The fans were singing along to this song with gusto.
WISHING WELLS (2018 Reverence) started off with Winston speaking the lyrics and then kicking into full blown Screamo vocals with the band playing at a million miles an hour, complete with flames and pyrotechnics blazing. It was a wild, chaotic and powerful song.
Winston then spoke with the crowd about how the band were trying to choose which song to play from their 2005 album Killing With a Smile. They decided to solve the problem by creating a medley which consisted of a mashup of GIMME A D / ANASASIS (Xenophontis) / MUTINY / IT’S HARD TO SPEAK WITHOUT A TONGUE / SMOKE ‘EM IF YA GOT ‘EM / ROMANCE IS DEAD. This was accompanied by a 3-piece string trio which sounded incredible.
DEDICATED (2016 Ire album) was next featuring full screamo vocals, heavy guitar riffs and solid drumming, which had everyone head-banging and fist-pumping along.
IDOLS AND ANCHORS (2007 Horizons) saw Winston appear out in the middle of the floor amongst the fans dressed back in his white hooded gown. Fans directly around him raised their arms shielding him as if he was a God. Meanwhile a circle pit developed around them as the sea of bodies created a whirlpool. They ran around like crazed lunatics, full of adrenaline and loving every minute of it. (Controlled chaos)
CHRONOS (2018 Reverence) saw the string trio raised up on the drawbridge which had flames pouring from underneath and later after descending, the lead guitarist (Ling) and the cello player had a duel play off on the small platform stage.
DARKER STILL (2022 Darker Still) Winston sang this ballad on the small platform stage surrounded in flames and this was about the only time throughout the entire show where there was some calmness and the opportunity for Winston to display his non-screamo vocals accompanied by the strings trio.
BOTTOM FEEDER (2016 Ire album) completed the show with huge guitar riffs and Winston in fine form. This song reminded me of Ghost, another epic band that I saw last year.
The encore started with a drum solo by Ben Gordon. Ben was strapped into a driving seat within his drum cage. As he started drumming to CRUSHED (2016 Ire album) the drum cage started spinning in full 360 degree rotation (Tommy-Lee, Motley Crue style) which saw Ben drumming upside down. This song also had massive pyro effects, fireworks and raging flames appearing from the stage like fire pits from hell. As Winston sang, it looked like he was shooting fire out over the crowd. We could feel the heat from the flames from up where we were watching the show. It was total mayhem on the floor as fans ran circle pits, body-slammed, crowd-surfed in a wild frenzy.
The show concluded with the whole band back on the small platform stage singing the anthem WILD EYES (2012 Atlas) which had it all. Pyros, flames, explosions, huge guitar riffs, army of fans pumping fists in the air and a Parkway Drive symbol blazing above the crowd. The whole venue went wild, crowd singing and chanting along, several circle pits developed and euphoria had well and truly kicked in.
An unforgettable concert that will certainly leave fans with a lasting impression. I’m still buzzing days later.
By unanimous decision amongst the fans, the undisputed heavy-weight champions of the world are Parkway Drive!
A special shout out to the three Supports – I Prevail, The Ghost Inside, Void of Vision.
Parkway Drive members are:
• Winston McCall – lead vocals
• Jeff Ling – lead guitar
• Luke ‘Pig’ Kilpatrick – rhythm guitar
• Ben Gordon – drums
• Jia ‘Pie’ O’Connor – bass
REMAINING AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES:
Friday 27/9 AEC Arena, Adelaide, SA
Sunday 29/9 RAC Arena, Perth, WA
