2023-08-12 12:53:30
The Australian hard rockers Airbourne performed in the sold-out Posthof in Linz on Thursday evening. A rock spectacle that left little to be desired. Support came from Linz this time: Red Machete were allowed to open the evening.
“We’ve been waiting for this shit for 15 years!” – so the words of Red Machete lead singer Marco Hadzic, when they were finally allowed to see the sold-out Posthof from the top of the stage. No wonder – it is not self-evident that Red Machete, a local support band, was the only other band allowed to stand on the stage alongside the Australian hard rock figureheads Airbourne. An audience that was certainly umpteen times larger compared to other crowds, and an audience that seemed made for Red Machete. The setup seems almost puny compared to Airbourne’s Marshall amplifier walls – and yet that doesn’t matter. “High Tension” is the name of Red Machete’s last record, which was released in 2021. The successor to the debut “Bright Lights” also starts there, what Red Machete do. Straightforward rock that would have worked in the 70’s and 80’s too. Songs like “Runaway”, “One More Chance”, “Rising High” fit seamlessly into the classic hard rock of this era, which was also very well received in the Posthof on this hot Thursday. We also forgive that the vocals sometimes got lost in the guitar sounds. It must be like that at a live rock concert. A sympathetic gig by a band who obviously had fun entertaining a crowd of 1200 visitors.
Airbourne: Routine hard rock show
A half-hour set-up break later, Joel and Ryan O’Keefe, Justin Street and newest band member Jarrad Morrice also take the stage. Already with the first bars of “Ready To Rock” it becomes clear where the journey is going. The Marshall amps in the background provide a worthy backdrop for what was to follow. An hour and a half hard rock audience with one of the best bands the genre currently has to offer. “Too Much”, “Back in the Game” follow before Joel O’Keefe makes his first foray into the audience. Armed with cans of beer to pull off the signature headbutt, of course. Audience? Motivated! An hour’s declaration of love to hard rock follows, garnished in between with the Airbourne version of the Ghostbusters theme tune. The sold-out Posthof responded with thunderous applause, and the innkeeper in the Beisl must have also counted himself lucky with the record sales at the beer bar. “All For Rock’n’Roll” and “Stand Up For Rock’n’Roll” then close a concert where the setlist offered few surprises. It doesn’t have to – because with “Live It Up” and “Running Wild” a show ends that every hard rock fan might only let go of with a grin. Certainly one of the highlights of this year’s Posthof concert season!
Photos: Christoph Leeb, Dominic Riedlecker
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#Airbourne #Ready #Rock
