By Jase Walker
Arriving a little bit later than planned and a bit worse for wear after yesterday, I’m back at the venue for day two.
First act I’m seeing today is Walter Schreifels on the main stage. A solo acoustic act and probably a bit of a better introduction back into today given my somewhat sore head. Going on the stage times, I was expecting Chubby And The Gang so it looks to have been a short notice replacement. Given yesterday’s insanity, it’s actually quite nice to have a bit more of a chill spot on the main stage. There’s a pretty solid crowd here too, so evidently it’s not just me that’s appreciating a few cozy acoustic numbers.
As soon as the skies open, the entire outside area quickly ducks in for cover and I’m back at the main stage for Mannequin Pussy. I did a brief bit of research on the lineup prior to coming to Outbreak and these were a standout for me and they’re definitely delivering on this. Somewhat different from the stompy hardcore acts of yesterday but infused with enough raw punk energy deserving of a spot on Outbreak’s line-up. Against a backdrop of a burning American flag, clearly incensed by the recent political reproductive rights mess in the states, Mannequin Pussy make it abundantly obvious they’re incandescent with rage.
An incredibly furious, energetic show, Mannequin Pussy stormed Outbreak’s main stage, easily one of my favourite acts this weekend.
Sadly, due to the length of queues for food I’ve had a large gap of missed bands but I’m back at the second stage for one of my main draws for the weekend, Slow Crush. A wonderfully atmospheric break from the rest of the loud and crushing antics of the other acts. There’s such a wonderful fusion of post-rock, post-punk, with some slight elements of doom creeping in. Even down to the stage show, the band themselves are shrouded in darkness with only the underneath of the drums lit up.
The soaring elements to their music is a wonder to behold, but sadly I can’t stay too long as they’ve a clash in timings with Higher Power, but I’ll be making sure to get a full set in when they play 2000 Trees in July.
In a complete departure from Slow Crush, it’s time for Higher Power after a quick jump across to the main stage. These guys are another interesting fusion of different musical styles while very much adhering to the core hardcore ethos. Bits of nu-metal and post-punk permeate their style and make for a show that’s filled to the brim with energy yet is really easily listenable. In some parts there’s a real strong Deftones influence that shines through, I’ve listened to these in passing before but seeing them live is quite a different experience.
This live show has sold me on Higher Power, and I get why friends of mine who are way more into the hardcore scene than I talk them up so much. Their music covers a wide breadth of different music styles, all packaged in a band that thrives on driving their fans wild. An audibly and visually fantastic band to watch do their thing, legitimately brilliant.
Time for the penultimate show of the day with Basement. The group I’m with have been talking about this all day so I’m pretty excited to see how they play their set out. The entire crowd is in uproar, almost drowning the band out with shouting the words all the while flailing their arms around. Each song is laden with riffs reminiscent of earlier Deftones and Incubus, all mixed in with catchy lyrics and massive choruses. Basement comes across as humble and earnest, also completely unphased by the constant stream of people jumping up on stage and backflipping straight back into the audience.
Basement’s set is almost completely new to my ears yet at the same time feels almost immediately familiar. The feeling of comfort washes over me like a nice warm blanket in the middle of winter (although that could just be heat from everyone else). Basement to me feels like a callback to my school mosher days, a sweeping wave of nostalgia for a band that I never knew. It’s a strange feeling but at the same time it’s pleasant to find a band that makes me feel at home with them immediately. A real surprise for me that I wasn’t expecting, what a fantastic show.
And finally, Turnstile. A band that’s truly crossed over many different scenes and genres, combining hardcore ethos with pop sensibilities with catchy hooks and feelgood lyrics. The crowd is absolutely gigantic and stuffed all the way from the front, right to the bars at the back, a congregation easily around 2.5 to three thousand people. The crowd is screaming the words so loud I genuinely can barely hear their singer, it’s unbelievable!
I’m quite far back and even here people are jumping around with each and losing their minds! Turnstile sound and perform amazingly well, the balance is spot on, I can hear every component part and even the backing bits ring through as well. The front of the crowd is absolute chaos, I’ve seen several people quite literally walk on top of the crowd! Turnstile are clearly a beloved band seeing the reciprocation from their fans, every lyric has a dull roar in response in some cases drowning their singer out. An ideal choice to close out Saturday at Outbreak and I’ll be seeing these guys again at 2000 Trees.