Quicksand / Thursday
Metro Theatre
Sydney Australia
March 7, 2018
Stating that one Walter Schreifels with the myriad of his musical incarnations has had a significant impact on my musical evolution during my early formative years would be an understatement par excellence.
One would need a flipchart to outline his projects and how they cross-pollinated and served as the driving force of whole sub-genres – be it straight edge hardcore a la Youth of Today, the excellent short lived Moondog or NYHC flagship Gorilla Biscuits, melodic endeavours via CIV, indie-esque Rival Schools, his project World’s Fastest Car, Smiths-esque Walking Concert, his acoustic solo project or the entity that he brought to Sydney tonight, post-hardcore outfit Quicksand.
In their heyday, i.e. between their two classic albums “Slip” and “Manic Compression”, Quicksand served as the bridge between bands like Fugazi and noisier alternative metal like Helmet – crafting melodies emerging from harsher sounds. Tonight was a fine display of their musical abilities that infused a passionate set, much to the approval of a predominantly older crowd that seemed to have come out of show retirement to witness Schreifels and co and relive some of the 1990s glory. The fact that they effortlessly conjuring such a massive wall of sound as a trio as Tom Capone could not join the tour, is testament to their relevance and craft.
If you get the chance, make sure to catch them before they disappear again.
Thursday followed with a vital set that emphasized the emissions of their albums War All The Time and Full Collapse, which resonated well with the younger portion of the crowd.
Frontman Geoff Rickly worked the staged and engaged the audience, which was more than happy to oblige.
A well-rounded package of bands that was more than a mere exercise in nostalgia.
