Live Review: Live Review/Gallery: Real Friends - 4/8/2017 - Arrow, Melbourne

Come relive last Friday's all ages Real Friends show in Melbourne with our coverage of the gig. Photo credit/words: Maddie Bell. 

Stuck Out, for an up and coming Melbourne band, honestly blew me away with their solid opening set. After only just recently hearing their music, suddenly seeing them in a live setting only added real justice to their music's strength, what with their catchy hooks and heart felt lyrics taking myself and the crowd by storm. The local pop-punk act also had a great stage presence and they really got the crowd moving. Due to youth as a band, I didn't realise how big they had actually gotten within the local scene in such a small amount of time, which is hopefully indicative of how far they'll go.

Also on the local front were Melbourne's Harbours, who have done the rounds a lot over the past 12 or so months, and they've improved dramatically over the past few years since first becoming a band. Upkeeping the show's energy set by Stuck Out before, they had a really good stage presence and these upcoming locals got the dedicated crowd pumping with their angsty, pop-punk meets alternative rock tracks. Their more melodic tunes ('Pull Me Under') alongside their knack for punk and hardcore undertones (such as 'Pulling Teeth' and the end of 'Flicker And Fade') really reinforces what their emotive lyrics offer up.

The future is a bright one for Harbours, no doubt!

Far away from their normally sunny home state for this show, Brissy pop-punk trio Columbus may have grown substantially in terms of band popularity but their personalities haven't changed at all over the past few years. And that's for the better, what with guitarist/vocalist/frontman Alex Moses commanding the stage and getting right amongst the audience; smiles and feels aplenty. While their music sounds more akin to the American's take on pop punk than that of their Australian peers, and in my humble opinion, I'd just love to hear more surf rock vibes from them as their music progresses forward past the songs of their debut LP, 'Spring Forever'.

The confident headliners, Real friends, with the addition of a new album to their already fine set list still seem very much same as they did two years ago when they toured here; bringing the posi-times and sounding just as authentic like as their recordings live do. With such an engaging, wild stage presence and with vocalist Dan Lambton and bassist Kyle Fasel winning over the crowd more so by honestly and genuinely interacting with us all, the band of the day put on a great show. Sure, they may be a "sad" pop-punk band from America - one of many - but they sure as hell can win us over. As well as the hearts of 15-year-old emo girls that are experiencing their first ever mosh pit.

Cheers boys! Hopefully, we'll see you in another two years time!