Bleeders
13th May 2022
Last Place, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Review by Charlotte Lightbody. Photography by Ngamihi Pawa.
Last night in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton, local alternative bands like the newer Landlords as well as genre legends Drop Off Point gave an outstanding performance as the opening acts for the Bleeders during NZ Music Month. Their passionate and energetic performance on the packed stage at Last Place bar was witnessed by a wall-to-wall group of devoted fans, creating a night of unity, excitement, and mayhem.
After a performance in Auckland the previous night, The Bleeders were excited to perform for their devoted fans once again on a cramped stage. Their punk/rock n’ roll style was perfectly suited for the venue. The guys hit the stage shortly after 11 pm, greeting the crowd with an unapologetic smirk to the pumping catchiness of Panjabi MC’s: Mundian Tu Bach Ke. The energy in the room was raised by a crowd embracing a self-referential nod to what looking back at 20 years of hardcore music can often be in hindsight: A time and a place in our lives, where angst might have once existed literally, but now, older and wiser, we have a nostalgic fondness those angsty times.
Without any delay, they started playing their beloved 2003 Bleeding Heart E.P. from beginning to end, igniting the crowd with favourites such as Channeling, Sell Out, and All That Glitters. The audience enthusiastically sang along, moshed, bobbed and jumped about at their signature fast-paced sound, especially during the track All That Glitters.
Before starting Cast in the Shadows, the lead vocalist Angelo Munro mentioned they hadn’t played the track in Hamilton in over a decade. It was then that I remembered that these guys have been in the business a while, it was the E.P.’s 20th-anniversary show after all. After a busy work week, this gig was the aggressive, emotion-filled release I needed. Punk rock is therapy in my personal opinion, and The Bleeders are therapists. They overfilled the narrow hall of The Last Place in the best way a punk rock act can. Giving that brutal intimacy to space and ensuring that tight feedback loop between the act and the audience. All with an obviously seasoned level of experiential chill.
Does a punk gig really count without any clothing removal? At one point, someone’s shoe flung off and ended up on stage before Angelo gently tossed it back into the crowd along with “Keep that mosh pit coming”.
I was rocking out intensely to the E.P. for what felt like five minutes before realising it had ended. The band then played some covers to mix things up, including tracks from The Dead Kennedys and other classics we all know and love. Tracks came hard and they came fast, with that near blink and miss them pace that makes punk rock so punchy and fulfilling.
The band is an iconic part of Aotearoa’s music history, and attending one of their live performances is a must for fans of alternative music. I loved experiencing the chaotic and energetic atmosphere of the genre, and my only disappointment was forgetting to purchase a t-shirt from the merch stand.
Bleeders:
Drop Off Point:
Landlords:
Were you there at Last Place for this high energy Hardcore Punk Rock N Roll gig? Or have you seen Bleeders perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.
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