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Tonight in Adelaide, South Australia, a long held want was fulfilled and that was to see Between the Buried and Me (BTBAM) play live. The current tour of Australia and New Zealand, is in support of the album ‘Coma Ecliptic’. A healthy crowd in Adelaide was fired up by the math prog of CHON as well as a great performance by Adelaide band Dyssidia. So the stage is set for BTBAM and this is effortless from the off. We know that these guys tour endlessly and thats apparent. They came, they fired up and they dominated not only the stage but consumed the room. Their energy is unbelievable.
Tommy Rogers is the master front man who moves from earth splitting growls, that emanate from the pits of hell, to soaring clean lyrics that create worlds. To the keyboard, then to the crowd, then a combination, he effortlessly darts between the roles and somehow manages to fit in revving up the crowd. When he growls the front row goes up with him. From behind the stage I put the camera down and watch the barrier huggers go up at every move. This audience know this back catalogue and they are here to sing their lungs out.
Paul Waggoner and Dustie Waring are an immense front line, Waring far more reserved than Waggoner who steps in for vocal duties as required. Off in the background we have Dan Briggs on bass who sort of prowls the back quadrant with an array of effects pedals that would put most leads to shame. With the constant changes to the tone and rythtm we have Blake Richardson on drums and he is so good he is anonymous, although every time the kick drum fires my kidneys jumping to the right tells me he is doing his job.
I don’t know how long BTBAM would have to play for the audience to be satisfied as this is not just enjoyment, its adoration. The performance is flawless and the intensity never dips. Roger’s ability to lift the audience is as much a testimony to his skill as a frontman as it is to their back catalogue and the current album. The audience, on the night, are screaming every word back to Rogers and he is feeding from them; every word, every inflection and every nuance is matched. Its an awesome performance by both sides.
You can tell a band that lives their music and Between the Buried and Me is one of those. They believe it, they live it and the audience lives every lyric in return. This is one of the most symbiotic gigs that I have see for a long time. I enjoyed every part of this and can’t really encourage you enough to get out and see Between The Buried And Me when you can. BRILLIANT!
I was a bit distracted all night but I am guessing that this was the setlist! The Coma Machine Foam Born The Backtrack The Decade of Statues Telos Shevanel Cut a Flip The Ectopic Stroll Mirrors Obfuscation Famine Wolf The Endless Obsession
Review and Photography: Craig Grant
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