Live Review: Shihad, High Tension, Cairo Knife Fight

It’s a fairly static crowd that initially greets New Zealand duo Cairo Knife Fight, but by set’s end a few die-hards down the front have got their nod on. Hardly reinventing the wheel, the pair dishes out a palatable serving of rock, with drummer Nick Gaffaney also tackling vocal and synth duties.

A pink-haired woman crowd surfs for extended periods and at one point is literally thrown across the crowd.

The pit is starting to pack in as High Tension now let rip. Whippet thin yet with a voice that could easily issue from a corpse-painted Nord, vocalist Karina Utomo doesn’t hesitate to go (lady) balls out. Crouching on knees with spindly talon-like fingers clutching the air, Utomo fulfills her frontwoman obligations handily, commanding audience eyes.

Lights dim as Black Sabbath’s Iron Man cranks through the PA. A couple of minutes in Shihad grace the stage and immediately open with first single and album opener from latest release FVEY, Think You’re So Free.

The band is in typically tight form, with the ever-irrepressible Jon Toogood working the crowd as only he can.  Trusting in the strength of their new material, tonight the group will play the latest album in all its detuned glory, the thrashing crowd clearly backing this decision. 

Bassist Karl Kippenberger methodically lays it down, making eye contact with pit members and grinning at those really letting loose. On multiple occasions a pink-haired woman crowd surfs for extended periods and at one point is literally thrown across the crowd, much to her visible delight.   

“This next song is dedicated to anybody who has loved someone very dearly and lost them and is also dedicated to my mother, who has come over from New Zealand to watch this show.” Toogood motions towards his mother in the crowd, and audience noise skyrockets appreciatively as the band pump out Loves Long Shadow. 

Crowd participation during Cheap As is a no brainer with its f-bomb refrain, but lyrical naughtiness aside, Toogood has no problems in getting us to follow his lead at any point during the show, which is how it should be.

After FVEY has played out, the band encore with tracks Toogood describes as ones they “selfishly like” from their back catalogue. Factory has those in the know more than amped to hear it live and the band follows with another old belter in You Again. Encore highlight takes the form of The General Electric, which is vocally hijacked by the crowd. Home Again finishes the show with a bang, with Toogood doing his damndest to drain every last joule of energy from his vessel. Another pearler of a concert from a band (and especially frontman) that show no signs of slowing down. A deal with the devil, perhaps?