Words – Tracey Moyle Music Maven
Photos – Carlie Tanithskye Photography
Straight off the back of Sunday’s 20,000 patron-strong music festival that took over the Brisbane Showgrounds, Floridian nu-metal icons Limp Bizkit had plenty left in the tank to give to their fans. The Fortitude Music Hall housed LB’s Good Things Festival sideshow with a sold-out crowd out to see their idols. Some for the second time in four days.
With almost 30 years under their caps, they completely own their infusion of rock, metal and hip-hop. Limp Bizkit’s brand is still very relevant with fans both old and new. The lineup to get into the Music Hall snaked around several blocks in the Fortitude Valley with the fans early and eager to get through the doors.
Inside the venue, signature backward worn, red hats scattered across the growing crowd, the room three-quarter capacity before the support even made the stage. This wasn’t just a crowd of middle-aged music fans reliving old times, there was a large portion of the next generation of Limp Bizkit devotees, teenagers were there with parents, and others with friends like there was some kind of morphing of two timelines.
The stage was a massive set-up, covered in sheets ready to be exposed when the main act was ready. For now, a large screen sat front and centre with a DJ set up to the crowd’s right, sitting silently on the stage awaiting the night’s support Zheani, to take the stage.
When the Central Queensland gothic genre-bending sprite of electronic metalcore Zheani, arrived on stage the crowd seemed mesmerised by her. Her softly spoken voice morphed into a cacophony of angsty screams, haunting vocals and rap. Her delivery was intense, with what seemed like anxiety and pain seeping out through her vocal chords but completely juxtaposed by her timid banter between songs. She told her agonising stories through tracks Whore of Babylon and the latest track BWC (Bring Wet C***), from her latest album ‘The Spiritual Meat Grinder’. Her lyrics are intensely honest and her delivery is like a vocal exorcism. The crowd seemed enthralled or perhaps mesmerised by her performance.
Zheani is no stranger to controversy with her 2019 song ‘The Question’ where she directly addresses a predatory relationship between her and Ninja of Die Antwood. Her music is deeply personal and extremely emotional. She has a firm following – but last night’s crowd weren’t it. She disappeared from the stage without a goodbye after the final track, the crowd giving off a cheer in support once they realised but were eager for the main act.
The crowd had time to grab a drink and have a good banter while the set was prepared for their nu-metal heros. The guys standing next to me were talking about their younger days with Break Stuff pouring out of their cars while cruising around the Gold Coast. No doubt many stories around the room were reminiscent. Limp Bizkit had a massive impact on music in the ’90s and early 2000s. The buzz around the room was full of adoration as well as excitement.
As Pure Imagination rang out across the room, the crowd let out a cheer as the band arrived on stage. A large tower stage centre housed DJ Lethal, watching over the stage like a sound wizard in his booming castle. John Otto’s drum kit sat up front and to the left of the crowd ready to give fans a full belting experience. Guitarist Wes Borland arrived in a white suit and a signature mask sitting somewhere between demonic stormtrooper meets Cthulhu in appearance, Sam Rivers and his bass right behind. Fred Durst joins them opening with Dirty Rotten Bizkit. The crowd burst, jumping and colliding across the Fortitude floor.
Durst is a king when it comes to bantering with the crowd. He thanks everyone for being there and admits he’s pretty sick with a virus he picked up on Sunday. But this won’t stop Durst from doing his best to give the fans a show. He says this and they know it. He yells out “lets flip this shit upside down like it’s 1999”. The crowd go nuts and Durst sings out “Keeping it real, world-wide baby” as he takes the fans into Show Me What You’ve Got. The floor is shaking, the show has started. It may not be the hot sweaty mess of 20,000 bodies that Good Things had but it is its own beast. More intimate but no less energy.
The crowd pick up as the songs keep coming. Durst takes time out to tell the crowd to look out for each other with the mosh hyping up as expected. ‘Hot dog’ brought the vocal cords alive in the crowd, and the mosh picked up more. Durst is putting on his best efforts considering his flu. Nobody likes to work when they’re sick but apart from being a bit slow moving across the stage by usual Durst standard, Fred is pulling all his reserves to give the crowd the show they came for. The band works across the stage with Borland and Rivers playing to the drums in a mini jam session.
The songs keep rolling out – literally. Durst spoke to the younger generation in the crowd with their parents. He dedicated the next song to them – “It’s time to steal your daddies keys and keep Rollin”, taking them into the popular track Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle). Obviously.
The night kept rollin’ on with a fan coming up to sing with Durst, making up on stage for the energy the unwell frontman lacked. The band and the crowd loved the interaction.
The fan favs kept coming with My Generation, Durst hanging a crowd-contributed bra onto River’s mic stand and asking if the crowd felt like some “sexual healing” taking them into Nookie. Durst told the crowd to grab a partner with George Michael’s Careless Whisper, compliments of DJ Lethal, turning the venue into a dance floor. A River’s bass solo ran into Re-Arranged before bringing down the house with a cover of RATM’s Killing In The Name Of.
Durst thanked the crowd for helping him get through the show. “You’ve got some pretty crazy viruses down under,” he tells the fans.
‘The Mission Impossible’ Theme rings out, the crowd jumps to ‘Take A Look Around’. ‘Boiler’ heated the crowd. Durst gave the fans a cover of George Michael’s ‘Faith’ before the show exploded with the final track, living up to everyone’s expectation with their iconic track, ‘Break Stuff’.
Another awesome Aussie summer concert wraps up from another iconic international band three decades into making music and still going strong. Limp Bizkit fans left the Music Hall Wednesday night full of smiles and new memories of one of their all-time fav’s thanks to another Good Things Festival sideshow.
And thanks to Fred Durst for showing up when he felt like crap. We appreciate you.
With thanks to Dallas Does PR
