metro_review

         It's interesting how live music can really sort out the laundry between those who are genuinely talented and those that might just fit the image. No hiding behind slick production of an album or a photographer's sympathetic lens, tonight was one such occasion when quality shone brighter than the hype.
          Youngist upstarts from New Zealand (now doing the 'basing themselves In Melbourne' thang) Weta are certainly finding their feet quite nicely. Okay so the last time visitation rights were granted the four piece were plating the Hoey (The Hopetoun Hotel), and thus the Metro is more to their occasionally big rock pose liking, but even so Weta are becoming a tight live act. Maybe a little too testosterone driven at times, but the lads do like their AC/DC, and while the melodies could do woth a slight variation tweak (the epic tune toward the end of set an interesting deviation), for those who like their rock Weta you could a lot worse do.

          However, compared to their slightly older NZ/Melbourne based buddies Shihad, Weta is like the fresh Year 7 student looking up to the learned university scholar. Long holding the mantle as one of the finest live rock acts we possess (see, we'll claim all things good from the Land of the Long White Cloud), the last 12 months has seen the monster that is Shihad grow even stronger. Rolling through tracks off the very fine "The General Electric", this band pretty much have the rock thang down to the last decibel. Lead by the enigmatic and energetic Jon Toogood throwing everything into his performance, Messers Larkin, Knight and Kippenberger are the perfect foil with the tightest of playing and oozing of energy. Adding loops and a darker side to their sound has further added to the experience of Shihad live - topped only by the Tom Larkin "Shihad Chant". Excellent stuff.

          Unfortunatley, that is a great deal more thn can be said for our state-side friends this evening. In fact, if you listened carefully you could hear the breeze- often approaching a gale- from the side of the stage as Shihad were blowing Filter off stage. Whereas Shihad exuded energy and a sense of respect for their fans, Filter and especially frontman Richard Patrick, showed allt he signs of a band at the end of a tour. Expecting some sort of response from calling out the word, 'Sydney', this was one of the very few personal connections with the crowd. Naff.

          Musically, Filter live brings forth a mediocrity in their music. Sure on CD or radio, their industrial tinged pop comes off sounding resepctable, but live it had nothing more than a feeling of not quite having the intesity that industrial music relies upon or the energy to be quality rock melodies. Lacking any of the crispness in sound of Shihad, this set also confirmed a personal belief that Patrick screams unnecessarily (it's that impact issue), but more importantly proved that the US product is not necessarily better.

By Peter Blythe