By Olivia Burns
After a successful Australian tour run last year, UK band Caskets were back for their ‘Reflections Tour’ down under this May. Opening for them were US band, The Home Team, who are currently making waves in the scene at the moment, along with Brisbane band, Stepson and Melbourne’s own Bad/Love, creating a packed lineup for attendees.
It was unusually packed for the start of the night down at Melbourne’s 170 Russell, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a venue so full for opening artists.
Concert goers either squeezed in trying to find their place, while others got in line to grab some merch or a beverage.
Bad/Love was first up to get the night going and certainly did a great job of setting the tone for the night instantly. With their heavy metalcore sound and energetic stage presence, they got the crowd pumped up, even if you weren’t familiar with them, they gave you no choice but to head bang along.
Stepson followed suit, giving those that love an even heavier sound a treat. I had definitely heard their name before, but can’t say that I had the pleasure of listening to them till now, but can say that after seeing their performance, I am now a fan!
The Home Team were up next and I have high expectations for their live performance. Even after having previous albums released (that are well worth a listen to btw) it was since the release of their groovy hit single “Loud” at the end of 2023 that has gained them a lot of traction. I for one was definitely excited to see this band live and let me tell you they did not disappoint at all. Singer Brian Butcher’s insane vocals, hitting high notes while bouncing around the stage, coupled with probably the most collectively energetic band I’ve seen live, really blew me away. There was not a point in the set where I saw a member of the band just chilling, there were high kicks, spinning, jumping while never missing a beat. I could not recommend these guys enough and look forward to their return down under, for hopefully a headline tour.
With three bands in the rear view, there was no excuse for the crowd to not be warmed up and if the room wasn’t crowded enough at the start of the night, it definitely was now. Everyone was squished into any gap they could get into eager for the main act.
As Caskets appeared on stage, there were excited screams from the audience as they delved straight into ‘Drowned in Emotion’ off their latest album. Dedicated fans screamed the words of every song. They had a well balanced mix of older and newer tracks including, ‘Hold Me Now’, ‘More Than Misery’ and a loud sing-a-long of probably my favourite track of theirs and by the sound of it, a crowd fave also -‘Guiding Light’. The band’s performance mirrored their studio sound and as a fan of post-hardcore, I really love the dynamic contrast between singer Matt Floods’ vocals and the melodic hardcore backdrop provided by the band. Flood well and truly showcased his powerful and varied vocal range, especially during “Only Ones” which he admitted that this one meant a lot to him and gave an emotional performance. As they played through their song “Signs”, there was a circle pit encouraged by the band, which I was definitely happy watching the carnage from the outskirts!
What really stood out for me was the joy radiating from the band, you could really tell how much they were loving being up on the stage and sharing these moments with their fans.
The night was sadly drawing to an end and after declaring they don’t do encores, “because that’s 80s shit”, they gave one final energetic performance, concluding the great night with ‘Better Way Out’!
Being at their last show here in Melbourne, it’s evident that Caskets are on an upward trajectory, with a promising future ahead. Attendees, myself included, eagerly anticipate what comes next for the band and I already can’t wait till they’re back over this side of the world again!
