Live Review: Eagles Of Death Metal, All The Colours

It was a pleasant surprise to see the support band greeted by a full room, and Melbourne-based All The Colours was certainly deserving of this sought-after honour. The three-piece played a varied set of tracks from both of their earlier, indie-inspired releases to the more alternative rock genre that the group currently embody. A cover of Ted Nugent's Baby Please Don't Go interspersed their original numbers and added a nice touch to their show. Joshua Mann on guitar shared the vocals well alongside bassist Josh Moriarty, however it was the latter who was the standout of this show, delivering onstage antics that emanated the rockstar we all secretly want to be. Their latest release So High and the promise of an unofficial after-party ended an overall enjoyable performance.

After a feel-good introduction, headliners Eagles Of Death Metal were ready to begin (but not before frontman and co-founder Jesse Hughes put on a pair of stunning, red-tinted aviators). Notorious for their energetic riot of rock'n'roll, the five-piece touring band (which doesn't include drummer Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age fame) certainly did not disappoint. Kicking off with I Only Want You, they performed an extensive set covering plenty of their earlier work including favourites Don't Speak (I Came To Make A Bang!) and Cherry Cola. Zipper Down (2015) also received a considerable amount of play with song Silverlake (K.S.O.F.M.) the highlight from their latest album. An encore warranted a solo performance by Hughes and was followed by crowd pleaser I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News) before a smooth transition into Speaking In Tongues.

The band's stage presence is illustrious and Hughes certainly exudes what it is that Eagles Of Death Metal represent. His confidence and electric showmanship were complemented by lead guitarist Davey Jo Catching with both members casually buttering up the fans in the front row. An intense 'guitar-off' between the two, and eventually the rest of the band, signalled the culmination of the night's festivities. Without a doubt there were many more fans converted after this show and, honestly, who could blame them? The way Eagles Of Death Metal incorporate the audience as an integral part of their show was particularly impressive and added to a highly memorable performance.