Our favourite long-haired rockers, Gang of Youths sold out the Enmore Theatre last Saturday, just four blocks from where frontman David Le’aupepe grew up and started jamming in his parents’ shed. This emotionally charged show demonstrated the band not as just good mates, but practically family up on stage.

The energy was off the Richter from the moment they exploded onstage to the three-song encore, much to delight of everyone going berserk on the floor. The stage was set with countless strobe lights, and mesmerising lasers in blue and red hues. Drummer Dom Borzestowski and bassist Max Dunn were just silhouettes in a haze of smoke and lights, with their pounding rhythms lifting the roof off the Enmore. Guitarist Joji Malani and guitar/keys player Jung Kim stoof on opposite sides of the stage, bringing balance to their onstage presence – controlled and crazy, like a volcano ready to unleash its fury on over 1500 dedicated fans.

‘Benevolence Riots’ went absolutely wild with sweaty bodies flying around in the heart of the pit, to fan favourite ‘Magnolia’, interspersed with Le’aupepe performing slower numbers from the band’s acclaimed debut The Positions. The song ‘Kansas’ was so poignant it caused the whole crowd to muster up a communal ‘shhhhhhh’ as perfect silence was needed to appreciate it – heavy stuff. Contrasting against ‘Restraint and Release’ which instigateded 1500 voices to join in one almighty chorus choir, Le’aupepe lead the force of nature with so much passion.

In the midst of some quality on stage banter, Leaupepe told the crowd he had a cheeky cry backstage before the show, overwhelmed to be playing to so many adorning fans in his hometown. He also thanked his family and his management for putting up with the suicide attempts, drug abuse and intensely dark issues of the past that were discussed so brilliantly on The Positions. With the comradery shown onstage, these lads have pushed through the sludge and broken through to the other side, standing indestructible.

From climbing speaker walls to crowd-surfing, this emotionally charged show was full of ebbs and flows and goes to show that Gang of Youths have come a long way. After a sold out show at The Enmore, full of wide-eyed fans and sing-a-longs, we can’t wait to see where they’re headed next.

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