First thing’s first. This is not necessarily my kind of scene, the hardcore kids today are a bit to hip for me these days. I wish I’d worn a long sleeved shirt, so that I could lied and told people I had a sleeve tattoo, rather than just having my shamefully naked, pristine arms out there for the world to see. The horror. Fortunately I’d had the presence of mind to get a ticket ahead of time, because I don’t think there were any to be had on the door.

I got to the venue just in time to catch the back half of Paper Arms' set, and from what I heard I wished I had been able to arrive slightly earlier. The songs were a blend of punk-rock and hardcore, and the band certainly seems to have some serious chops in regard to both. I guess the best impression I was able to get in the short time I saw the band was from the crowd, who certainly seemed to be enjoying the band. Well, as much as hardcore kids are able to enjoy anything these days…I get the distinct feeling I would have been writing a pretty positive review of them. Later in the night I came to feel like they probably should have been a shade further up this lineup than they were, but more on that later.

US 5 piece Daylight fronted up on stage to a warm reception by the capacity crowd, and after what can only be described as a successful attempt to alienate the crowd by proclaiming “we don’t give a f*ck”, launched into a bunch of songs that I would best describe as a kind of poor man’s Hot Water Music. It was somewhat ironic that they didn’t give a f*ck, because I found myself not giving a f*ck about them either. While the music was ok, each song seemed to blend into the next one, and by the end of their 30 minute or so set most of the crowd appeared to have lost interest slightly. I couldn’t help but feel that the vocals were a bit weak, the transition between singing and screaming not particularly smooth, one vocalist was especially culpable. This is their first trip over to the O.Z., and perhaps but the next time they make it over here, they will have been able to find a sound a bit more uniquely there own, and maybe brush up on the stage show a tad as well. I can’t help but feel like if they hadn’t had a (US) tacked on the end of their name, they may have been one spot further down the lineup.

Break Even made their way to the stage to a raucous reception, leaving little doubt in my mind that most if not all of the packed Arthouse was indeed there to see them. Frontman Mark Bawden worked the capacity crowd into a frenzy, belting out powerful vocals that shifted seamlessly between hardcore and more melodic tones, all the while inviting people to make their way onto the stage and then jump off (to which many people acquiesced). The constant interaction with the crowd, including engaging them in between most of the songs, allowed the band to take control of the entire room, and deliver a hell of a show. The band played a brand of hardcore punk with a more melodic edge than most of the other bands in their genre. The songs, while still containing that hardcore power, with the distorted guitars and double kick drumming that one would come to expect, were definitely more intricate and expertly written than I had expected, and I was impressed by the musicianship of the band. The band had the kind of energy and stage presence that is normally seen in bands with a lot more miles on the clock, so I can only assume that this band will progress into something even more impressive by the next time they make their way to Melbourne.

I’ll close by saying that if a hardcore band is able win me over, then they are doing an exceptional job... and you can definitely call me Break Even fan from here on out.