Emancipation Party - January 2020

Review by Jimmy Wah | Sense Music Media

On a lazy Tuesday evening in Sydney, as the hustle and bustle of the city gave way to meandering pedestrians and seemingly aimless traffic, there was one place that refused to submit to the day’s end. Instead, it prepared to electrify the atmosphere and reclaim the city nightlife. Frankie’s Pizza by the Slice was hosting the Emancipation Party to celebrate the end of Lockout Laws in Sydney. A chance for people to free themselves from the years of regulation and re-establish Frankie’s as Sydney’s most iconic late-late night party destination every-day-of-the-week!

An eclectic mix of patrons are welcome to descend the stairs into the familiar safety of the underground at Frankie’s; where they are then free to immerse themselves in the raw textures of counterculture so dense that it plasters the walls and overwhelms the senses. Complete with iconic posters, pinball machines, quirky décor and vibrant lights; they can enjoy an endless bar, a slice of delicious pizza and some of the best live rock music in Sydney.

As the crowd began to gather on the dance-floor in unprecedented numbers, it became clear that this was no ordinary party. There was a buzz in the air that overtook the reverberation of the speakers as the music died down. Then out of nowhere the curtains were drawn and the crowd was hit by a wall of sound that exploded from the stage without a moment’s hesitation.

BARE BONES – a Sydney 5 piece formed in 2013 – greeted the crowd with a barrage of sound, seeing Tom Kennedy standing on the one-off barricade to deliver his characteristic rattling vocals to an eager crowd so energetic that they nearly touched the ceiling. With 2 guitarists Chris Breedon and James Dean joined by James Clark on bass, BARE BONES incorporate elements of Punk Rock and Hardcore Metal to create a distinctive sound that dominates the room with its nostalgic rock influences. None of this could be achieved of course without Chris Blancato, drummer and sound engineer at Bear Parts Music (producing both CIRCLES’ and NORTHLANE’s latest albums), a weapon on the Aussie music scene who stomped his dominance on the room.

ARTERIES – a Hardcore Speed Metal band that combines influences of Punk, Prog, and Djent to provide a chaotic, yet inescapable groove. A groove that seemed to take control over those in the crowd at Frankie’s on Tuesday. Formed in 2013, ARTERIES feature Brendan Dafter on vocals, whose driving screams and deathly growls are carried by the technical prowess of Daniel Graham and Braithe Selby on guitars to combine with the groove of someone who can only be described as the happiest hardcore bass player on a Sydney stage, Kris Amato. Some of the tightest drumming played at monstrous speeds with syncopated breakdowns was showcased by Zak Borg, who phenomenally kept the chaos in line. There’s no denying ARTERIES have earned their stripes as one of Sydney’s leading heavy bands.

As the curtains were drawn and the floor was cleared for some hard rock karaoke, it was clear that if it weren’t for 15 floors of the skyrise above, the bands on Tuesday night would have raised the roof at Frankie’s. First Night, No Lockouts definitely lived up to the hype!

ARTERIES on Spotify