Touring in support of their latest album ‘Made Of Breath Only’, sleepmakeswaves were taking the stage at Brisbane’s Max Watts with support from rock heavyweights Caligula’s Horse and Brisbane rock outfit Aerials.
I added my body to the line outside Max Watts in Brisbane’s West End, waiting in anticipation with every other rock head in this suddenly cold Australian weather. As we all walked inside local power trio support Aerials kicked off their set and within seconds people were hooked. For an early start there were a handful of people who turned up early to watch them play including die hard fans who were up the front and ready to rock out. Playing tracks such as Burn, Burn, Burn and a backlog of their other progressive rock tunes, the crowd watched on with eager eyes as Aerials played their hearts out.
Next to take the stage was Brisbane’s Alternative Rock outfit Caligula’s Horse. Fans were fuelled with excitement as they stood right at the foot of the stage and if they could have been any closer they would have been. Caligula’s Horse had an on stage energy like nothing I had scene before and the crowd were feeding off it like mad. Singing at the top of their lungs and jumping around, Caligula’s Horse took us on a musical roller-coaster playing a tempo diverse set list showcasing their completely flawless musicianship. The group treated fans to a brand new track called Cannons Mouth which featured a killer breakdown near the end that left faces melted and the stage well and truly warmed up for sleepmakeswaves.
The crowd roared with applause as post rock instrumentalists sleepmakeswaves took the stage beneath the yellow and blue lights. Launching into 2012 single To You They Are Birds, To Me They Are Voices In The Forest the crowd was still as they watched in awe and a deep sense of appreciation spread throughout the venue.
The guitars were clean and sharp like glass as their infectious melodies flooded out from enormous amps on the stage. The drums were loud enough to crumble the room, the keys were smooth and transported you and although sleepmakeswaves is an entirely vocal free band their music tells a story that you feel honoured to listen to.
The boys dished up a large share of their latest album, ‘Made Of Breath Only’, with tracks such as Tundra showing a darker yet somewhat more joyful side to their music. With the perfect balance between atmospheric story telling and heavy influences sleepmakeswaves rocked out like they were going to die tomorrow. Their stage presence was insane, Alex the bassist stood up the front like a massive 7 foot Viking Warrior rocking out as Otto and Daniel the two guitarists joinined in the chaos either side of him. The boys showcased brotherhood at its finest as they all shared the love between each other and to their fans, and even though their songs are all quite dark and brooding there was something very happy and victorious about the whole evening.
Sleepmakeswaves left the stage only to return with an encore featuring singles Keep Your Splendid Silent Sun from their 2009 split EP and Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving. As the last note hung in the air I came to realise that I had been so in golfed in their performance that I’d completely forgotten about everything else in the world and nothing apart from their performance mattered in that moment.
If you combined everything that makes sleepmakeswaves who they are, you’d find victorious anthems to songs that make you weep and even songs to laugh to and during all of this you feel like your bring carried through the air by some invisible force to the top of mountains. I simply cannot explain just how that feels but I can tell you its unreal and I suggest you experience one of the best instrumental bands in the world for yourself.
