Deathstars @ The Corner...

Deathstars

Corner Hotel, Richmond

11.15pm Saturday, 26-09-2009

Somebody STOP me!

I'

d been steadily getting more and more excited as the date drew nearer. I was finally getting to see one of my all-time-favourite-bands ™ up close and personal. It took the better part of the day to get organised. It usually wouldn’t be such a big deal but I’d gone through about five costume changes already – ridiculous – even by my standards. At least I had all my accessories and hair sorted (mostly). Getting ready to go out is always a dilemma but this was even more so. In due course, copious amounts of glitter were applied to me and my bathroom...

We arrived at the venue just as Ink were finishing an awesome Alice In Chains number, I think it was Man In a Box but the memory of it is kind of hazy (sorry!). My excitement was peaking but I sensed that I wasn’t alone in my exhilaration. On the way to the bar for some liquid courage/refreshment we were accosted by an excitable young chap espousing the awesomeness of Alice In Chains to which we agreed: Yeah, totally awesome! Not long after, another approached to take his place as ‘AIC guy’ wandered off aimlessly into the dark in search of his next unwitting ‘victim’.
 

This one was curious as to why I was fanning myself with a mesh fan. I try to tell him above the din that it’s because “it’s warm in here” which he interpreted as meaning “the fan is keeping me warm in here”. Well, it was a very windy, rainy and chilly Melbourne night outside so it sort of makes sense (to someone) but I find that venues are always claustrophobically warm – far too hot for my tastes - so for the sake of relative comfort, fans are essential for a night out, particularly gigs! And it certainly wasn’t because “I think I’m Asian.” Yeah... that totally happened.

After some *spot* scouting, we sojourn at a good pozzie at the back of the crowd where we think we might get a good view. We stand around and chat amiably while I try to keep a lid on my increasingly evident exhilaration. Then it starts. Satyricon plays while the stage curtain is still closed which, we had discovered via the world wide webisphere, is the opening of their show. I get my camera ready. Then the curtains drew back and all glittery hell spewed forth! I quickly thrust the camera at mah boy (there was no way in hell I was going to miss a second of this, nor would I have had any kind of level headed composure to take pictures!) grab my girl, Lola & move to a good spot behind the rapturous crowd towards the left of stage.

Deathstars, rocking us out!

The boys look incredible, almost luminous!! It’s hard to believe we’re in the same space as them and so close! Not long in, Lola & I are getting blocked by the stupid pole in front of the stage (design flaw, anyone?). If we want to see anything, we have to dip and duck to get a closer look - add to that being amongst a sea of statuesque goths with tall shoes - so dip and duck we did. But we’re too excited for the moment and are jumping (pogo-ing), bellowing lyrics, representing with horns up and having an absolute blast. They started with NIGHT ELECTRIC NIGHT but like I mentioned earlier, it’s all a tad hazy. 

After the first song finishes we’re screaming and cheering for all we’re worth. Then my other half comes up and points to a better spot to the right of the stage. We hurry over and get into position. Lola starts taking shots and I’m in the moment, just going with the excitement and buzz of the crowd, taking it all in. Whiplasher flirted outrageously, purring in his heavy Swedish accent [hoo lawdie, you have NO IDEA what that shit does to a gal! Or maybe... you do... hmmmm] and playfully teasing the audience into an orgiastic fever pitch between songs. Some lucky bish handed him a black feather boa [damn!], others are madly fondling the boys as they get close to the barrier [jealous!] – and everyone is so fucking into it! Yay, Melbourne!

Skinny & Whiplasher (Cat on drum riser)
 

Unfortunately, from this vantage point, we can’t really see Bone W Machine because the drums seem to be set waaaay back on the stage; we have to do a little bit of manoeuvring to spy him. There he is, rocking out like a fucking champ! It also has to be mentioned that the SOUND was guh!mazing. No bleeding or post show ringing in the eardrums (thank goddess!) and every note the boys rocked out was as clear as a bell.
 

I mentioned earlier that the boys all looked incredible. I don’t think my words will ever do justice to just how ridiculously hot they looked. Nightmare, Skinny & Bone were to-fucking-die-for, Whiplasher was straight up glorious and Cat, in particular, looked utterly pristine. I think his shirt came off at some point but I was too amped to notice. SHIT! Whip was drenched in sweat but seemed to not want to get his kit off to which someone in the audience took umbrage and called him a Pussy for not getting naked. TOP NOTCH!!

Amping up the crowd...didn't take much!
 

Throughout the show, the jams kept getting kicked out, we rocked our little black hearts out (along with plenty of screaming, cheering and lusting) and Deathstars brought Deathglam to Melbourne and showed us well and truly just how the fuck it’s done. At one point I thought I was going to hyperventilate or have some kind of conniption [read: Jizz In My Pants]. But I didn’t, thankfully. Just needed to stop for a second to gain some composure before jumping straight back into it! CYANIDE had the crowd going absolutely batshit crazy as did DEATH DIES HARD - the singalong for these two songs was incredible and deafening. I was in there screaming my lungs out too, brilliant!!
 

As thrilling as that all was, there were some very minor down sides – namely:

• No sweaty on stage boy-on-boy pash antics (DAMMIT!!!)
• Ushered out of the Corner within 30 mins of the band finishing
• Groupie hobags slutting up the joint (I’m just not that keen on it)
• Not so bad, but just random randomness – someone kept repeating ALBATROOOOSS! for no apparent reason, unless that’s some kind of ‘in joke’ that no-one else appeared to be in on?
• Not getting to meet the guys... (considering the chilly conditions, I wasn’t going to freeze my arse off any further by waiting by the back... naff)

BUT, they did have to be in Perth on Sunday night. Considering that’s a five hour (+/-) flight across the country, plus dealing with jetlag from all the travelling from Sweden to Oz... I am kinda cool with it. I’m shocking with that kind of stuff so how the fuck they managed all that, then hitting the stage and rocking out the jams with immense energy just blows my mind. Besides, what in the fuck would I have ever said to them that wouldn’t have been insane giggling or strange animal noises? No, really.

Here is the Setlist based on my adrenaline addled recollection – so in no particular order, unless you were there and know what it was (any help in that regard is appreciated!). Had I been more organised and had my DEATHSTARS BINGO card like I’d planned, it would have made this a lot easier...

• NIGHT ELECTRIC NIGHT
• MOTHERZONE
• MARK OF THE GUN
• BLITZKREIG
• TONGUES
• CYANIDE
• DEATH DIES HARD
• NEW DEAD NATION
• CHERTOGRAD
• THE LAST AMMUNITION
• BLOOD STAINS BLONDES
• THE REVOLUTION EXODUS
• TRINITY FIELDS
• THE FUEL IGNITES

In conclusion - the black planet of lust swept into town, laved us all into a hypersexual frenzy, drenched us in glittery filth and deathglam, taught us about fire in the blink of an eye and left us wild eyed and breathless in the dark, frantically lusting for more.

Tack für sist, Deathstars. Let’s do that again!

Fin.

Gig pics courtesy of Lola B. Spanx for being so onto it, sweets! xx

Title shot by GIVEthemHORNS, deviantart.

Further reading and fantastic pics in the links below. DO IT!!!

• Faster Louder pics
• Faster Louder review
• Visceral Industry Photography (friggen amazing! also, if the pics don't immediately come up, click on the DEATHSTARS link to the right)