IN REVIEW: THE WORLD IS A VAMPIRE TOUR
Let’s first take a minute to play a little make believe. Now, if you were the lead singer of one of the 90’s most infamous bands, pioneering a sound that teenagers for generations after would come to mimic, and continuously selling out tours even over 30 years after the release of your debut album . . . your natural progression from this would obviously be to then buy a perishing American wrestling team, right?
The next evolution would be to then pack up your team NWA ( National Wrestling Alliance, not to be confused with 90s rap group) and take them on a massive world tour with you and your band, before putting them in a ring with the WAOA ( Wrestling Alliance of Aus) team on the Australian leg of the tour.
On top of the already tremendous treat that is bringing gloriously camp 80s style wrestling back to the public, you also brought with you Alt-rock idols Jane's Addiction, and Australia’s very own Amyl and the Sniffers, Redhook and Battlesnake.
Sounds delicious, right? Well the good news is, this fantasy is a reality baby! Well, at least a reality to Billy Corgan, righteous leader of The Smashing Pumpkins. And you best believe we ran to see this one of a kind day-festival go down.
THE WORLD IS A VAMPIRE tour kicked off its Australian leg last weekend, at Eaton Hills hotel in the ever-humbling suburban Brisbane.
Immediately upon walking through the gates, it was obvious that this was a veteran music crowd, between a sea of black band tees ( despite the grueling QLD heat making its final attempts of a summer sun) , wrinkling arm band tattoos and indubitably , the tell tale sign that it is definitely not someone's first rodeo; COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR. You know how you can count a tree's age by the rings on its trunk? You could count the ages of the punters purely by looking down and categorizing ages by sandals and docs all the way up to fashion tragedy brand sketchers.
What may be a first rodeo type thing though, would be the wrestling ring smack in the middle of the grounds. We grabbed a beer and quickly joined the legion of punters that had gathered around, attempting to cohere goth rock and wrestlers in pleather jocks and sparkly boots.
Around 4:30, Melbourne band Amyl & the Sniffers came out to play. After catching them numerous times as their name grew over the years,
I found there was always one constant between every single show - a rowdy crowd. And to be honest,even the word rowdy is a light way to put it. I’ve seen broken bones, split lips, spilled beers and mud fights go down in an Amyl mosh; a place that is typically not for the faint hearted.
So imagine my surprise when I showed up to the pit, prepared to battle, only to be met with a crowd of swayers. Seriously, there was more movement at a retirement village bingo night.
But, as I looked around and found the only energy coming from the stage and maybe 3 odd randy 16 year olds in the crowd, I found something new. A generational divide that taught me something about the appreciation of music. It wasn't as if the people standing still weren't enjoying what they were seeing, I believe it was actually quite the opposite.
They were standing still and soaking; each individual guitar riff, the bass lines, the drum beat that held it all together, and the ever fantastic showmanship of Amy Taylor. The end of each song was met with a roaring applause, regardless of the absence of blood shed in between the claps.
It seemed that the only showcase of violence at this festival was reserved for the overexaggerated display in the ringside. And I mean, is this perhaps not how it should always be? Either way, what a fucking breath of fresh air it was to feel this safe and protected by the punters around you at a gig.
As the sun set, Jane's Addiction took to the stage to remind us of everything that was so wrong but so right about indie glam rock from that magical period that was late 80s into early 90s. Things like Rhinestone vests, fingerless gloves, exotic dancers dressed in red lingerie swinging off of parallel bars, all soundtracked to music that you would probably find your uncle smoking weed to in his garden shed turned man cave. It was absolutely a sight to see, a glimpse of the showmanship that we so sorely miss in today's acts.
Finally, just as dusk set, came the main event. The creme de la creme. The cherry on top of an already mouthwatering day. Walking out to a crowd already to well warmed up by bands whose members were probably still in diapers the first time they took to an Australian stage, The Smashing Pumpkins needed no introduction. As the title song from their new album of the same name ATUM played, Billy cooly strode onto centrestage through a cloud of smoke, looking reminiscent of Nosferatu in a black cloak, bald head and dark vampiric makeup, before launching into ‘Empires’.
I must note that despite the effortlessly cool music and rockstar status, it was so refreshing to watch the comradery between Billy and co-founding member of the band, James Iha. Between nearly every song, the pair would take to the mic to talk to the crowd in third person through each other, poking fun at the crowd and one another in a way that you only can do when you are this close to another for this long.
“We started this band in my fathers bedroom where he sold drugs… its true…and we're still here”, then the two performed an acoustic cover of fan favourite ‘Tonight Tonight’.
As thrilled as I was by this whopping two hour set, I would hate to spoil the best bits. I'll leave by saying that I can not recommend this tour more, no matter your age or demographic. There truly is something for everyone to see.
ALL PHOTO CREDIT TO AMELIA PITCHER
