Live Review: Tired Lion, Loser

Before the headliners took the spotlight, the scene was set like an early episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer as Melbourne slacker-grunge outfit Loser did their thing. Theirs is an audio aesthetic well suited to distortion and feedback, which gave the songs a certain kind of depth.

Frontman Tim Maxwell has a power in his voice you don’t expect, which is then layered by the vocal harmonies of his bandmates. If '90s Seattle vibes are your thing, Loser is where you'll find it. As the band let loose through Phase Me, they looked like the stars of a Pantene advert gone awry, while Restless Noise took an unexpected turn, Loser able to surprise and delight as their sweet ballad-like intro turned into a raucous riot of angst and lovelorn feelings.

Enveloped by smoke, Perth's Tired Lion stepped onto the stage and were greeted with cheers from a hyperactive and expectant crowd. “Old stuff, new stuff, stuff that’s never been heard before,” frontwoman Sophie Hopes promised.

Tired Lion might fit on a bill somewhere neatly between Yours & Owls and Download Festival, their riffs split between boisterously bashed out melancholic sentiments and party-popping punk. Through the thick air of the crowded room, Tired Lion pummelled out tunes that reached the rafters and induced already sweat-drenched fans to move their bodies hard to the music.

Getting the crowd going with an a cappella rendition of the theme from Round The Twist, Tired Lion broke into With Or Without, a song straight out of a '00s teen flick. 

It’s not surprising this entire tour is sold out – Tired Lion are an exhilarating band to experience and leave a very strong impression on anyone witnessing them for the first time. Their tight songwriting, stage presence and command of a crowd make their shows nothing short of a damn good time.