THE FLATLINERS Transit Bar (Canberra) (Live Review)

Local label Arrest Records are responsible for some of the country’s most cutting edge music at the heavier end of the spectrum. With acts like Sumeru, Pitt the Elder, Tigers, Death by Stereo, Beaver and Ohm Rune on their roster, Arrest is a label constantly looking for, finding and building exciting and relevant new talent.
Tonight, Arrest went a little further afield and brought Canadian punk stalwarts The Flatliners to the Capital. Flatliners are a band whose sound has evolved over the 15 years they’ve been writing recording and performing together. From a ska-based pop punk act to a much more groove driven, riff heavy rock n roll sound they are a band whose music has matured with them.
They play a solid mix of older and newer stuff with a couple of brand-new songs thrown into the set and a couple of fan favourites rounding it out. Much of the success of the band can be attributed to the charisma and presence of Chris Creswell. Like a lot of bands of the melodic punk variety, what they do onstage is generally a lot more aggressive than what appears on the albums. This is unsurprising. What is surprising maybe, is just how fucking tight they are. As a unit they play together with a kind of workhorse-like professionalism that is striking in its execution. The other thing that endears about this band is that they are able to make serious fucking music without taking themselves too seriously. It’s an ethos a lot of heavier bands struggle with, but which this foursome manage admirably.
They bring with them two supports tonight. The first is a local act going by the name Sketch Method. They’re a three piece who play fucking loud and fucking hard but with just enough melody to maintain a kind of groove in amongst the screaming vocal, contributed to by all three members, and the menacing guitars and almost tribal drum work. They’ve been doing the rounds for a few years now but their debut album ‘Is it a Bird? Who Cares’ is available and worth a listen. They too have found a pretty satisfying way to make music that is tough as fuck but also fun and kind of stupid. It’s good. Look out especially for Self-Appointed Hipster Wannabe.
Sketch Method are followed by Stolen Youth. A hardcore band of the very traditional mould, they play hard from start to finish and are indefatigable. Their frontman/vocalist Sean spends almost all of his time off the stage and down on the floor among the audience who, at one point, join him on vocals for a Propagandhi cover.
The Flatliners have amassed a pretty loyal following in Australia and the Capital is no exception. Transit isn’t a huge venue but it was near capacity and everyone in the place was on their feet with fists in the air. In Canberra on a Sunday night that’s no small feat.