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4 Dead return to the action at Bar 32 last night. Photo by JHat

So it’s been a while since the last time 4 Dead played. The last show they played was supporting the French doom band Monarch. The fact that Monarch have toured again between 4 Dead experiences means it’s been a really long time. I don’t think I’d seen them since their show with Ruiner, which was back at the end of 2008. To say the least, I was reasonably excited.

I arrived just shortly before Boonhorse began. At Bar 32, to go to the bathroom, you basically need to walk through where the band is playing, so I got in before things started off. Boonhorse struck their first chords while I was in there, it seemed as if the room started to shake. I had to navigate my way around the band to get back out. I don’t really know much about this band, I think this was the first time I’ve ever seen them, but from my vantage point at the back, I could actually barely see the band at all. The place was absolutely packed. It is just a small bar, but it was completely full, with very little space to walk around.

Next up were Hoodlum Shouts, probably the complete opposite from 4 Dead. I think this was one of the most brilliant aspects of the show, it wasn’t just a bunch of hardcore bands, it was a very mixed bill. I was a bit closer to the front this time, they played a good set. Plenty of people were down the front. Hoodlum Shouts are one of the best rock bands to come through Canberra in a long, long time. The last time I saw them I said they were somewhere between At The Drive In and Redgum, I’m going to stick with that one.

So 4 Dead were about to start, I was looking around, so many familiar faces. I think this was the best part of the show. Seeing the band 5 or 6 years ago, the crowd wouldn’t really have been that different, however the band has had a multitude of lineup changes in more recent times.

The traditional beginning of a wall of feedback came from Shane’s guitar, Jon came out and told everybody it was nice to be back, “let’s get silly” he said. Then he went to scream into the microphone, it wasn’t turned on. That was a bit of a false start, but things were underway soon after, then things got wild.

The set was mainly new stuff, but every so often, the band would drop in an older track, and those times, the crowd went even wilder. One thing that was also noticeable was that down the front, it was boys only. Everyone has their own wild 4 Dead story, I think there were plenty of people standing well back.

The new songs seem to have a bit more flat out rock influence, there was some sections that made me think of Motorhead. Even though they had never heard this songs, people were going crazy for every song. Bodies were flying everywhere, people were getting smashed in the face, but everyone seemed to wear a stupid grin on their face. I had the same grin, it was so great to see the might 4 Dead back in action.

I woke up this morning, it felt as if I had been beaten by a gang of thieves. I couldn’t feel better, 4 Dead are back in action. By the way, I did an interview with Jon, it will be in the next issue of Capital Eyes (no. 8), it should be out by the time they play with Graf Orlock and Dangers at Bar 32. Thankfully it’s not going to be a couple of years waiting for the next show, just a couple of weeks.