king 810 - gig review

this has been a review i've been excited to write since the tour announcement. king 810 have been on my wishlist for most of my adult life and i feel truly blessed to have witnessed their eerie dark magic on stage with an incredible lineup of aussie bands.

the night started with central coast locals culture of hate. these guys are the perfect example when i say you need to make the effort to show up for the opening bands. if you like the kind of hardcore without the deathcore vocals, you'll dig culture of hate. there was a fun atmosphere brought by the guitarist's grainy riffs and the groovy baselines, while the band carries constant two-step beats and relentless breakdowns. another highlight was seeing some of the newcastle hardcore lovers come throw down just for their central coast friends.

second on the bill is dregg.

it's been 7 years since the last time i saw dregg and boy i have forgotten how much i enjoy their live shows. they own the stage straight off the bat with high energy and doin everything in their power to hype up the crowd.

dregg have such a comfortable stage presence, really honing their sound and expressing their energy with a unique force, fun basslines and riffs that make you want to shake ass.

the vocalist reminds me of a young jonathan davis & fred durst mixed together creating an epic frontman for dregg's unique sound.

i have to say by this point of the night, i was pretty disheartened that the crowd wasn't giving back the hype that dregg were serving us. come on newcastle, i know we can do better than that!

the third act of the night is melbourne four piece metalcore band, the gloom in the corner.

this was my second time seeing them and i was certainly taken back for a second to retain my grip on reality after hearing mikey's vocals again. the gloom in the corner are so much heavier than i realised and full of life! they collectively have immaculate stage presence, high energy and significant talent. the crowd seemed familiar with the band also, singing along and moshing a lot.

finally the big dogs, king 810!

i had no idea what to expect, but not once was i disappointed. they started with an eerie, long intro and red lights before appearing on stage. the band gives no crowd interaction which aides to their performance, creating an enticing, menacing environment in the room.

but the band needs no words to the crowd, as their intense eye contact from some of the unmasked members and visionary lyrics exceed all cravings the concert goers have.

frontman david gunn's vocals are unlike anything i've ever heard, completely matching record to live. every song made the crowd sing, mosh, headbang and yearn for more.

king 810's set is a statement, a story and a special experience for each member of the crowd.

the sound was better than ever at king st this night which i am so grateful for when it came to seeing king 810!

all photos by @moshcam18.