Live Review: 5 Seconds Of Summer, Hey Violet

4 October 2016 | 11:53 am | Lillie Siegenthaler

"The band give us many reasons why they shouldn't be mistaken for just four pretty faces."

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Hey Violet's lead singer sports bubblegum-coloured hair and bounces around the stage as the group cover Don't Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers. The brutally honest lyrics in Fuqboi strike a chord since, undoubtedly, dealing with a "fuckboi" is a relatable situation to a stadium full of teenage girls. "I'd rather cut off my tongue/than let you kiss me with yours," vocalist Rena Lovelis chimes, feeding an eclectic energy into the audience.

Piercing screams gradually turn into a crackling drone in our ears as 5 Seconds Of Summer step on stage. There's definitely a reason why people tell you not to mess with this type of fandom; the sheer scale of admiration from this crowd is bewildering. It's abundantly clear, even before the opening song Hey Everybody! starts, that these four 20-something boys from Sydney reign supreme. At one point, guitarist Michael Clifford only has to clear his throat, after staring at the audience for two minutes, to make the stadium erupt.

Frequently mistaken as a boy band, the quartet solidifies their pop-punk status in an open stage set-up with scattered amps and a raised drum kit platform. Throughout the concert, the boys aren't flashy, neither do they bust out dance moves, but their blue-eyed rockstar charm captivates the entire arena. Of course, the band give us many reasons why they shouldn't be mistaken for just four pretty faces - each member proving themselves as a skilled instrumentalist and singer. Luke Hemmings and Clifford shred it out in a couple of guitar solo battles, while drummer Ashton Irwin persistently keeps tunes tight, flicking off beads of sweat in all directions. The groovy rhythm guitar in Girls Talk Boys emphasises the counterbeat of the bass ripped out by Calum Hood, as the whole band collectively shift between vocal phrases of falsetto and (occasionally harmonised) belted out chorus chants.

Hemmings and Clifford also take turns on a rustic, white piano as they alternate offering stripped-back segments of chosen songs, providing a nice contrast to their overall high energy delivery. We can all sense the drawing end of their set, as the band's more popular hits start to emerge. They smash out Amnesia, What I Like About You and She's Kinda Hot before closing with their breakthrough hit She Looks So Perfect.

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