It was all band shirts and comfortable shoes as far as the eye could see at the Newcastle Entertainment Center for the local leg of The World is a Vampire tour on Saturday night.
Punters were there to relive their youth or finally see two of the seminal bands of the ’90s – Alongside a few die-hard wrestling fans.
But for us, it’s the opening acts that really shined the brightest on the night.
Battlesnake
Battlesnake is the perfect opener for this over-the-top pro-wrestling meets music festival shindig. The Sydney 7-piece band bring all the theatrics they’ve become renowned for and is truly at home on a big stage. It’s massive and while they play really well, the whole thing is not taking itself too seriously.
Amyl & The Sniffers
With explosive energy, Amyl & the Sniffers are next on the main stage. Amy Taylor is possibly the best performer fronting a band in the country at the moment. She’s captivating, relentless and gets the crowd moving like they’ve been transported back to the 90s. They rip through their catalogue of absolute bangers but it’s Amy’s performance of Knifey that really highlights the importance of this band. The opening lyrics “All I ever wanted was to walk by the park. All I ever wanted was to walk by the river, see the stars. Please, stop fucking me up” kick everyone inside the Newcastle Entertainment Center right in the guts.
Jane’s Addiction
While the absence of lead guitarist Dave Navarro from the lineup is somewhat disappointing, one-time Chilli Pepper Josh Klinghoffer doesn’t miss a note and if you closed your eyes throughout the whole set you wouldn’t have known any different. The ageless 64-year-old front-man Perry Farrell,on the other hand, is just as present as he always has been. He is performing like he’s still a 20-something out the front of one of the most original acts to ever grace the stage. While we don’t hear anything from their 2003 album Strays (one of the best come-back albums ever made) they deliver a stunning performance featuring tracks from the classic albums Nothing’s Shocking and Ritual de lo Habitual with a trio of acrobatic dancers providing a mesmerizing sideshow.
The Smashing Pumpkins
The current lineup of Smashing Pumpkins, Corgan, Iha, and Chamberlin, is joined on stage in Newcastle tonight by longtime guitarist Jeff Schroeder, touring bassist Jack Bates, and Aussie vocalist Katie Coles. The onstage banter between Corgan and Iha is casual although at times a little cringe-worthy. But we’re not here to hear them speak and that’s a good thing because the band’s performance of songs taken from across their catalogue of releases is bang on. It’s Loud (very loud), the guitars sound massive and hearing Billy Corgan’s voice live is a reminder of how important this band are to the musical canon. Highlights of the set include Cherub Rock, Ava Adore, Zero and an acoustic performance of Tonight, Tonight.
The Wrestling
Reports indicate that the Wrestling part of The World is a Vampire Tour stop in Sydney felt a little bit like an afterthought, with the ring pushed to one side of the stage. But here in Newcastle, with the ring directly behind the sound and lighting desk, and right in front of the back stadium-style seating, it felt like a real part of the show. Thoughts on pro-wrestling as a form of side-show entertainment aside, it was cool to see hometown heroes taking on contenders from the Billy Corgan-owned National Wrestling Alliance, and made for a few moments of distraction from the long beer lines at the Entertainment centre.
