“ This next track is all about hope and acceptance, and it’s the type of energy we want to bring into 2020! ”
With an elbow resting on a barricade, one hand nursing a cold beer, and a cheek-aching grin, Crowbar Sydney fostered a blisteringly awesome start to 2020. A first birthday celebration for the originally Brisbane-based venue, Crowbar pulled out the big guns for this particular anniversary.
And for once, I’m not talking about the headliner.
Formed in 2018, the Sydney four-piece Grenade Jumper christened the night with their half hour set, and my god, they did not disappoint.
Alongside the resurgence of up and coming pop punk bands, Grenade Jumper are forcefully carrying the weight of the genre’s contemporary revival. It’s really tasty stuff too — I’ll be the first to admit that my aesthetics and pleasure lie with sandy beach Australian folk, but I genuinely enjoyed this set. A true testament to the band’s performance, was my appreciation for the lack of harmonicas and banjos. Instead of leaving the gig with a vinyl in hand, I went home with a new found inspiration to explore heavier music, and a deep admiration for the young bands who now hold the flame.
With regards to venue, I’ll definitely be back to Crowbar. With a separated pub section adjacent to the stage and carpeted floor with no notable ‘stick’ [yet, anyway], the place was big enough to house an energetic mosh, but small enough to maintain that live music intimacy I find myself consistently yearning for. Stadiums just don’t do it for me.
Amongst the incredible noise wall of music out there, it’s the emotional maturity that this band has cultivated which sets them apart. Already amassing a sizeable fanbase, Grenade Jumper hone in on themes of hope, liberation and overt positivity, all drawn together in this nostalgic pooling of punk empowerment. Evidenced by their compositional skills and ability to direct youthful anxieties, fans both newly introduced and those there from the beginning completely united in the mosh. Harnessing this shared energy made for a show that was not only tight musically, but overwhelmingly engaging.
Every single person in that crowd was present. This sense of ultimate togetherness is something not often acquired. Very cool.
Now for the music nerds out there, I’m about to go ham on Grenade Jumper’s current live portfolio of original tunes. Buckle in.
‘Get Ahead’ was the band’s first single, released late 2018 and has since become an obvious favourite at their live gigs. From the fast paced guitar hook and crunchy bass, the track is anthemic in its overall tone – it’s one to get you moving thats for sure. The Crowbar crowd fist pumping and jumping in unison, matching the tempo of the classic punk groove that drummer Dean Fernance conjured on the night.
And then there’s the vocals. Wow.
Real and raw lyrics graced the venue, loud and strong. Bianca Davino’s vocal timbre is not one to be overlooked, the strength she has in her performance is absolutely insane – try being pitch perfect whilst playing some killer guitar lines and rocking out on stage. I dare you. She’s a vibrant purveyor of this new generation of pop punk performance, so take notes.
The band’s overt penchant for punk balladry and in touch musicianship makes for a massively inspiring live set. Especially in ‘Gazed’. I have a feeling that this track will be my favourite live performance from the band’s growing discography for a very long time. This is the track who’s bassline will be rattling your ribcage for days [cheers, Lukas Sikes-Georgiannis]. It has this hint of melancholia amongst the nostalgic angst that it evokes, it’s witty and bittersweet.
And lastly, ‘Heat Wave’.
“This next track is all about hope and acceptance, and it’s the type of energy we want to bring into 2020!”
With two bangin’ singles already to their name, the band premiered their third, ‘Heat Wave’ [recently released 20th March, check it out here], to close the set.
The huge guitar riff [courtesy of Max Jacobson] added this indie-rock vibe, which in turn created this really inviting melodic arc that conversed with a closely mirrored bassline – it’s catchy as hell. The drum groove constantly drives the track forward, with some gorgeous half time pre-chorus sections which make for a great time on the dance floor.
These guys perform with such a tremendous fervour, they have become vehement architects of this new wave of Sydney pop punk, and are certainly not to be missed live.
It’s not a phase, mum. Pop punk is back.
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