Australian band Airbourne, who took the stage at Maxwell’s Oct. 5, had one goal and one goal only: to prove that rock n’ roll is still alive.
And that is exactly what they did. I have been to many rock concerts in the past, but this one was something else. From smashing beer cans open on his head to shredding his guitar while riding around the venue on his security guard’s shoulders, lead vocalist Joel O’Keeffe knew exactly how to keep the approximately 250 people there rocking out the entire night.
Knowing only a few of their songs and just a bit about the band, I was unsure of what to expect upon entering Maxwell’s. But as I looked around the room and saw the multitude of Airbourne t-shirts surrounding me, I got the feeling that I had been missing out on something great. I was right.
The show started with an opening act named The Wild, who are of the same hard rock genre as Airbourne. As a result, the crowd took to a band they had probably never heard of before really quickly. From the minute they came onstage, The Wild created a high-energy atmosphere that included a drinking contest between the band members. Although they may have seemed like they were only interested in partying, their guitar riffs and drum solos say otherwise. Ending with an enthusiastic, “We’ll be back Waterloo” the crowd was pumped and ready for Airbourne. I would highly recommend these guys to anyone who is a true fan of rock.
After much anticipation, Airbourne finally came onstage, and they did this with guitars blazing. Performing classics like “Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast” to new songs like “Breakin’ Outta Hell,” each member of the band perfectly wielded their instruments like true experts. This was, hands down, the loudest concert I have ever been too, including sold-out shows at the ACC. Stacks of speakers were the only things visible on the stage.
I must say, though, that O’Keeffe’s vocals were the highlight of the show with his impressive pitch range. What’s even more impressive is that, according to Tone Deaf, O’Keeffe broke some ribs after taking a fall at a previous show but was still able to belt out some serious high-pitched screams.
The band also made sure to include the audience in their rock n’ roll antics, emphasizing lyrics like, “You got the invitation, I got the booze” while throwing cans of beer to fans. In saying all of this, I have no choice but to bring up ACDC, who are so obviously their influence. From their stage mannerisms to the song lyrics, they exude the calassic Australian band in every way, which is not a bad thing because they have the talent to do it.
With that being said, if you ever want to see rock n’ roll in its purest, truest form, go to an Airbourne concert; you will not be disappointed.
