It’s a Friday night and the spirits are high, because it’s a Friday, right?!
Well, it’s no special Friday, it’s a Friday where a very significant band in metalcore history comes together, combining 10 years of fun, stories and good music with one very loyal fan base. That’s right, it’s Parkway Drive’s 10-year anniversary tour. The five Byron Bay friends met and formed the band together as 20 year olds at the end of 2002, and despite travelling all around the globe, made the trip back to Aus, where they started, for a dozen shows around the country.
As I approach the outside of Melbourne’s most significant architecturally, historic entertainment venue The Palace Theatre, I hear the sound of a roaring crowd inside, and the rumbling of distant heavy drum rolls.
I walk into an energetic space, filled with four levels of pumping fans eager to see Parkway. They are egged on by Sydney deathcore band Thy art is murder, who drive the room with their rollout of heavy guitar licks and keenly anticipated break downs.
The long awaited moment finally arrives, as we see five members in the final stages of preparation just left of stage. The sound guys are testing to make sure the mic is at its full capacity, and the drums are also given a whirl, which gets the crowd even more revved. I am standing on the second level behind an array of tall men, but am able to find the perfect spot as I stick my head between the bodies to spot the band. An incredible atmosphere is felt by all, as the excitement gushes all around, and the suspense continues to build.
Before the band completely enters the stage, a visually enticing projection of slides open the show, and a voice over is heard as Parkway is introduced. In a story-like introduction, the last 10 years are reflected on, as photos of the boys as 20 year olds appear before us. A progression of images illustrates the guys over time, and the growing achievements of Parkway. These images are supported by a cheer of awed fans. 56 countries and just four albums. Wow.
Winston McCall, Parkway’s lead opens the show, a huge smile on his face. Telling us how the show is going to run, he says “we thought we’d go through and play all the old shit we haven’t played in a while”. He then introduces the gig “starting from the very start” with their first ever song from the 2004 EP Don’t close your eyes.
A few songs later ‘2005’ flashes on the screen, as we move through time to hear the band break into “Gimme a D” from Killing with a smile. The fast, riffy guitar solos are executed with great precision and energy, as Jeff the guitarist, with a huge smile on his face throws his body around, miming along to Winston. I can see a sea of arms pumping ecstatically below me in the moshpit.
If everyone wasn’t already buzzing enough, the announcement of Pandora created a thunder of screams. The song kicks in with a mixture of fast flicks and energetic drum rolls, and a driving guitar riff. Winston’s energy encapsulates the crowd as he barrels out deep roars of sound, throwing his body around the space. Metal lovers respond with swinging arms and ceaseless energetic jumps, as the PWD boys mosh and dance about the stage.
Photo taken by me – Friday 20th September, Melbourne Parkway Drive show.
They enter the 2007 album Horizons with Boneyards, a highlight for audience members. Winston holds the mic out to the crowd as a myriad of voices chant back the lyrics. Then there’s silence. My favourite part comes next, as the rumble of an amazing breakdown has every person in the room throwing their body back and forth, with highly held and emphatically closed fists.
At the end of the song, Winston stares out at the audience with an amazed expression. “Four stories” he says with a smile, “wow”. Parkway Drive are clearly big lovers and fans of The Palace Theatre. Winston reflects on the significance of the venue, as he points to the top of the venue explaining that Parkway played their first ever show in Melbourne, “up there,” he says. Winston shares his love for the historic venue with defiance, and says he’d “hate to see apartments here”. With passion he shouts, “keep this place alive, it’s fucking amazing”.
The band arrives at the 2012 album Atlas, and my favourite PWD track and highlight of the night swings into action. We hear the beating of a striking clock, which segues into a driving guitar riff and a growing drum roll, as we wait for the climatic moment of Dark Days, to kick in.
The passionately, political song is backed up by an amazing visual on the backing screens as we see a red backdrop filled with images of what appears to be an industrially apocalyptic scene. The lyrics “The clock is ticking, can’t you see there is no second chance” screamed passionately by Winston and followed by a powerful guitar melody evokes a wild and excited response from the crowd.
The encore is of course ended on no other than Carrion. The band enters back on the stage, and a cheer fills the space, the energy prevailing around the room. Winston asks “how do you guys have so much energy”, he laughs “oh it’s a Friday night, right… I’m an old man now… so you’re going to have to help me out on this one” he says grinning. Carrion kicks in, and the crowd making the most of it goes wild, there’s a circular pit forming, and guys next to me swing their legs and arms about the air, while others solute the night with dignified fist pumps (that was me).
To further celebrate the entrance into double-digit territory, the band are putting together a book for fans that will recount the last ten years of the band, all their adventures and their success. Another great item to put next to the Parkway DVD which they made in 2009.
Posted 25th September 2013 by Chelsea Olle
Chelsea Olle 