Last night Karnivool brought their ‘IN VERSES’ tour to Brisbane’s Riverstage — the final show of their 6-date run promoting their latest album of the same name. Not only was this the biggest headline show Karnivool have done to date, they also brought some heavyweight backup along for the ride. New York mathcore maniacs Car Bomb and British prog heavyweights TesseracT. A cold night in Brisbane didn’t keep punters away. A diverse crowd littered the lawn of the Riverstage early, eager punters finding their best spots on the cold, slippery hill.
Car Bomb opened the night, an interesting addition to this bill. Car Bomb seems to represent one end of the spectrum (the heavy) of Karnivool, while TesseracT represents the other (the prog and the pretty).
Carbomb walked on through a dark shade across the stage. From the first moment to the last, Carbomb delivered a ferocious performance. Their first time gracing our shores, and it was clear they were very happy to be here. Opening with Blindsides seemed appropriate as it did just that to many of the punters clearly here for Karnivool’s more accessible take on heavy music. Vocalist Michael Dafferner takes a moment after delivering a guttural performance and greets and thanks the venue and crew for making their first Australian tour such a success.
From the Dust of This Planet continues to challenge the crowd to dance in time to their disjointed, manic sounds. Guitarist Greg Kubacki delivers filthy riffs and wild sounds, bending the mind alongside Jon Modell on bass, projecting the air like a piston. Scattered Sprites and Nonagon deliver syncopated djent chaos that costumed the front row. Car Bomb harnessed the intensity of their recorded work, delivering the mathematical precision of every song. Elliot Hoffman, I swear, was doing equations behind the kit during Paroxysm and Gratitude, every song a puzzle leaving the crowd either in utter awe of their meticulously crafted brutal performance or utterly confused.
Between the chaos, Michael Dafferner joked and spoke to the crowd, telling us he wasn’t really that fat and is beautiful. I can only surmise he is a complete sweetheart despite his vicious vocals throughout the set. Consumed by the music, he would sway like a drunkard waiting for a cab while hitting every note and time change. The lights were on point throughout the set, perfectly capturing the manic nature of the music. Regardless of your tastes, Car Bomb delivered an outstanding performance showcasing their skill and sensational breakdowns, finishing on Dissect Yourself and Secrets Within. Brutal/10.
With the stage drenched in purple and white lights, intro music began, the slippery lawn of the Riverstage now writhing with an eager excitement. The stage darkens as the lights and backdrop glitch into view with loud, distorted bass. TesseracT brought a highly atmospheric intro as they opened with Natural Disaster from their latest album. They boasted a highly choreographed and deliberate stage show. Vertical lighting caged the stage for each song. The backing harmonies were largely delivered live and not by the easy backing track choice most bands take while touring. It brought a sense of showmanship and professionalism to the performance. Carefully curated visuals and lighting for each song elevated their experience.
Vocalist Daniel Tompkins embodied an eccentric performance, beautifully delivered vocals, nailing the staggering high notes with ease. Drenched in reverb, guitarists James Monteith and Acle Kahney built a powerful atmosphere throughout the venue. The stereo effects of the guitar delay during their djentier sections of Of Mind – Nocturne were exceptional.
Tompkins is a real showman; he knows how to work the room. During King, the backup singers, previously hidden at the back, take to the front of stage and deliver powerful vocal melodies during the end of the track. Previously glued in place, the band starts to loosen up in Smile. The entire band was extremely well rehearsed. Tompkins at the barrier, hands out a setlist to dedicated fans embracing the TesseracT live show. Jay Postones is a real standout, powerful behind the kit while keeping things delicate when needed. Amos Williams and both Monteith and Kahney are locked in, expertly executing each note with precision and power. Tompkins demonstrates his vocal range through the Legion and War of Being, from pitch-perfect highs to guttural growls. They move through this 11-minute journey never losing intensity. They finish on Juno, bringing the performance to a powerful crescendo to a choir of approval from the now sea of people on the lawn.
The crowd seemed split, with some punters vibing either Car Bomb, or TesseracT, but maybe not the other. However, everyone was here to see the boys from Perth. The crew did their final check of the stage as the once cold night began to warm, and the lights dimmed.
Dark red lights engulf the stage as the start of Ghost plays out across the speakers. Ian greets the crowd as John slides into the beginning notes. A visual projection of their live performance was on the big screen behind them, but cleverly, they were presented with a washed-out, psychedelic filter that was hypnotising.
