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GREG PUCIATO
+ King Yosef + Trace Amount
+ Post Heaven
@ Max Watts, Melbourne,
20th January 2024
(Live Review)

Review and photos  by Michael Gow (@alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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Greg Puciato / Photo @alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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People were already lining up early outside Max Watts, as they were VIP Meet & Greet ticket holders. As the doors opened for them, they went inside to meet their hero, Greg Puciato. Standard ticket holders had to wait just that bit longer before they could enter. Unfortunately for the standard ticket holders, they had to wait just that little longer as the Meet & Greet finish time was pushed back.

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Post Heaven / Photo @alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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Doors finally opened just a bit after 7:30 pm. Fans rushed in to get their prime position for the night. First up for the night was local metal powerhouse Post Heaven, who opened with a blistering amount of energy. The band consists of 5 members: a female vocalist, 2 guitarists, a bass player, and a drummer. They played various tracks, especially their latest single “Far From Me,” through the shorter set due to the Meet & Greet running over time. Post Heaven got the crowd going for those who turned up early to watch their set. Post Heaven’s sound is very ’90s influenced, with heavy riffs and soaring vocals, but also modern sounding with screams to accompany the clean vocals. As their set was ending, you could feel the air of anticipation as time was moving forward to Greg Puciato taking the stage later tonight.

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Trace Amount / Photo @alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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The second act of the night was Brooklyn native Trace Amount with his hard industrial sounds. Being the only person on this big stage for his set didn’t make the set any less appealing, as his sound was punching through the roof with heavy bass beats along with him pounding a big drum as well as electronic drums. His sound was akin to something you’d hear in a futuristic movie like Blade Runner or Terminator. As it was my first time seeing or hearing his music, I didn’t know what to expect, but as the set moved forward, I became an instant fan. What caught my eye during his set was the fact he must have bought a Melbourne Demons football club t-shirt. Not sure what his appeal was since he was from outside Australia, but that must have been another reason I liked him as I’m a Melbourne Demons fan myself. As his set was ending, I was left wanting more. Hopefully, he’ll make his way back to Australia again soon, especially for a headline set.

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King Yosef / Photo @alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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Next up on the bill was King Yosef from Portland, Oregon. He and his band of 2, consisting of a keyboardist/guitarist & drummer along with King Yosef himself, had the crowd begun to fill now as his set started. His high-energy blistering performance probably took some people by surprise, but it was truly entertaining. The set was very backlit at times, making it hard to tell what was happening on stage, but that didn’t detract from the music we were hearing. The sound of King Yosef was very heavy, even for the limited amount of people on stage at the time. He played songs from his catalogue, including “Cut the Cord,” “The Dull Blade,” as well as a track which has been exclusively played live in Australia and nowhere else at this time. He said to the crowd, “He doesn’t care if we buy merch or not, but if we do, that’s badass.” He said if anyone was keen on his set, he was playing his first-ever Australian headline show at Stay Gold in Brunswick on Sunday night following tonight’s concert. The crowd really seemed to enjoy his set, and I’m sure some of them will have made their way to his headline show the night after.

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Greg Puciato / Photo @alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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Now was the time we were all waiting for, especially those who didn’t attend the Meet & Greet. Greg immediately came out on stage full of energy, and the crowd loved it. This was the first time seeing Greg Puciato for his solo project. Being a fan of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Killer Be Killed, I didn’t know what to expect with his solo set live, but seconds into the set, I had totally forgotten those thoughts and were headbanging along like the rest of the crowd. He took a moment to say how much he loved the country and wished he could get a residency here. I think his Aussie fans would welcome him with open arms if that were to happen. He also thanked those fans who attended the Meet & Greet to meet him. Greg and his band went through a blistering 15-song set, including fan favorites like “Absences as a Presence,” “A Pair of Questions,” “Evacuation,” and “Lowered,” to the surprise of fans out from the side of the stage appeared Reba Myers of the band Code Orange, who performed Greg’s and her duet of the song “Lowered,” and her performance was fantastic alongside Greg. As the set ended, the band went off stage, but we all knew that wasn’t the end. Out came Greg and his band for four more songs: “Creator of God,” “A Pair of Questions,” “Evacuation,” and his cover of Alice in Chains’ “Them Bones.” Greg can hold his own on stage. He is a very commanding performer, and during the end of the set, he was constantly interacting with fans, even at one time sharing a drink. He even took a moment to stand one of the fallback speakers into a vertical position so he could sit on it. During one song in the encore, he went into an acapella version of INXS’s “Need You Tonight.” Greg Puciato threw himself into the audience to crowd surf briefly. During this time, I noticed bands who performed before him tonight were looking on with amazement side of stage. Launching into his Alice in Chains cover, it was now time to realize that the night was about to end. Wow, what a night of amazing performances throughout the night. Each person who performed should be happy with what they achieved tonight.

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Greg Puciato / Photo @alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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Check out Michael Gow’s (@alchemi_glow_music_phot) full gallery of this event HERE

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Greg Puciato / Photo @alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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Follow GREG PUCIATO
Website – Instagram

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Greg Puciato / Photo @alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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Press Release 17th January 2024 (below) HERE

GREG PUCIATO
Australian Headline Tour 2024
starts tonight
with special guests
KING YOSEF
TRACE AMOUNT

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AMNPLIFY – DB