🌍✨Reflections: Caskets at Crowbar (May 16th)
Tour: Reflections Australia Tour 2024
Date: May 16th 2024
Bands / Artists: Bad/Love, Stepson, The Home Team, Caskets
From: Melbourne, Brisbane, Seattle (US), & Leeds (UK)
Welcome to another World Wide by Webspinner piece, I’ve been doing a few of these lately which is … so exciting.
Last week I had the absolute pleasure of seeing the incredible lineup Caskets had to offer in Sydney on their Reflections tour. It was an absolute dream come true getting to see The Home Team’s Australia debut on this tour, as well as, getting to experience Caskets on a headline run. I had… the very best time.
Part I — Who’s Who?
Bad/Love are a metalcore-y band from Melbourne made up of vocalist Landon Kirk, guitarist Lachlan Monty, bassist Martin Wood, and drummer Luke Weber. During their time together, the band have supported iconic bands like Sleeping With Sirens, Redhook, and Dream On Dreamer around the country. They also recently put out their latest single “5AM” from their upcoming EP Mono No Aware Pt III that perfectly encompasses the band’s powerful energy and gloom.
Made up of vocalist Brock Alan Conry, bassist Jayden Ridley, guitarists Nick Bennett and Robert Suthern, and drummer Jordan McDonald. Stepson are a metalcore band from Brisbane, who’ve started off 2024 with the release of their latest single “Discover Lonely”. Having many years of creating to their name, the band have used this single as a way to reintroduce themselves and their darker, more intense side.
The Home Team are, in their own words, a ‘heavy pop’ band from Seattle. Formed in 2013 the band is made up of vocalist Brian Butcher, guitarist John Baran, bassist Ryne Olson, and drummer Daniel Matson. Through their years together they’ve put out two really fun albums. Their sophomore record Slow Bloom gained them new levels of recognition and … brought them to my attention. Now following a 2023 full of shows — tours with The Used, Senses Fail, and Don Broco. Their third album, via Thriller Records, The Crucible of Life will be out on the 27th of July — and so far, their singles have showcased the band’s growth, expanding on some of my favorite parts of their previous album.
And, of course, Caskets are a post-hardcore band from Leeds made up of vocalist Matt Flood, guitarists Benji Wilson and Craig Robinson, and drummer James Lazenby. Since the release of their debut EP in 2016, they’ve graced the scene with two albums. Last year they did their debut run of Australia shows with Windwaker on their Love in the Dark Tour. It was such a cool, atmospheric, night — and getting to see them headline this time around following the release of their second album Reflections, was a wonderful full circle moment.
Part II — The Show
Bad/Love opened the night, they had a very specific type of nostalgic feel to them. They’re a mix of a few different elements — one of those being the Caskets sound — that was cool to see live. It’s almost like they’re grounded in the Australian sound but with some more of the polished elements present outside of that. I will say, they sound a little different live to what they do on recording. Seeing them live I almost thought I’d listen to an album and it would be more on the pop/punk side but it’s actually the opposite, they feel heavier on recording. The crowd seemed to really vibe with them which was cool, I don’t think I’ve seen that many people really truly vibe with the opener at a show like this — at least not in a while. Their energy set the tone for the rest of the night, it was so much fun to see them so happy on stage.
Stepson were a pleasant surprise, I was at the Wollongong show the night before and I was definitely very hyped to see them again they were such a good find. They were simultaneously lighter and heavier than I expected they would be — they’re a band I’ve been meaning to check out but I keep forgetting to and so getting to be introduced to them live was quite special. They made the stage their own and honestly I can’t wait to see them live again in the future. It’s hard to explain, they’re quite familiar in terms of sound but they present that sound live so well — if that makes sense? They have fun with it and even their darkest parts suddenly feel so much brighter when they’re live? I don’t really know how to word it just go see them live and find out but yeah they were a really cool find.
There’s only been like four or five times in my life where I’ve gone to a show and have sung back every word to every song a band played. The Home Team’s set is definitely on that list. Since I discovered them I’ve been so hyped to one day see them live and they did not disappoint. In fact, they outdid every expectation I had based on the few live videos I’ve seen. Not only did they sound… gigantic (Brian was right when he said they would be ‘that [as on tape] but … more’). They brought it a wonderful mix of all the elements they introduce on recording — the heavier gritty guitars and clean backing to fall on with Brian’s charged vocals. They also just have this whole like, choreographed almost, elements of the set here and there with Ryne and John jumping or headbanging at the same time, which by the way, the amount of energy they all had all night was quite impressive. I had the very best time, they’re a band I will forever recommend but now I will also forever recommend seeing them live because they are so much fun you genuinely can’t help but jump along. Man, I would LOVE to see them daily.
Last of the night was Caskets, of course, and they absolutely killed it. I saw them nearly a year ago on the same stage on the Windwaker tour and it was really special to see them again — this time with Connor from Windy doing their lighting — but with their own crowd (weird lovely full circle). Their set was incredibly dark and emotional in parts, and really joyful in others. Their energy never faltered, in fact, it grew throughout the night, ending on a couple of songs where Matt and Craig made their way to perform from barricade. I also just,,,, loved the way they engaged with the crowd — it was really sweet, many fist bumps were shared. They were so powerful on stage and it was clear they were having so much fun the whole night. I loved getting to see them again, like I said, it was such a wholesome experience.
Part III — Final Highlights
→ Aside from the Sydney show, I also went to the Wollongong show the night before — I had a lovely little roadtrip with my friends to see one of my favorite bands live for the first time. (Seeing The Home Team two nights in a row was the absolute best)
→ Caskets — killed it. It was emo and wonderful, and such a treat to see them headline after seeing them support Windwaker last year.
→ Also! It was a sold out show, and I loved seeing the love they gave every single band on the lineup — I think this may be the first time I see the venue be nearly full from the start.
→ I love the musical diversity of the lineup, there was absolutely something for everyone. All the bands had a bunch of unexpected different little elements of each other sonically which was really cool.
→ Lastly, finally seeing The Home Team the week after my birthday and pretty much a whole year after I first found them was very … full circle.
THANK YOU to Bigmouth PR, as usual it seems, for having me on this one, I’ve been dreaming of a Home Team show and it was such a pleasure to get to be a part of it — not only in reviewing but also in my lil interview beforehand that you can check out here. Thank you all so much for reading and supporting all the wonderful bands and creatives I get to work with and whose stories I have the pleasure of sharing, it’s been a very strange and very wonderful year full of really cool opportunities and I’m so grateful for it.
Find Bad/Love over on:
Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Youtube / Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Music / Triple J Unearthed
Get more Stepson info over on:
Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Music / Triple J Unearthed
The Home Team are available on:
Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / TikTok / Youtube / Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Music
and last but not least, find Caskets over on:
Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / TikTok / Youtube / Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Music
Get more Webspinner on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and check out the Spotify. If you have any questions, requests, ideas, or want to work with Webspinner get in touch through webspinnermag@gmail.com, I’ve not been too active on there, so I can’t promise a quick reply (or any reply for that matter), but it’s always nice to find new music in my inbox every once in a while.
