Eagles of Death Metal Sydney Sidewave – Review
Hughes made a few characteristic mistakes and struggled vocally here and there, but with Eagles of Death Metal it doesn’t matter. The songs are just so much fun and Hughes so infectious that it is impossible not to enjoy the performance.
Boots’ on stage antics and dancing around was toned back compared to the Soundwave set. There was an obvious lack of knee knocking a strutting. But the old lift the guitar up to eye level and point the neck at the crowd trick was in full flight.
Between songs he would joke around with the others, forget what song was next and forget to switch guitars. But once the song began, it was all about the music, and they kept the crowd dancing all night.
Joey Castillo’s drumming adds a whole new dimension to Eagles’ songs. In particular, tracks like “Already Died” were given an injection of colour thanks to his energetic fills.
The whole of the band seemed to be really enjoying playing together, which always adds to the crowds enjoyment.
The 21 song setlist was chock full of favourites, including the rarer “Cheap Thrills” and “Miss Alissa”. Sadly we weren’t given a taste of any new material. We’ll have to wait for the new album.
It was almost 12:30am by the time they concluded with “Speaking in Tongues”, which incorporated a Dave Catching and Boots guitar duel.
It was a fantastic night overall, thanks Boots – can’t wait for next time!
