Live Review: Simple Plan, Eat Your Heart Out, Stateside

Eatons Hill Hotel has done it again, hosting another iconic band, Simple Plan, taking us back to a simpler time with an anniversary tour for their album No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls. Released back in 2002 (feeling old yet?), the night was set to be packed with nostalgia.

Stateside is first to rock the stage and do not fall short of nailing it. With an awesome stage presence, lead singer Erin Reus sets the tone for a very good night ahead. Reus brings us great vocals, smooth and strong, with an uncanny resemblance to Paramore's Hayley Williams. With a quick intermission between songs, Reus and the boys from Stateside bring the audience to a very real issue of suicide awareness, shedding light on the topic as well as the "speak, even if your voice shakes" movement. With our hearts now completely won over, Stateside continue on to finish their set.

We are then greeted by Eat Your Heart Out, another rock band with a female lead singer, which is great to see! Eat Your Heart Out continue the night, meeting the standards set by Stateside, and bringing us an awesome show. By this stage, the Ballroom is full and everyone is gearing up for our main act. The crowd waits in anticipation through a half-hour intermission, the moshpit is ready to go, and then finally it's time.

Teenage angst is at an all-time high, and suddenly we are all transported back to a time where band tees and Walkman's were aplenty. Kicking off with I'd Do Anything and continuing to play through their iconic debut album, Simple Plan begin in the most epic way. Pierre Bouvier, the lead vocalist, interacts with the crowd between each song. His stage presence is friendly, engaging and at times, downright cheeky. Simple Plan look and sound exactly the same as they did 16 years ago, and not to mention rock a stage just as well. Addicted comes on, launching the crowd into a major karaoke session, with everyone in the room unapologetically singing each and every word with Bouvier. The show has everything; great nostalgic vibes, awesome lighting production, and even an old-school stage dive by drummer Chuck Comeau. Comeau and Bouvier entertain the audience by swapping roles, Bouvier now on drums, and Comeau admits he always wanted to be the lead singer of a punk band.

An intimate performance of Perfect tugs on everyone's heartstrings and Bouvier has the whole room singing along, phone torches in the air and swaying side to side. It's pure magic. After playing the album Simple Plan continue the night, performing a bunch of nostalgic tunes. Just when we think the night couldn't get any better, out come the balls! Beach balls, that is! Reus from Stateside reappears to perform alongside Bouvier for Jet Lag, which puts a smile on everyone's face! The night is roaring with energy and nobody wants it to end, but alas, all good shows must draw their curtains. They end on an absolute high with the crowd-pleasing hit Shut Up! With nothing to fault about the show, it's safe to say Simple Plan has put on the perfect night and Brisbane would gladly welcome them back anytime.