7 October 2026 – The Crowbar, Brisbane – words and pictures by Clea-marie Thorne
People are gathering at Brisbane’s Crowbar for a Wednesday night with Katatonia. I’m on photography duties as well as reviewing tonight, and the dim lighting will soon be giving my camera something to complain about. First, though, there are two Australian supports getting the room moving.
Parhelion are opening proceedings with ‘Banded Eyes’, a bunch of older musos easily settling into a groove together and clearly having fun with their set as if they were 18 again. The gathering crowd is happily watching and listening, bodies starting to move and dedicated friends and fans showing their appreciation. Moving through ‘Divergent’ and ‘Diverge’, they’re surrounding us with murky atmospherics and moody vocals, soaring guitar riffs and shifting rhythms giving their alternative metal a progressive bent.
Parhelion – Crowbar – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
Bass and drums are driving a churning undertow, the guitars leaving space before building into dense, hypnotic layers. They’re working through ‘See.nor.Breathe’ and closing with ‘Fury’, a song title I nabbed from their setlist. This bunch of very cool dudes has got our bodies moving over the hump of hump day and earned a bunch of new recruits in pursuit of their tunes.
Atticus Chimps are following with ‘Cyanide’, frontman Sam Bray (vocals, bass guitar) armed with a shit tonne of pedals and Jack Merriman (drums) barely visible behind his kit. Moving into ‘Cradle Cage’ and ‘Propane’, Bray is treating his bass like a rhythm and lead guitar, distortion and octave effects giving the heavy riffage enough weight to shake the glasses on my face. The two blokes are making a glorious racket, Bray’s raw vocals at times bringing Cobain’s ‘Bleach’-era rasp to mind. One misbehaving pedal is having a whinge in our ears, but otherwise the set is going off, dedicated fans happily copping an earful.
Atticus Chimps – Crowbar – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
They’re keeping it coming through ‘Blood Clot’, ‘Electric Chair’, ‘Day Dreams’ and big banger ‘Alien Jewelry’, before working us up with ‘High at the Sight of You’, ‘Your Direction’ and ‘Eyes Speak’.
Bray is saving his single jump of the set for the start of closer ‘Misery’, and naturally, I’m missing it with my cameras turned off by my side. While I’m getting into the music along with everyone else, that airborne shot is escaping me. It’s definitely the right high to end their set. We’re sending them off with a roar of appreciation and plenty of clapping. They’re wasting no time on farewells, hurriedly clearing their gear from the stage.
As crew and techs prep for the Swedish metal masters, bodies are moving closer in anticipation. Before long, Katatonia are emerging onto the dimly lit, hazy stage. A projector screen is unrolling behind the massive drum kit, Katatonia emblazoned across it. A murder of crows is appearing across the opening projection, echoing the distant silhouettes on the cover of ‘Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State’.
Katatonia – Crowbar – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
Daniel Moilanen (drums) is taking his perch on the riser, so high at the back that he’s mostly obscured by his cymbals while the rest of the band stalk on stage. ‘Thrice’ is opening the set and fans are bellowing back at Jonas Renkse (vocals), whose voice is sounding just as great live as we remember it. He’s delivering the lyrics with that laid-back manner, with the feeling coming through clearly. I can also hear Moilanen perfectly well; getting a clear look at the talented bastard is another matter.
Following up the opener with ‘Birds’ and ‘Rein’, Renkse is moving about, drawing our eyes to the instrumental talent on stage: Niklas Sandin (bass), Nico Elgstrand (guitar) and Sebastian Svalland (guitar), completing tonight’s lineup.
Having attempted an interview with Sandin ahead of this tour, I’m particularly interested in hearing him at work tonight. His bass is already making our marrow tremble, bodies rocking through the fits and starts he and Moilanen are artfully executing in the low end. Elgstrand and Svalland are working either side of Renkse and Sandin, giving us plenty more to keep our eyes and ears occupied. I’m noticing the projections changing behind them, but the band are getting most of my attention.
Katatonia – Crowbar – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
‘The Liquid Eye’ is giving us another reason to pay attention to the guitars, its brief solo threading a lovely ache through the song. Every phrase is carrying feeling, adding another tug to music already doing a bloody good job of getting under our skin. ‘Austerity’, ‘Consternation’ and ‘Dead Letters’ are keeping our attention firmly on the stage. Elgstrand and Svalland are shredding it up. Over on my side, I’m captivated by Svalland’s fingers flying over those bird inlays along the fretboard of his PRS. I’m not spotting any crowd surfers tonight, although my eyes are fairly well glued to the musicians. Around me, people are moving with the music, feet firmly planted.
‘My Twin’ and ‘The Longest Year’ are getting their turn before ‘Old Heart Falls’ and ‘July’, where Moilanen’s percussive chops shine, totally engrossed in his art behind his elevated collection of tubs and cymbals. Fans are fully cutting loose on this one, giving him plenty of moving bodies to survey from his perch.
Katatonia – Crowbar – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
Gauging by the reaction, ‘Lethean’ is another fan favourite, pulling at the emotions in the room. I bet each of us here tonight has a story we can relate to the lyrics. Its driving melancholy is sounding immense live, Renkse’s mournful vocals adding to the ache and carrying beautifully over the instruments. What an honour to hear it like this.
There’s been little dialogue beyond a few calls of “Hey Brisbane” and plenty of appreciation for the fans supporting them. After ‘Lethean’, we’re getting another polite “Thank you” before Renkse adds, “I fucking love it here. Thank you again.” He’s promising “a prog metal anthem”, adding, “And it’s not an Opeth cover, it’s one of our own songs.” Cue ‘No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall’ from ‘Sky Void of Stars’.
Sandin’s bass is getting a proper outing here, those fluid lines weaving through the rhythm and giving our bodies plenty to follow. He and Moilanen are keeping us moving through the changes before the heavier passages have our heads going again. It’s headbanging and body rocking central on the floor and all the way up the back. All too soon, ‘Untrodden’ is bringing the main set to its close.
Katatonia – Crowbar – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
The obligatory encore call is getting ambitious: “Ten more songs! Ten more songs! Ten more songs!” One punter goes further, demanding, “Play another whole fucking show!” Katatonia are returning to screams, Renkse asking, “You want more music? Are you sure? Well, let’s fucking do it then!” Introducing a ballad of love and snow, he names ‘In the White’, and fans are letting the music wash over them, many singing along. Cheers and clapping follow before he asks, “Let’s do one more, shall we?” The roar of encouragement is sending them hammering into ‘Forsaker’.
Tonight’s set is spanning twenty years of Katatonia, reaching back to ‘The Great Cold Distance’. As the band and fans pose for a group photo, the projector is giving us one last silent thank you: “Thank you for sharing this moment with us.” Well, I think it’s “moment”—you guessed it, those damn cymbals are hiding the word. Another whole show might be a big ask on a Wednesday, but I fully support that cheeky chick’s thinking. I should. She’s me.
