9 February 2025 – The Triffid, Brisbane – words by Cody-James Henderson – pictures by Charlyn Cameron
When it comes to the anti hero of revival genres, Nu Metal will forever be in my heart. From the old school (Slipknot, Korn, Limp Bizkit) to the nu school (Tallah, Ocean Grove, Vended) there’s been something that continues to draw me back to my teenage years continuously. However after all this time and all the names I recognise, one of the slightly more underground names that never really came across my radar was (Hed) P.E.
The Huntington Beach Group renowned for their Reggae/Ska influenced Nu sound, the band are once more back in Australia for the release of their 2023 album Detox. Equipped with nothing more than a desire to expand my musical knowledge and a playlist of the bands latest setlist provided to me by a fellow Live Wire team member, I set forth to The Triffid to witness the final night of (Hed) P.Es Australian tour. But what exactly was I going to bear witness too?
HAMMERS: An important narrative Australia has been trying to drive home for our music scene for years is to have more variety in local supports when it comes to international touring acts. Dubbed ‘Michael’s Rule’ (in honour the late great Michael Gudinksi) there has been a more conscious effort with promoters to not only get more Australian acts on tours, but acts specific to the cities tours reach too. This is where the Gold Coast Rock and Rollers Hammers come into tonight’s show. Loud and proud, this high octane 5 piece may not look like your traditional Rock band, but the energy the hit the ground running with they could give the likes of Airbourne and Wolfmother a run for their money.
Hammers – Triffid – photos by Charlyn Cameron
“How good is an early show on a Sunday night?” I couldn’t agree more, 7:30pm on the dot the show starts. Absolutely love to see it. Even with a fill in drummer on the stand, the machine that is Hammers flows like a well oiled V8 running down the Bruce Highway, Barnsey blasting out the stereo and as cool as a mullet in the breeze. It doesn’t get a lot better than that. And as vocalist Leigh Fish throws himself into the unsuspecting dancefloor of the Triffid, punters find themselves being dragged in further. From a near empty barricade not 15 minutes ago to a nearly full dancefloor, I feel that speaks for itself into Hammers appeal and show playing abilities. And don’t get my started on the grooving sensations and face grinding guitar solo works this band effortlessly puts into their set allotment.
This is why local flare needs to be on display for all acts that hit not just this city, but across this wonderful land we call home. There’s an everlasting supply of highly energetic, appreciative and downright incredible bands that most of us aren’t aware of. Hammers really nail this point on the head (Pun Intended, you knew it was coming)
HEARTLINE: Fresh off supporting Ska/Reggae rock icons 311 on their first Australian visits since 1998, Heartline have found themselves on another international showcase once more with (Hed) P.E, and from the get go there is no denying why they’re here. Fully set up with a pretty impressive IED system combined with a custom light show, Heartline come completely equipped to take on any venue.
Heartline – Triffid – photos by Charlyn Cameron
As the lights fly around the room for the bands latest EP title track ‘Pink Lemonade’ it’s clear that the slight style clash between Rap Rock fans with Modern Metalcore/Rock vibes has a few of the older faces in the crowd unsure of the performance they’re seeing, but it’s added variety combined with the bands seemingly effortless ability to draw reactions from the room. It isn’t soon before long that the necks recovering from Hammers set are completely back in action with a full recovery.
The crossing dynamics of clean cut into traditional low tuned metalcore are only accelerated into madness with the performative efforts of Bass/Guitar tandem making use of their limited spaces, keeping the movement fresh without skipping a beat to provide entertainment on top of a flawless musical effort. As the set grew longer and the heaviness increased, the crowd interest and reactions drew even stronger.
Never judge a book by its first chapter, the story of Heartline really grabs you in to the point of not putting it down and only wanting a sequel when it’s all said and done. And without spoilers, I would say the bands next story sees them on their own headline tour selling out rooms like this in the very near future. Mark my words.
(Hed) P.E: The fusion of classical R&B fills the air as the final punters from the bar pile in for tonight’s main event. In this corner; from Brisbane Australia, The Triffid. In the other corner; From Huntington Beach, California. (Hed) P.E. LETS GET READ TO RUMBLE!
Hed PE – Triffid – photos by Charlyn Cameron
Synth beats and testing a vocoder keyboard, out comes the under-appreciated Rap Rock icons. Blasting right into ‘No Way Out’ hair whips my neck from over the barricade from the die hards in the audience. Energy preserved for tonight’s main attraction hasn’t been lost on those waiting it out on the barricade. Some faces weathered from previous tours, others young and covered in Juggalo face paint, there’s generations spanning tonight’s crowd united by one singular cause. Running the ‘Rat Race’. And whilst running isn’t on the agenda for the older members of the audience who may have work in the morning, the efforts they out into their limited abilities is still something to sit back and enjoy.
“Let’s play some classic (hed) P.E shit” says vocalist Jahred through vocoder distortion. The crowd erupts twice within seconds as ‘Killing Time’ and ‘Blackout’ garners a mass yelling session. Even at 60 years of age, Jahred blasts through these songs with an ease of energy resemblant of the late 90s, not afraid to bust out harsher vocals and the occasional “Brissy!” In a guttural effect. (Hed) P.E chants fill the room between songs increasing in volume each time comes around. The band reminds us that the boys yell “(Hed) P.E” and the girls do the “whoop” between them. The smiles from the band are almost radiant that even the most unbeknownst of crowd members like myself can’t help but feel their joy. It’s genuine, it’s a lot art.
Hed PE – Triffid – photos by Charlyn Cameron
For other artists when they say they’re hitting their “underground” era of their set, it’s expected that only the truest fans know what’s coming. I guess the room is full of only the truest fans tonight as ‘Let’s Ride’ seems to be sung by everyone, outshining the grooves of the Californians. Even incorporating some Bob Marley’s ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ in the bridge of the song the audience doesn’t falter in their efforts to make the last night of the tour the loudest one yet. And that limit was only pushed as ‘Raising Hell’ gets even louder. You’d honestly think the audiences reactions to the night would tell you that the band has been here for quite a while, when in reality it’s been smack bang on 2 years since their last visit. This level of audience participation shows why the band can’t stay away any longer and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them back even sooner.
What feels like a blink of an eye, the band are on the back end of the set with ‘Bartender’ at the helm. “One more time for Brisbane” before festival decibel sing a long becomes almost deafening even with the strongest hearing protection I could find. I’m sure to someone who has never heard the band before, ‘Bartender’ would be nothing more than just a sleezy rock song but to the hundreds in attendance, it was biblical. A slap bass solo from ‘Kid Bass’ was still more than enough for the audience to lose their minds before a reprise of ‘Bartenders’ chorus keeps the crowd happy before transitioning into a section of Ska/Reggae adding a sense of mellow to an audacious crowd.
As the band confirms during thank yous that they will be back in approximately 18 months, I can’t say I didn’t tell you so. A shot (or two) of Jager, one final hearty “BRISSY!” and a brief moment asking if the audience in the rafters were enjoying their “spinach dip and artichokes” the band sends the audience happy with ‘Renegade’.
Hed PE – Triffid – photos by Charlyn Cameron
It’s imperative to me to not live in a life of nostalgia and continual fondness of past life. In saying that, (Hed) P.Es absolute to turn back the years for a room full of people to live as if it was 1999 in 2025 is monumental. As Jahred says all he knows is touring; when what he truly knows is how to bring the past to the present to shape the future. Tonight has shown that even after 30 years of (Hed) P.Es existence, the band could go for another 30 without question.
