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Dead City Ruins – CRANKER, Adelaide 19 Dec 15
The Crown and Anchor, lovingly known as the CRANKER, is where Dead City Ruins stopped off in Adelaide for their ‘Homecoming Tour’ currently taking them all over Australia covering 17 dates. The CRANKER is perfect for Dead City Ruins as it’s a no arsing about, what-you-see-is-what-you-get sort of a place. Dead City Ruins have started this tour hot on the heels of returning from Europe after taking up residence at gigs and festivals for what seemed like the best part of the year. DGM caught up with them at Hard Rock Hell in Wales, where the word was that they were in face melting form.
So, to the CRANKER, and it’s a hot night following a hot week in Adelaide. 44C during the day and it’ll be 34C overnight, so it’s a furnace onstage and a sweat-fest everywhere else. The band is looking refreshed and relishes the opportunity to play on home soil. They look pumped and I sense that this is going to be a corker. First thing you notice is that the band is dressed to kill with smart black shirts and pants, they have thought about this. The only stand out who breaks the uniform dress code is Jake on vocals who comes on with cut off denim jacket covered in band sew on badges and he has been on the go all night, pumping up the other bands as a one man support squad. I first bumped into Jake when he was picking up fans, putting them over his shoulder and spinning them around. Great music and free rides, winner!
Anyway, the band came on like an express train just after midnight and they didn’t drop gear the whole night. A mixture of existing tracks and new tracks from the forthcoming album played together seamlessly and it’s obvious that these guys have played regularly over the last few months. There is a stage presence that balances across all of the members but there’s a show within a show. Musically the band is super tight and they play off each other, pushing each other on. Then there’s Jake who goes off to Jakeland and plays out the lyrics on ‘his’ side of the stage, then on cue, comes back to the band. He is so far forward on the stage he is like a canopy over the front row. At one point he is in the crowd removing the choice from audience participation looking for a ‘hell yeah’ in the mic whether or not you want to give it! Crowd love it and the band just watch on. It’s another show within a show, this time the audience and band appear to have swapped places.
Though this band have played on much bigger stages they own this one. It looks effortless and they are pumped and drive through song after song. Those of you familiar with Dead City Ruins and lucky enough to have seen them live then I’m talking to the converted. Those of you who haven’t seen Dead City Ruins then there is no excuse if you are in Australia as these guys are playing regularly in the next few weeks. Given tonight’s performance I can only say that you are a mug if you don’t take up the opportunity. This is a great band that play the type of hard rock \ pub rock that Australia needs to export. I can only recommend that you get up off your arse and go see these guys as they are travelling across the country to bring great music to you.
At this stage I would normally drop the setlist and allow you to imagine what you have missed. Unfortunately during the drum solo, which was great to see making a return, we had a punter entangle themselves in the drum kit which was a bit awkward. Once the blockage was cleared and the drum solo finished, the band, like the professionals they are, rocked out the night and finished their last song. Normally I go and grab the setlist but I was well out the way at this point.
I can’t recommend these guys enough. Once this band take up residence in Europe you will have lost your chance to see them play the environments in Australia that defined Dead City Ruins as the band they are. If you don’t go see them now, you will regret it. I can guarantee that. Best band I have seen in a looooong time.
Dead City Ruins
Jake Wiffen – VOCALS
Tommy Tbone – GUITAR
Sean Blanchard – GUITAR
Nick Trajanovski – DRUMS
Matthew Berg – BASS
Reviewed by: – Craig Grant
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