Review: Joshua Hobbins
Photography: Nate Rose
Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues, originally released in 1996, was California punk veterans’ Strung Out’s second album. It packed 13 tracks into just over half an hour, marrying breakneck melodic punk with the metallic edge that would become such a defining part of the Strung Out sound. Three decades later, the band returned to Australia to celebrate the record’s 30th anniversary, with the Gold Coast leg bringing them to Miami Marketta alongside local support Something Something Explosion.
When Something Something Explosion hit the stage, the room was initially looking a little sparse. That didn’t last long. People quickly began filtering in from outside and, within a few songs, the band had turned what could have been a difficult opening slot into a room full of people completely on board. Something Something Explosion sounded enormous. The bass tone was huge, the band incredibly tight, and the vocals were particularly impressive, moving effortlessly from clean melodic passages into much heavier territory. By the time Gasoline arrived early in the set, they had well and truly found their stride, while set closer Motormouth proved a personal highlight.
There was also a slightly different lineup on stage tonight. With Grace carrying a work injury and restricted to vocal duties, former drummer Ben stepped in on guitar for the night. Despite the reshuffle, the band sounded remarkably tight, and the circumstances gave Grace the opportunity to concentrate entirely on a vocal performance that was one of the real highlights of the set.
Before Strung Out emerged, Frank Sinatra’s The Way You Look Tonight rang through Miami Marketta, providing a decidedly smooth introduction to the barrage that was about to follow.
The bass roared through the room as Firecracker kicked things off, immediately launching Strung Out into the opening run of Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues. Better Days, Solitaire and Never Good Enough followed in rapid succession, and although the crowd was relatively restrained early on, that wouldn’t remain the case for long.
Thirty years might have passed since these songs were released, but nothing about them felt tired. Strung Out were astonishingly tight. The drums were relentlessly fast and precise throughout the entire performance, while the interplay between the guitars and bass was exceptional. Just as impressive were the melodic backing vocals coming from both sides of the stage, adding another dimension to songs that already balance aggression and melody better than most.
At the centre of it all was Jason Cruz. Charismatic, energetic and completely commanding, Cruz sounded fantastic and appeared to be having just as much fun performing these songs as the predominantly old-school Strung Out crowd was having hearing them. He also expressed genuine appreciation for the support Strung Out have continued to receive after more than three decades as a band.
He wasn’t going to let the Gold Coast crowd off quite so easily, though. Cruz recalled a time when the band used to have to prepare themselves for just how rowdy shows at the Cooly could get, before essentially calling the room out for not being hectic enough. Challenge accepted.
As the album continued through Gear Box, Monster and Bring Out Your Dead, the crowd became increasingly animated, with the latter receiving one of the strongest reactions of the night. Rottin’ Apple was another personal highlight before Radio Suicide and Somnombulance kept the pace moving. Cruz introduced Somnombulance simply as a song about Australian bikie speed, drawing a laugh before the band tore straight into it.
By Six Feet, one thing was abundantly clear: this was a band that still genuinely enjoys playing together. The interaction between Rob, Chris and Derik was superb, while Daniel continued firing through these songs with almost ridiculous precision behind the kit.
Speed Ball led into Wrong Side of the Tracks, completing Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues in its original running order. Hearing the album played from the opening notes of Firecracker through to its closing track served as a reminder of just how much ground Strung Out managed to cover in such a short, furious record.
When the band returned after a short break, Velvet Alley provided an epic beginning to the encore. Its instrumental opening exploded through the venue before the crowd completely took over for the “I’m going nowhere” section, producing one of the biggest singalongs of the night.
Too Close to See followed and drew another massive response before Blueprint of the Fall and New Gods pushed the set beyond the anniversary celebration. The crowd enthusiastically embraced the later material, even if the classics inevitably produced some of the loudest reactions.
If there was a perfect way to close this show, Matchbook was it. At times Cruz barely seemed to need a microphone, with the voices from the floor clearly audible throughout the song. After nearly an entire set of increasingly enthusiastic singalongs, hearing a room full of people singing “Don’t look back in anger, it’s just a memory” together provided a fitting final reminder of the connection this band has built with its audience over the past 35 years.
And, just as Strung Out had arrived to Sinatra, the evening ended with Fly Me to the Moon playing over the PA.
Tonight, Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues sounded every bit as frantic, melodic and aggressive as it needed to, performed by musicians who remain remarkably sharp and clearly still love what they do. Three decades on, the album still sounds vital and Strung Out proved they can still deliver it with the intensity it deserves.
TOUR DATES
Thurs, Sept 24: Dicey Riley’s, Wollongong
w/ Wiseheimer
Sat, Sept 26: Crowbar, Sydney
w/ Irrelevant
Tickets are onsale now
https://sbmpresents.com/tour/
– GALLERY –
