JACK THE STRIPPER – THE WORKERS’ CLUB FITZROY Review– 6th OF JULY 2016

Photography by Mark Hoffman © 2016   Review by Jordan Sibberas

Saturday the 6^th of July saw fans of Melbourne deathcore descend on The Workers’ Club in Fitzroy for The Nibiru tour, headlined by the face-ripping, fire breathing Jack The Stripper. Openers Drivetime Commute, Dregg and Hollow World got the small bandroom ready and keen, before Jack The Stripper came onstage and left sheer destruction behind.

From the very start, Luke Frizon’s terrifying stage presence demanded the attention of the audience, and more than once he descended like a bird of prey off the stage into the relentless chaos of the mosh pit only to throw his weight around literally and stir up the carnage. From the stage above, guitarists Adam Harris and Julian Renzo, bassist Tim Anderson and drummer Max Reps made the most of the almost claustrophobic venue’s tight and clear sound to smash waves and waves of the fiercest riffage of the deathcore genre across the venue, adding to what was a primal and raw expression of aggression.

The set was short but from start to finish was totally uncompromising, without any time wasted to catch a breath or wipe off the blood and sweat. The setlist included the donor of the tour’s name, Nibiru, which left a cosmic level of destruction that the name implies. This was backed up by staples of their repertoire such as Grinning Death, and a new and heartfelt tribute to a friend of the band, Grief Parade. Overall the setlist filled out the somewhat short 40-minute set into an enthralling performance that held the audience in a vicelike grip for the duration and crushed them.

Jack The Stripper have proven that they’re a band to watch into the future with what was both a professional and clinically executed show, as well as an off the chain rampage of a gig that was anything but tame. With the passion for their craft that they performed with, there is no doubt that audiences around the world are set to fall under their spell. Bring on the next tour!