Mackay, Nov. 21, 1997

Set List:

Freak
Slave
Pure Massacre
Abuse Me
The Closing
Cemetery
Suicidal Dream
Tomorrow
The Door
Faultline
No Association
Learn To Hate
Spawn
Madman
Israel's Son
Advance Australia Fair
Freak remix

By HEATHER SNODGRASS

I admit that when I bought my ticket for silverchair a month and a half before the gig, I wasn't a huge fan of the band. But after seeing them live, and then moshing away, I have to say that SILVERCHAIR RULE THE WORLD!

They have a really great stage presence and I liked them so much that I went out and bought frogstomp AND Freak Show the very next day. I am also waiting for a new picture of the 'chair, because Daniel now has dreadlocks, and Ben now sports a very cool mohawk.

silverchair were supported by two local bands, Fracture and Shifter, who are also pretty amazing bands, as Magic Dirt could not open on that night. At about 8:24 p.m., all of Mackay heard the opening riff of Freak, and 7,000 people swarmed to the mosh pit. During their third song, some absolute asswipe thew a water bomb at Daniel, and it stuffed his guitar. He ended the song with a "now-I'm-pissed-off" look on his face, changed guitars, got the microphone and screamed, and I quote, "Who's the fuckwit that threw the waterbomb at me? I just happen to be allergic to water, knobjockey!!" The moshpit erupted.

The show continued with Daniel's solo version of Cemetery on electric guitar, and it was absolutely brilliant. Toward the end of the gig, Daniel started to play Advance Australia Fair on the guitar, and I have to say, it was the best version of the crappiest song on earth that I've heard. silverchair are welcome back any time they want, and it will be a guaranteed sellout performance! Mackay love you!