Live Reviews : TesseracT, Caligula’s Horse & Plini @ Max Watt’s, Melbourne 16/10/2015

Words: Jonathon Besanko

Images: Mark Hoffmann

(Click here to view the full gallery)

Taking place at Max Watt’s House of Music (formerly the Hi-Fi Bar), Melbourne, I was both intrigued and excited for what was on show tonight. The main act of the evening, TesseracT, from England, were a band I’d heard of, but were not all too familiar with when it came to their music. When it comes to progressive metal/rock, it is a genre I dabble more than invest in. Needless to say, when the opportunity arose to review TesseracT’s performance in Melbourne, alongside acts Caligula’s Horse and Plini, the decision was an easy one.

Plini

Tonight had sold out and it showed from the offset. As Sydney’s Plini took to the stage at 8.30, with an already sizeable crowd at its fore, I can certainly say Plini were the surprise of the evening for me, and in many ways were also the highlight. Being the creation and passion project of its creator, simply named “Plini” (who also performs as guitarist here), were on stage a four-piece, comprising Jake Howsam Lowe, Troy Wright, and Simon Grove. With Plini utilising his specialist headless guitar, one of the main draws for this band was simply how technically proficient they are. It is not always something you find with all prog bands, where their music blends so seamlessly from instrument-to-instrument, or that there is such a wonderful cohesion between members that coalesces the barrier between crowd and stage. But this was most certainly true of Plini. Being largely a solely instrumental performance, with Plini chiming in about two times to give thanks in his very soft-spoken, yet still appreciative way, their music was the perfect meld between technicality, melody, and heaviness.

As Plini announced amusingly at the beginning, “For those wondering why there’s a bunch of guys up on stage playing music and with a headless guitar, I am Plini” – and then he went on to introduce the rest – “We have the enormous pleasure to play before Caligula’s Horse; who have the enormous pleasure to play before…” offering it out to the crowd, who responded in turn with, “TesseracT!”

Giving tribute to their light guy (who did a phenomenal job), their sound was incredibly dynamic, and this was a trend that continued throughout Caligula’s Horse and TesseracT’s set also. It’s great to see the former Hi-Fi not only took on new management, but revamped their sound too. The venue sounds fantastic now! I was captivated the whole way through Plini’s set and I can honestly say I would have been content just listening to Plini all night, but alas, much to the dismay of many in the crowd who collectively cried “no!”, Plini’s set eventually came to its close. An experience I won’t soon forget, however.

Caligula’s Horse

Oddly enough, this was actually my first time seeing Caligula’s Horse live, yet I would have sworn I’d seen them before (to the point where I had to look through Metal Obsession to see if I’d reviewed them before). There’s a pull to this band that makes you feel as if you’ve known their music all your life. And it is clear too how much people love them. Even just during their sound check, when frontman Jim Grey sung a few high notes to test his vocals, people still cheered; subsequently causing Grey to smile humbly and then jokingly proclaim, “Thank you, good night!”

Though there was a minor moment at the beginning where there was a sharp whistle coming from guitarist/vocalist Zac Greensill’s setup, thankfully this and a couple sparing moments where Grey’s mic was a bit low in the mix were the only real gripe I had with what was an otherwise virtually flawless set. Where Plini were soft-spoken, Caligula’s Horse were the showmen, with Jim Grey’s angelic vocals carrying you away to somewhere else; somewhere better.

Getting the crowd involved in giving thanks to Plini and excited for TesseracT, Grey told an amusing anecdote wherein given that tonight was the release of their newest album, Bloom, you’d think they’d be launching it too. Yet it was not yet in Australia, but “[carried] by boat, Border Force them up” he joked. “It’s funny, but fucked up!” he said, as he and the crowd shared a laugh. Performing the likes of “Firelight” for the first time live in Melbourne, we were told this song is “dedicated to those we’ve lost” and that “that’s what nights like these are about”. This song was incredible live: a magical mix of emotional melody and encapsulating vocals. I loved that each member were given their moment to shine, with no element ever outshining the rest, but allowed to stand on its own two feet and complement the rest.

TesseracT

It had come time for TesseracT, and I was pumped. Thus far, this night had been one of the best shows I’d been to and TesseracT carried this home. You got a true feel for how big this event was come time for their set. Suddenly, everywhere you looked, there were people; to the point where I was boxed in, but honestly didn’t care, either. The atmosphere of this crowd and the way they fed off TesseracT’s, and vice versa, was simply stated, awesome to be a part of. That experience is fairly rare, but when it happens during shows like this, there’s no other feeling quite like it. The crowd was completely into it from the opening note, and much of the time I couldn’t even take notes, due to how intense and engaging TesseracT’s performance was.

With vocalist Daniel Tompkins noting how in 2011 TesseracT had played this same stage they were on now, they said it was “great to be back” and how much they loved the energy of the crowd. The light-work for TesseracT’s set was brilliant. Perfectly timed to their breaks, the columns of white light that beamed out across the room silhouetted the band, only serving to further heighten the aural and spatial impact of their set. You felt as if you were actually one with their music, able to reach out and touch the light that blanketed the audience. And as I saw many times around the crowd, people did raise their hands; as if lost in hymnic prayer. As the deep reds and lime greens from the overhead lights spewed forth too, they painted the band in a combination of dark and light colours, elevating TesseracT’s music and keen songwriting to a whole other level.

TesseracT

Touring in support of their newest album Polaris, it was great and unique to see such elements of the band such as bassist Amon Williams be a centrepiece for TesseracT onstage, often times standing more at the fore than Daniel Tompkins. And it worked remarkably well. Though sadly TesseracT’s set was cut about twenty minutes short (I believe due to band exhaustion), it also felt a shame that even after the crowd’s incredible persistence at collectively crying out and chanting for “one more song”, TesseracT did not perform an encore following the abrupt ending of their set. Considering I had spoken with others afterwards who had been following TesseracT around Australia and had told me Melbourne was their best show yet, it made it all the more disappointing they left many fans in wanting. But as such, that was the only real downside to what was otherwise an incredible evening filled to the brim with powerful and emotionally charged music. That is the power of progressive music, and equally the power of TesseracT’s live show.

Don’t miss the remaining dates of TesseracT’s Australian tour (w/ national support from Caligula’s Horse). Tickets are on sale now via Destroy All Lines.

October 17 – Fowlers, Adelaide

October 18 – Amplifier Bar, Perth

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