Karnivool played their second Melbourne show at The Forum last night. It was an awesome show full of theatrics and intensity.

The elaborate gothic style architecture suited Karnivool’s style and I absolutely loved the venue.

The support band, Sugar Army were good too. I’d seen them support Gyroscope last year and they were heavier this time around – perhaps influenced by the band they were touring with.

But Karnivool were simply amazing. The crowd surge that nearly squashed me against the barrier at the front, a testament to their popularity. Their set opened with a speech by what looked like some old American President on this LCD screen split up into columns. The video distorted and cut out as Karnivool took to the stage.

The columns of LCD screens played visualisations reminiscent of Sound Awake‘s album art throughout the rest of the set. Front man, Ian Kenny was quirky and in his own world it seemed with his strange and organic movements. He had the audience fixed on him, especially in moments where he crouched on the ground almost singing at the floor.

They played songs from their new album, Sound Awake (review to come soon) which were complex and mesmerising, and they also played tracks from their debut album, Themata which seemed to excite the crowd the most, eliciting familiar memories of gigs past that I’d unfortunately never been to till tonight.

This morning, my head hurts a bit. I expect it was from the crowd surfer that landed on my head and neck about 3 or 4 songs in.

Karnivool, The Forum, music, gig, Melbourne, review