The fuzz-heavy tones of Rollerball were already thundering out of the Arena as we approached just after 9pm - what is it with the Arena and these early starts! I'd been looking forward to seeing these lads since I bought their "Lost In Space" EP (a current favourite in the Reddog office), and sure enough, they were rocking it out quite nicely in a Fu Manchu kind of way. Unfortunately, this turned out to be their last song, and I was left rueing my decision to have that last beer back at The Empire. But Rollerball will definitely be around for some time to come
	The floor had filled considerably by the time Nokturnl had thundered out of the blocks, and the boys from Alice Springs certainly didn't disappoint. With former Regurgitator tub thumper Martin Lee sitting in and unleashing his trademark funk heavy beats, Nokturnl showed why they're one of the leading lights in Australian heavy music at the moment. Although incorporating elements of blues and hip hop into the mix, these guys are at their best when they unleash the full metal fury. Sorbz's dynamite slap bass fused perfectly with the twin guitar attack of Craig T and Damien (resplendent in Queensland State of Origin jersey) and Lee's powerful drumming, to really get the Arena shaking on songs like "Point The Finger" and current Triple J fave "Neva Mend". Even their roadies got in on the act for the finale, a rousing rendition of Cypress Hill's "Aint Going Out Like That", which finally managed to get the punters jumping.
But there was only one man the crowd was here to see tonight, and that man was the rock n' roll machine known as Henry Rollins. With his brand new band in tow, the Hank strolled out on stage and proceeded to rip the Arena apart with one of the most intense rock performances I've ever witnessed - from the set-opener "Illumination" to the rollicking Rose Tattoo cover which closed the show, the Rollins Band rocked in ways that are almost impossible to fathom.
	From the moment the band hit the stage they didn't let up, sometimes playing up to five songs consecutively before stopping for so much as a breath, let alone a rest. No between song banter, no sermonising - nothing but pure hardcore power. Rollins was prowling the stage like a man possessed - never have I seen someone so consumed by the power of the music that is coursing through them. He spent most of the set front of stage, half-crouched, looking like he was set to leap into the crowd at any second, occasionally standing tall to revel in the adulation of the ravenous fans in the front row, all the while spitting out the venomous lyrical tirades that have become his trademark.
Highlight's abounded in a set that drew heavily form the latest album Get Some Go Again. The biggest surprise for me was the dynamite performance of the new band members, whose stunning note-perfect takes on Rollins classics "Tearing" and "Do It" dispelled any doubts I had about them paling in comparison to their predecessors (a tough act to follow). And drummer Jason Mackenroth is without a doubt one of the best rock drummers I've seen, pounding out high energy beats and intricate fills without missing a beat - some feat in a near 2 hour set. "Hotter and Hotter", co-written by MC-5's guitarist Wayne Kramer, and a couple of Thin Lizzy standards ("Are you ready to rock, Are you ready to rip it up!") were played with such ferocity they could almost have been Rollins originals. Hank even took time out to admonish some idiot who spent the whole gig crowd surfing, much to my delight. But the image that will stick in my mind forever is of Rollins leaving the stage with the eyes of a madman, fists clenched, covered in sweat, sucking in each breath like it was his last, adrenaline coursing through every pore of his body like he'd just been fighting for his life for the past 2 hours instead of performing in front of a room full of his disciples. For Henry Rollins, music is clearly about far more than mere entertainment. It's about battling his internal demons. It's about unleashing his rage. It's about survival. ~Kris Swales~