11 August 2024 – The Tivoli, Brisbane – words by Lucas Bell – pictures by Charlyn Cameron
After a promise made at the 2023 Brightside Knotfest sideshow, St Louis post hardcore legends, Story of the Year returned to Australia in 2024 with the 20th anniversary of their debut record, Page Avenue. And to double down on the nostalgia, they brought out the best support act they could wrangle, with Senses Fail making their long overdue return to Australia. But not just that, Senses Fail planned a celebration of their own, with the 20th anniversary of their debut record, Let It Enfold You. And then to push the nostalgia into overdrive, Australian metalcore royalty, Behind Crimson Eyes, completed the trifecta of insanity in what surely should be an insane night of live music.
Opening the night of pure nostalgia, was the band of the evening I have the most nostalgia with, Behind Crimson Eyes. Ripping through nine songs that cover the best of a 20 year career, most of the set was all throwbacks. We even got 2005 era tracks like ‘Empty Promises’ and ‘The Black Veil’, mixed in with absolute tunes like ‘The Bonesman’ and ‘Game of Life’. It was so cool to see these guys back at it, enjoying the final run before the planned farewell tour next year. The set closed off with ‘Shakedown’, with the Tivoli faithful screaming for more.
Behind Crimson Eyes – Tivoli – photos by Charlyn Cameron
Senses Fail were up next, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut record, Let It Enfold You. The album was played front to back, with some small gaps in between to talk. If you know the record, you know what was played. But there were some super obvious stand outs. As expected, the biggest singalongs of the set were the triple threat back to back to back of ‘Buried a Lie’, ‘Bite to Break Skin’, and ‘Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning’. Buddy also was on fine form for the night, cracking jokes about the Australian swim team brutalizing America at the Olympics, references to Bluey the now adult audience could relate to, a random rant about seatbelts, and introducing us to the band’s version of the Buddy System, were we just find a friend to mosh with. Super cool, wholesome stuff.
Senses Fail – Tivoli – photos by Charlyn Cameron
Let It Enfold You was never MY Senses Fail record (Still Searching forever), so there were some songs here I didn’t know were as popular as they were. ‘Choke on This’ drew a massive reception from the crowd, as did ‘NJ Falls Into the Atlantic’ and the album’s title track, ‘Let It Enfold You’. Buddy wished us well after introducing the final song of the night, ‘Martini Kiss’, but gave the song a twist. Right before the final chorus, the band did a medley of songs for those that didn’t know anything tonight could sing along to”, including tracks like ‘Chop Suey’, ‘Down With the Sickness’, ‘Break Stuff’, and ‘Bulls on Parade’, before closing out with the final passage of ‘Martini Kiss’.
The lights dimmed for the main event, of Story of the Year playing Page Avenue. Unlike the Senses Fail set, the album was not played in order, which allowed the band to break the set up with songs from other records, which I actually loved. Opening up with the absolute belter ‘…and the Hero Will Drown’, the tone was immediately set that the Brisbane audience was here for a good time. ‘Dive Right In’ and ‘Divide and Conquer’ also drew massive receptions, as Story of the Year soaked in all the love being thrown their way. ‘Anthem of Our Dying Day’, naturally, drew the biggest singalong of the night overall.
Story of the Year – Tivoli – photos by Charlyn Cameron
We got the first non Page Avenue track for the night, ‘War’, off the latest record, Tear Me to Pieces. ‘War’ is my favorite song that isn’t the title track from this record, so getting to hear it again was so cool. We then jumped back into more Page Avenue tracks like ‘Razorblades’ and ‘Burning Years’, before we got a real throwback with my ALL TIME FAVORITE song, ‘We Don’t Care Anymore’. Man, I was singing my guts out to the point I think I can’t talk anymore. This song rules.
We got another new track with ‘Real Life’, before throwing back into songs like ‘Swallow the Knife’, ‘Sidewalks’, and ‘Into the Shadows’. ‘In the Shadows’ live is so impressive. Vocalist Dan Marsala can still rip those screams out when he needs to. The final run of songs for the night included the aforementioned ‘Tear Me to Pieces’, which, if my voice wasn’t fried after WDCA, they are now, ‘Falling Down’, and the set closer, ‘Until the Day I Die’. Listening to that song will never get old. And singing that song, in a room of die hard Story of the Year fans, gives certain lyrics of that song a really special feel.
Story of the Year – Tivoli – photos by Charlyn Cameron
Knotfest last year was the first time the band has been back to Australia for about five years. And now with two tours of Australia in two years (with three shows in Brisbane), I hope they continue to make the trek back. If they keep coming back, I’ll keep showing up.