Simple Boy turned the crowd into a sea of hands held high; I couldn’t tell if it was Ian’s singing I was hearing or the entire Riverstage as they projected the lyrics back at him. Mark’s soulful, tasteful guitar melted through the mix. Ian picked up on the sing-along and began throwing lines at the crowd to sing. Pure magic. The lights silhouetted them as they moved around the space on stage.
“With a full heart we are happy to share some new music with you.”
Azora, a new track, still has the Riverstage crowd on backup duties. A testament to the beautiful, captivating sounds they have crafted with ‘IN VERSES’. A showcase of the talent that Karnivool wields masterfully. The dual guitars of Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking bring in Goliath, bouncing from one side of the stage to the other. Jon Stockman is hypnotising on the bass; not only does he deliver an absolute powerhouse of tone, his stage presence is infectious. Drew brings passion to the stage, cheerfully singing alongside Ian — he interacts with the front row and invites you to join the magic. Karnivool never feels like they bring ego to their performances; it always feels like a warm embrace.
The light show was outstanding, projecting shapes through the smoke, adding perfect ambience to every note. Drone ripped through the air before Ian changed key into We Are, Jon’s bass reverberated in my chest. The video continues playing back their performance behind them with twisted graphics making them look like elemental figures overseeing themselves.
Steve Judd, is the epitome of precision. Every hit is intentional and tasteful, matched with unbridled energy and confidence behind the kit. Conversations washed over everyone — the venue was swaying in unison to this beautiful track. Judd was really just showing off throughout the song, perfectly executing time changes and nailing tasty fills. All It Takes introduced an oozing green stage showcasing more of the magnificent lighting. A single they released back in 2021 that made its well-earned place amongst the fantastic helping of ‘IN VERSES’. The lights go dark and return with a full-size harp (played by Michelle Smith who featured on the latest album) on stage. A beautiful intro from Smith takes us into Animation. The backdrop changed the feel again with a withered tree and split imagery of the band as they played. This tour really encapsulated every element and every learning of a band who have now been playing for over 20 years. Karnivool managed to make it new, exciting, and honestly astounding.
“We have been shaking our ass and banging our heads to this next song for the last 20 years’
The crowd erupted as Themata (introduced by a tasty tapping solo from Dean) rips the place into a pure frenzy. Hundreds of hands lifted during the chorus and every face I saw was singing along with pure joy. Joy shared by each member of the band soaking up every moment. Rouquenfort rolls straight after, and the sing-along continues, Ian going word for word with the crowd.
“Holy shit Brisbane!” Ian exclaimed.
Many bands like to throw out the old “you guys are the best [insert city here]” but you could see in Ian’s face that this tour was just as special an experience for him as it was for the hundreds of fans in awe of their performance. Michelle Smith returns, as Mark introduces her properly. Then.. New Day starts. The crowd is louder than the speakers, no, no… literally. Honestly, it was the most impressive crowd response I have ever seen. A song dearly loved by fans and a true masterpiece. The harp work from Michelle was a beautiful addition to a truly sensational piece of music. A perfect way to end their set before the inevitable encore.
After a few minutes of the crowd calling, the light lands on Michelle once again; she plays a beautiful piece on the harp. Again, incredible visuals behind her. She looks as if she is being sifted through sand. Ian joins her and starts singing Opal all the while the visuals around Ian move and react to his every movement — Opal is another beautiful, emotional track, delivered flawlessly with the coolest use of a big screen I think I have ever seen.
Salva… oh man, this song really hits hard — it’s emotive and beautiful with such a great build towards the end. I saw embraces, I saw tears, and I saw screams of pure joy as they played. Karnivool brought out all the stops with this one having live bagpipes join on stage to take us through the final moments of the song. A final moment for the big screen as it splits in 5, a camera dedicated to each member as they finish the song.
Karnivool are one of those special bands that manage to deliver a performance that not only honours the recordings to perfection but elevates them live and makes you feel every second. Both Car Bomb and TesseracT delivered sensational sets, and the visuals tonight were a real standout — kudos to the lighting and visual team. Possibly the most creative use of a live big screen I have ever seen. This was the last show of the ‘IN VERSES’ tour and they wrapped it up with one hell of a last show!
Thanks to Deathproof PR
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