Gig Review: Stepson at Lytton Road Bowls Club, East Brisbane; 25/08/2018

by Dylan Hewitson-Bevis

Photo by Nick Hargans

You wouldn’t imagine a bowls club could become a thriving hub of activity for one night, one where an enthusiastic front man was nearly pushed through the ceiling by an overzealous crowd. One late Saturday evening in early August, that’s just what happened. Stepson have been a massive name in the Brisbane music scene for a long time, known for playing insane gigs where the crowd pulse and buzz with excitement and hang off every note played, and screamed every word. They’ve toured the east coast of Australia multiple times, but this gig was a special one. Unfortunately, the all ages scene in Brisbane has been slow. Councils have shut down venues (RIP The Lab and Phoenix Arts) and left a lot of us kids that are too young to get piss drunk without a place to celebrate and listen to live music. That’s the main spark that set this whole show into motion. Jayden Ridley, the bassist for Stepson, saw this injustice that was slapped upon the youngsters of Brisbane and stood up for us. He dug money out of his own pocket; set up the whole show, including a fucking hand-built PA and lighting system, and let it rip. The gig itself was the most batshit crazy show I’ve had the privilege of seeing this year. Each band I got the opportunity to see put their absolute all into their performances and left no one disappointed that they took their Saturday night to vibe along and lose their voices to some heavy sad songs. Although I missed out on seeing Tired Eyes play as I was busy interviewing, local legends Days Like These put on an absolute ripper of a set to kick off the night. Their blend of pop punk and hardcore left nothing to be desired, playing solid songs that you could sway or mosh to, depending on how familiar you were with them. Special mention to their solid drumming and their joyously passionate lead singer, who spent the whole set encouraging us to dance and sing and stomp along to every song. The final support act for the night, Vitals, hold a special place in my heart. Over two years ago they played on another Stepson bill, which was my first ever local show. I was just as enthralled by their tracks then as I was tonight. They are as violent as they come at points, with brutal tracks that threaten to blow out an eardrum, but at this show they played differently. There was a lot more atmosphere to their set, possibly aided by the lighting and the less angry vocals from their lead, who seemed to be struggling to keep up the screaming. Credit where it’s due though, I had a great time with the three tracks off their second EP that recently dropped and enjoyed every moment, singing along with the band. When the main band took the stage, you knew you were in for a treat. Stepson have an aura of pure confidence about them, and rightfully so. They know their audience, and they know we’re there to have the best fucking night of our lives. I reckon we did. Their set was a perfect mix of oldies and some intriguing new tracks that I can’t wait to hear studio recordings of. They retired some fan favourites, but we sent them off with a bang. They also treated us to passionate renditions of some of the tracks that were what made us fall in love with Stepson in the first place. I’m constantly surprised by how friendly and inclusive the Brisbane scene is. The gig was funded out of pocket by a band member who wanted the kids who just aren’t old enough yet to have fun in a DIY setting, and have fun we did. I can’t wait to turn 18, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes being a kid can be a treat as well. That is, until you wake up the next morning with bruises on your shins, broken shoe laces and you’re unable to speak your name! Make sure to catch my interview with Jayden Ridley from Stepson in Issue 12 of Yer Scene! Out October 1st!

Photo by Samuel Cameron