After doing what had to be done earlier in the day (heavy drinking ranking highly on the agenda) we headed over to the venue that the gig was at and prepared for the night ahead of us. Switchblade were scheduled to start off proceedings at approximately 8:30, so this enabled the boys to a mini sound check. It was at this point that we noticed the sound engineer floating around the venue with a decibel meter (AHHHHHHHH!!!). On top of the sub standard P.A and the dismal amount of people through the door at this point, it was clear that we were in for a night that one might experience at the Forest Inn at Bexley.

Realising this, the alcohol intake of the band members and tour party simultaneously doubled and in some cases tripled (cough cough…). The Switchblade boys broke into song and I soon found myself a lone maggot in the moshpit. Not long after the commencement of their set, Sway (Switchblade’s almighty vocalist) unfortunately lost his voice and was out of action for the evening. The rest of the band commendably continued on with a mainly covers set. This left the door wide open for drunken mutants like myself, Tetris Trav and B-rad to give the in-house microphones the hiding they deserved. It was awesome fun for all who graced (I mean disgraced) the stage but I couldn’t help but feel for Cometh (Sway) whose normally demonic voice had become little more than a whisper.

Next up were a local (I think) band called Narcotic Death, who played a tidy set including yet another Sepultura cover following Swithblades renditions of “Slave New World” and “Roots Bloody Roots”.

Up third for the evening was S.C.R.U.M weighing in at 1100 pounds (Trav weighs 750??!!!). All band members were nicely toasted by this stage so it was obvious that the show would be one of high energy. We absolutely tore that pore little Lismorian stage to shreds. Myself and Tetris Trav looking reminiscent of cousin It on a jackhammer, with hair and beer guts flying in all directions! Gaz (Coonan the Librarian) Purchase played a tight and powerful set considering that he had a baby making experience with a Lismore lowie up the side alley of the pub (go you good thing). And what can be said for Chris (the tightarse) Gardiner…… I have never seen someone so pissed on stage but yet deliver a seemingly faultless display of eye opening solos (well done my son).

Somehow I managed to snap leather guitar strap towards the end of our set which propelled us into our final song “Creeping Death” by Metallica with all but one guitar. So finding myself with a microphone in my hand for the second time in the evening, I headed into the moshpit for some unexpected crowd participation (which was met with open arms by drunken closet vocalists).

The crowd had been steadily increasing towards the end of our set for the final band of the night Sesjuan. We got some good responses from these people who ended up catching the second half of our set. Even though there was a severe lack of crowd (what were used too anyway), I have trouble remembering a night on stage where I had so much fun!!!!

When Sesjuan hit the stage it was clear they were a local band and had a small but loyal following in the Lismore area. There were quite a few people in the pit (including myself who was absolutely rotten by this stage), who obviously knew their material. Talking to people during and after their set they were highly impressed by the shit that Sydney had brought to their town and were very appreciative. Hearing this always makes gigs so much better.

I know from the sound of this review the gig sounds like a rather ordinary one (And it was in a way), but the outrageous afternoon that was enjoyed by all in the bars around Lismore (you people who were there know what I am talking about heheheheh!!), and the fun we had at the gig all made the trek to Lismore as part of our tour worthwhile for me. The mate ship and bonding that took place on the tour in general (and especially in Lismore), I will remember forever (what I can remember anyway)

The memory card that took the pics from this night was a casualty of war.

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