Helmet Review

By Matt Dawson

Wollongong Unibar has seen some of Australia’s hottest new talent grace the stage over the past years. Eskimo Joe, Ben Lee, Angus and Julia Stone and COG just to name a few. But when we think of touring international bands, the Unibar doesn’t quickly spring to mind. However, May 1st saw US hard rockers Helmet grace the stage and leave a lasting impact on the 300 strong crowd that turned out.

Opening were Wollongong locals Monstrous Blues who after playing to a packed Oxford Tavern just a week before, pulled a strong following to see their oldschool rock set. Second onto the stage were one of Sydney’s most exciting electro metal bands, MM9. That’s right, I said electro … metal, these guys combine harsh bass lines and duelling guitars with the synth style sampling that has made Pnau a household name. These guys are definitely one to watch out for in the future.

But then it was time for everyone to come inside for the act they had come to see. At $50 a ticket, each and every fan in the house was a die-hard and none went home disappointed. Their set focused on the songs from the band’s early material with the highlight coming as they played the entire 1992 classic album Meantime.

Frontman Page Hamilton then got up out of the crowd a man introduced simply as ‘Sam’ who claimed to be the number one die hard Helmet fan. Page then asked him to play guitar for one of their hits, Wilma’s Rainbow and with guitar solos and all…he even put Page himself to shame. Its moments like these that make some fan’s life and its great to see an international act branching out and offering the die hard punters something more.

In all, this was one great show. As a student who first went, Hel-who? $50? No way… I was turned onto the music that was delivered and Helmet have formed at least one new fan. Hopefully this will also dawn the beginning of unibar as an internationally recognised live music venue to play host to some of the world’s top bands…only the future can bring that one.