Flaming Wrekage - Gig Review 19th January @ The Baroque Room, Katoomba NSW
Flaming Wrekage
The Baroque Room, Katoomba NSW
Jan 19, 2024
Supports: Astrodeath, Celestial Oath
“Biggie Cheese got picked up by the cops again.”
Some teenager on a BMX loitering outside the Carrington with his skateboarding mates. Probably calls himself Poppa Wheelie.
Welcome to Katoomba. Where teenagers making use of the only bit of flat concrete in this gradient-filled mountain town get shuffled away by the local constabulary. Where it’s always jumper weather, despite it being the middle of summer. Where a beautiful filigreed room with a chandelier hanging near the stage gets to host a bunch of the best metal bands that Sydney has to offer.
We walk into to the Baroque room just in time for local legends Celestial Oath to tell us to do drugs. I’ve seen these lads many times before and as always they’re a great time. This shirtless 3-piece are an enormous amount of fun considering their doom-drenched catalogue and their between-song banter is top notch. A killer way to start the night off with.
Astrodeath are shit hot right now. Having just finished a huge 2023 that included the release of their highly acclaimed second album Vol II and support slots at recent Suicidal Tendencies and King Parrot shows in Sydney, these two legends are firing on all cylinders as they head into what should be an epic 2024. Tonight’s performance is a lot looser to what I’ve witnessed recently but it was awesome nonetheless. They cocked up the start after a section of Yoshi’s drum kit fell away, Guitarist/Vocalist Tim started ‘Humanoid Slave’ out of tune and Yoshi dropped a stick during a drum fill but they kicked on without fault and everyone on hand loved it. Punters around the room were mouthing profanities in awe whilst muttering how good Astrodeath are and even Lachie from Mountain Wizard Death Cult muttered “Even when they fuck up their sound, they’re better than anyone in the country.”
With a sum total of three encores, they’ve once again cemented themselves as one of the best live bands in Australia. Will watch them any damned chance I get.
Flaming Wrekage takes tonight’s headline spot and after the work they’ve put in over the last few years they’re absolutely worthy. Having just released their new single ‘Witch Hunt’ and with a support slot on the upcoming Katatonia tour, these weapons are exploding into 2024 at a thousand miles an hour.
They rip into ‘Cathedral of Bones’ and ‘No Gods’ and the lads seem a little reserved tonight. Perhaps even a bit nervous. But vocalist Luppo lightens the mood when he steps up to give a shout out to Astrodeath Tim’s new haircut, that he got outside in the smoker’s gazebo. “Give it up for Timmy’s mullet. It’s looking crook and I love it.”
The lads launch into ‘Running Blind’ and ‘Straight For The Kill’ at breakneck speed and the spilt beer on the slippery floor sees a few moshing blokes go arse over tit before opening the place up with ‘Witch Hunt’, their first new music in three years. Guitarist Justin Humphry is a beast. His Jackson guitar sound dominates and his solos are the stuff of envy. A few would be photographers get up close, trying to get down low for that guitar god shot.
They belt out favourites ‘The Voiceless’, ‘Thrown to the Wolves’ and closer ‘Sin Survives’ before a room full of “one more” chants sees them shredding through an unrehearsed ‘Leech’ to a thankful and chuffed crowd. The rabble exit via the merch table and load up on shirts, stubby coolers and vinyl. All in all a very cool night with three bands that always deliver.
With a show in Sydney, the Katatonia support and an all-in shindig in Newcastle that sees them playing alongside Astrodeath, Mountain Wizard Death Cult and a slew of the country’s best underground bands, Flaming Wrekage are kicking off 2024 in a huge way and it’s shaping up to be an enormous year for the thrashy four piece. Get on board.
Check out ‘Witch Hunt‘ below.
Words by Duane James @duanejames666
Flaming Wrekage - Witch Hunt Single Launch Tour
