After a round trip across Australia including a stint at the first ever Download Festival in Melbourne, California punk/thrash crossover legends Suicidal Tendencies returned to Perth on Tuesday night, embraced by a fanbase the band would consider a second home as they spoiled the eager crowd with a full set of classic and new ST songs.
Opening up were local punk thrashers Ratking and Beer Fridge, the latter displaying a tight performance that was reminiscent of Municipal Waste. Laden with humor, riffs and some blistering speeds, this was a tremendous way to ick things off and lead into the main drawcard of the night which came with 1 or 2 surprises.
The moment all 5 members from Suicidal Tendencies stepped on stage, the crowd went nuts as people prepared for a seriously thrashing good time. Frontman Mike Muir, with the energy of a 20 year old, bounded across the stage like a maniac as they jumped into “You Can’t Bring Me Down” which appeared to go on forever, teasing the crowd with numerous stops and starts. One song in and already the crowd were moving hard and fast in the moshpit as the band proceeded to move through the set that was filled with many classics and then some.
As many either already knew or were starting to realize, ex-Slayer sticksman and drum legend Dave Lombardo sat behind the kit as the newest member of the Californian veteran act and much like his blistering performance at Download in Melbourne, his performance here in Perth once again stealing the limelight as he showcased why he is one of the best in the business. His power together with groove, technical proficiency and energy is bar none pushed ST to a whole other level. This was further cemented by the comments and look of awe by punters across the room who agreed that Dave absolutely killed it, what a difference he makes to a band who already sound great!
Continuing onto the show that was filled with further crazy stage antics including the invitation of fans onto the small stage as well numerous track highlights including Possessed To Skate, I Saw Your Mommy and the classic Institutionlized. To be fair there may have been crazier shows from ST in the past but never have they sounded so good and on point. Not bad for a band well into the 30 years mark!
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Photos by Linda Dunjey Photography
