The long awaited night finally came and at 8 pm the Hi-Fi, like a sponge, began to soak up as many fans as it could absorb. We were in by 8.20pm with time to get drinks and find the right spot. I chose a roomy spot on the steps at the right-hand side of the sound technicians’ box. Great view, great sound.

The first band came on at 8.45pm and got the crowd warmed up beautifully. This Collision, a Brisbane-based band, is certainly heavier than what I normally listen to, but they easily won me over by the end of their set. Shaun's energy and vocal expertise left me slightly dazed and spell-bound. An excellent start to the night. They also handed out quite a number of CDs from the stage, all willingly snatched up by the lucky ones within reach. Looks like I'm going to be heading into Moshpit Music to see if I can get myself a copy!

More people had arrived and my roomy spot was becoming slightly more constricted. No more head banging for me .... I might accidently knock-out the nice young female now standing precariously close behind me!!

Sydonia came on next and they were truly delectable in so many ways. Their music and style is so diverse it could almost be likened to the weather on any given day in Melbourne; Dana's vocals can caress you like a warm summer's breeze, then turn dark and stormy, threatening destruction only to spin you around again with a hint of autumn freshness and then tease you with the intoxicating blossoms of spring. Four seasons in one day ... Melbourne AND Sydonia.

Adam, Sam and Dana all engaged the fans between songs, and when we knew it was time for Sydonia to be joined onstage by the DLC guys (and possibly some others - bit hard to see those at back of stage) for the drum fest, the crowd went wild. Together they enthralled us with their synchronised drumming, pumping the room full of a frenetic energy. These guys sure know how to please their fans.

The Sydonia set was over and although it more than satisfied us, I was left with a strong desire for more. Luckily my sons have made sure I have heaps of Sydonia to listen to ...... although I can definitely see myself 'stalking' these guys on Facebook and MySpace just to keep up with where they are and what they're doing..

Another short break and the room was now a sea of people. My spot had been shrunk to ‘person-size’ with bodies pressing in from all sides. Still a great spot, though.

Suddenly a roar from the crowd. A beam of light briefly shone through the curtains that were pulled across the stage and a few moments later the beam shone through again. The crowd were already pumped and now they began chanting DLC, DLC, DLC. They wanted them now and they wanted them bad.

At first the curtains opened and the stage was still in virtual darkness. It stayed in darkness for most of the first song, The Drum, then, as Kim finished singing, the lighting came up with flashing strobes and the music built up to a powerful instrumental finish, giving us the chance to get a good look at the talents of guitarist Rob Maric, bassist Stewart Hill and drummer Luke 'Licka' Williams. Throughout the set, Kim enlisted the crowd in a number of songs to join in with the lyrics and was animated and energetic on stage. Licka’s backup vocals blended smoothly with Kim’s, although there was an incident with Licka’s microphone at one stage. Not sure what happened but it’s possible he hit it himself whilst drumming.

Dead Letter Circus had me totally absorbed and I found the sweetness and charisma of Kim's voice to be tantalizing as he entwined himself around the often deep, awakening lyrics bringing them to life, giving them meaning and form.

We were rewarded yet again by the multitude of drummers who aurally impregnated their willing audience with an unforgettable climactic finale to DLC's This Is The Warning. It was incredible to listen to and awesome to watch. After DLC left the stage the fans called for more and initially they held out hope for an encore from this amazing band, but true to their normal routine, no encore from DLC. The fans seemed to take it well and dispersed easily, spilling out onto the street below.

The three bands, This Collision, Sydonia and Dead Letter Circus, gave of themselves willingly and exuberantly; enticing and exciting us with their different styles of vocal and musical mastery. The pulsating energy and rhythms that poured forth from these awe-inspiring Aussie bands gave us all truly a night to remember.

Georgina