Sleeping With Sirens | Northcote Theatre
The first week of December was quite the thrill, with the ever looming date of Good Things 2024 just around the corner, we were all preparing ourselves for the action packed day. The perfect way to kick off the countdown for the best day of the year (as dubbed by yours truly) was to find myself wandering through narrow back streets of Melbourne’s inner city suburbs, heading towards the beloved Northcote Theatre to see an all time favourite band of mine, Sleeping With Sirens.
High Street was humming with liveliness this evening. It had been a hot day, mellowing down to a mushy mildness as the sun gripped between the restaurants and street side dining, coating everything in its wake with a hopeful golden glow.
As I weaved through foot traffic collectively made up of familiar yellow stitched platform boots, metallic studded belts and intricate, dark eyeliner, I felt right at home. I slammed a Red Bull before heading into the pristine foyer of the theatre, holding myself back from snatching up some merch by bee-lining it straight into the pit.
I managed to shuffle right up to the barricade, slightly to the right, usually optimal for a comfortable floor experience, in an attempt to conserve energy for the festival the day after (For some not-so-subtle foreshadowing; I had no voice by the end of the night). I admired the high ceilings of the venue, the soft arched carvings of the roof, and the wide windows that made the night feel infinite. As I reached over the barricade to pay for my beer, the room lulled to a dim, cooling blue, and the audience erupted as the opening band took the stage.
Wayside’s Josh Ehemer & Thomas Davenport/@_tristanphotos
Wayside, an alt rock/emo driven band hailing from Melbourne presented themself with a casual level of serenity, embracing their instruments with ease as they entwimed an iridescent soundscape of melancholia around the room. On drums was Nicholas Andrew, bass was Izzy De Leon, and founding members Josh Ehemer (guitar) and Thomas Davenport (vocals). Gliding through tracks such as “Proud of You”, “Safe Forever” and “Asymmetry”, the crowd was wholly enamoured as they swayed along with the melodies.
Their sound seems to be intertwined with modern shoegaze and post grunge nu-metal, guitar that reverberates seamlessly, paired with gentle vocals and tranquil verses to soaring, volatile choruses. A standout track was “Lean Into It”, my head snapping along to the chunky bass line.
After the gig, I delved further into the bands discography, learning that they brought on Will Yip, known for producing masterpieces such as Citizens “Youth” and La Dispute’s “Rooms of the House,’ to help them put together their 2023 album, “What Does Your Soul Look Like”. I listened to the record front to back, flawed with the roller coaster of visuals and emotional outpouring through the lyrics Davenport presents. Wayside is a must have on any Nu-Metal/Shoegaze enthusiasts playlist, and from now on I will be cramming the track “Parallax Error” down all my friends throats.
Izzy on Bass for Wayside / @_tristanphotos
Between sets there was a 45 minute wait, and in that time I managed to befriend pretty much everyone in my vicinity. Time travelled a lot faster, as we all discussed previous SWS shows we had been to, our favourite tracks and reminiscing on when we first discovered the band. Before we could keep fangirling, the stage lights once again darkened, as a ceremonious humming flooded the room. Screams and yells projected from the audience, and soon enough the moment we had all been waiting for dawned upon us.
First, Matty Best jumped up on the drum kit, followed by Justin Hill on bass, Tony Pizzutti on lead guitars, Nick Martin on rhythm and the one and only Kellin Quinn on vocals. As the opening lyrics “Tally up those points for me, we’re settling the score,” rang out, suddenly I was thrown back into my 13-year-old bedroom, dancing sporadically to the screeching guitars and quick, energetic drums. I quickly realised that the lyrics must be burnt permanently into my hippocampus, as I screamed “No I just can’t take it anymore!” alongside my new friends on barricade. “Do It Now, Remember It Later,” was next on the bill, only fueling the crowd's fire more with the iconic breakdown sending bodies flying over the barricade.
Sleeping With Sirens’s Kellin Quinn/@_tristanphotos
Blasting through a few more classics, including “Kick Me,” and “Talking to Myself,” I somehow managed to catch a pick that Nick flicked off stage, immediately pulling it close to my chest in slight disbelief, admiring the logo printed onto the tiny plastic trophy.
“A Trophy Fathers Trophy Son,” is a cult classic emo anthem, and hearing it live will never get old for me. But it was the short medley before “Better Off Dead” that struck a nostalgic nerve for me. As Kellin melodically glided through the chorus without anything but himself and a harmonised humming, I could feel everyone around me choking up, only becoming more fervent as they slammed into the opening riff.
Following this, the band wandered off stage, leaving only Kellin with his mic and Nick armed with an acoustic guitar. Quinn graciously thanked the audience for their continuous passion, claiming Australia’s to be one of his favourite places in the world. “With Ears To See, And Eyes To Hear,” is simply wistful when only stripped down to its bare bones. the bridge’s pleading “Come down, come down from your tower now,” will never cease to give me goosebumps.
“Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls is a track synonymous with this band, back in 2012, Kellin released a personal rendition of the song, and unbeknownst to him, it would only help further skyrocket the band into the spotlight. I remember being sent the link to the cover on Kik (yikes), and immediately falling in love with the singer's tender, powerful voice. To hear this live was quite the full circle moment as a lifelong emo. During the final chorus, Kellin beckoned the audience to sing, and both his and Nick’s eyes widened in disbelief and awe as the voices of close to 1000 fans sung back to them, while twinkling lights encapsulated the scope of the theatre, providing a cinematic, harmonious moment that will be cherished for a long time.
Sleeping With Siren’s Tony Pizzuti/@_tristanphotos
Of course, no good gig can end without an encore, and without fail the band bounded back on stage to close out with “If I’m James Dean, Then You’re Audrey Hepburn,” and the all time absolute banger; “If You Can’t Hang”.
Even after nearly 16 years of touring and creating music, Sleeping With Sirens still grace the stage with impeccably high energy and genuine vibrancy in everything they do. Regardless of how many times I see them, they’ll always hold a dear spot in my soft, gooey, emo soul, and I’d never hesitate at the chance to see them again. If you haven’t done so in a while, be sure to blast “Go Go Go” again to be wrapped up in a warm blanket of sentimentality!
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