Mudvayne last visited Perth for Big Day Out and a sideshow in 2006 (and 2000 prior to that), but as they were on hiatus from 2010 to 2021 it is not really a surprise there has been no shows in between. I was super excited when they announced their Australian tour and saw Perth was on the list, but after seeing a friends negative comments about their Adelaide performance, I was nervous as to what to expect Wednesday night at Metro City in Perth. Gladly, we were not disappointed, Mudvayne pulled out all the stops, performing with high stamina and pouring love out to the crowd. Supported by Coal Chamber, who last visited Australia in 2015, there was an equal amount of love and support for both bands with the most crowd surfers I’ve seen in one show.
There was bubbly chatter waiting for Coal Chamber with their banner highlighted red in the darkened venue as punters streamed in, up and down the levels of Metros, merch and drinks in hand. As Coal Chamber made their way on stage, swaying, clapping and cheering poured from the top tiers and the ground level became a frenzy of jumping, headbanging and arms pummelling the haze-filled venue. The Drummer, Mike Cox slapped his face several times, pumping himself up. He had one eye painted in neon green and the other appeared red with a small tuft of blue hair on his head and he went crazy behind the kit. Dez was decked out in his Coal Chamber coveralls, two braids and his trademark facepaint, dancing around the stage with vigour, he strode confident and strong. Coal Chamber has always been a unique blend of sounds and stood out, known for its female bassist. Rayna Floss wore a fitted dress with a slit up her thigh revealing fishnets and chunky boots, her bright red hair matched by her nails and lipstick. She bewildered the crowd with her hair flinging and guitar swinging, a goddess ringed in the stage light. Miquel’s bleached blonde hair flicked over his face as the guitarist performed to the crowd, drawing close enough for some to touch. He kept hugging the other band members, seeming ecstatic to be there. Jets of smoke billowed up engulfing the band and they moved in and of visibility with lights flashing through a multitude of colours. Dez pumped up the crowd, horns and fists ferociously pumping to the beat. The crowd gave a deafening roar and sang along, devouring what the band had to offer.
Opening strong with Not Falling, blue lights pulsating, fans screaming along the top tiers and pushing against the barrier at the front. Decked out in their old school makeup, Chad wore overalls and a latex bullet wound on his forehead, eyes bandaged and bloody with a twisted black smile all the way up his cheeks. Hidden in the back the drummer had a yellow head with black lines and below the drum riser next to him was the backup guitarist and vocalist had a turtle shell-like pattern with black, grey and white face paint design. Guitarist Greg wore his red and black face paint with spiked ‘hair’ that always reminds me of Darth Maul (Star Wars Villain if you’re not familiar with the reference), his eyes smiling behind his black goggles. Ryan is still a spectacle on bass, bald head painted red, shirtless and shorts revealing tattooed legs, romping around with extreme expressions. We were treated with a compilation from LD 50, beginning with Internal Primates Forever and Negative One, then Severed and next a personal favourite – Death Blooms. Roaring along to this classic, the crowd surged against the barrier, air full of horns. Next was a blend of songs from The End of All Things to Come and The New Game, followed by a couple more from LD 50. Chad seemed to pour his heart and soul into Nothing to Gein, everyone blown away by the incredibly long held screams and intensity of it all. He seemed lost in the song, or a memory, until he caught sight of the crowd passing up a large squid game guard cardboard cutout and it seemed to bring him back to us as he laughed and moved on. Finishing off as strong as they started, Mudvayne did not bother with an encore but left us with incredible performances of Happy? And Dig before throwing their picks, drumsticks, gloves and the set lists into the crowd and departing for a long flight back home to America.
Both Mudvayne and Coal Chamber transported us back to our younger days, leaving punters happy, sweaty and exhausted from the nostalgia trip. We thank everyone involved in the tour for bringing these two great big American acts to Aussie shores for, at least Mudvayne’s final time. This was one show you did not want to miss, and if you did you would be kicking yourself. Top-notch acts to a nearly sold-out Metro City in Perth soothed the mid-week need for a release with satisfying heavy music.
Photographs and review by Misty Shadow by Shadow-World Photography.
Mudvayne
Coal Chamber
