Review: Hands Like Houses @ UniBar Adelaide 25/04/26
Canberra’s Hands Like Houses made their Adelaide return and served up a career-spanning set that had everyone rocking.
Words Will Oakeshott // Images Skye Sampson
Hands Like Houses w/Dream On Dreamer, Blinder & Donni Heat @ UniBar Adelaide 26/04/26
“Life took over 4 billion years to evolve into you, and you've about 70 more years to enjoy it. Don't just pursue happiness, catch it.” – Eric Idle.
It is a rather befitting quote considering this sensational showcase took place at a university. The Grammy award-winning English actor, comedian, musician, writer and Monty Python alumni Eric Idle has provided 25 words that read as a beautiful communication of life advice. The sentiment possesses an aura of a widely celebrated lecturer, which students, even people, hope to interact with as often as they can.
The final sentence of the aforementioned statement is what best describes each act’s modus operandi on this evening: “Don't just pursue happiness, catch it.”
In all honesty, that motif transmitted sublimely to the hundreds of eager music enthusiasts present at Adelaide UniBar, above radiantly.
Local nu-punk musician Donni Heat had the honour of opening this grand event and was very determined to make the most of the opportunity. Backed by an impassioned band, the four-piece charged through an electrified set featuring songs from Heat’s EP Echoes From The Fallout, which bolstered the growing crowd’s enthusiasm superbly.
‘Lies’ exhibited an electro-pop-rock fusion that channelled The White Tie Affair with Forever The Sickest Kids. ‘Maybe’ brought about a heavier edge and a zealous excitement from Heat and the audience alike, which even provoked the crazed-and-cool vocalist to join his admirers at the barrier while he screamed his lungs out.
‘Stay’ upheld a harsher sharpness as a heartbreak ballad that Patrick Stump would have appreciated. ‘Cruel’ would have fit flawlessly on a split EP with Emarosa’s ‘Givin’ Up’ single – there was no denying its infectiousness. The onlookers clapped along in glee as Heat collapsed to his knees in fervent splendour, enraptured by his charming pop-funk composition.
It was all smiles at the conclusion of the set, even from guitarist Kieran, who had undergone ankle surgery that very day but still managed to perform faultlessly in a “moon boot”, while uncomfortably seated on the stage.
“Don't just pursue happiness, catch it.”
Alternative nu-gaze quintet Blinder were a very anticipated group for this night’s proceedings. The crowd numbers seemed to escalate astoundingly during the stage setup alone. The five-piece quickly justified the reason for this, with a remarkably mature artistic exploration of the sonic landscapes instructed by Hundredth, Nothing, Moodring and the almighty Deftones.
These influences still do not properly capture what Blinder musically explores; moments of Brit-Pop creep their way in quite magically, as do heavier moments aligning with the UK’s Love Is Noise. ‘Shadows’ was an amalgamation of all of these components in a dreamy atmosphere of authentic, astounding artistry. ‘Chrome’ escalated the entirety of the demonstration, with multiple levels of melody and malice that presented a hypnotic epilepsy in musicianship. It was almost from another universe, perplexing, yet powerful, even with some technical difficulties.
The exhibition was over all too soon, but in a sense that time may have lost its mathematical element due to Blinder’s presentation. The band is still relatively new, but their pursuit is worth grand attention. Watch and listen to this act.
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Melbourne’s Dream On Dreamer have come a very long way since their Boomtown Records debut EP Hope dropped in 2010. Undoubtedly, that heavy music DNA is still prolific in the four-piece’s character, but their maturity as songwriters, albeit artists, has expanded significantly.
A huge cheer erupted from the concertgoers as the Melburnians ascended onto the stage, and deservedly so. ‘Let It In’ captivated the hundreds within UniBar into euphoria, only to be awoken by frontman Marcel Gadacz’s requests for sing-alongs and hands in the air, which the witnesses happily took part in.
‘Surrender’ amped up the presentation, with crunchy breakdowns and a phenomenal vocal interplay between Marcel and guitarist/vocalist Zach Britt. Mr Britt decided that the barrier was to be his new playground, clambering onto the structure in adrenalised enlightenment.
“Adelaide, it’s been a minute,” Marcel expressed with adoration. The single ‘Love’ heightened this endearment, and assuredly Banks Arcade would have admired this composition wholeheartedly. ‘Don’t Lose Your Heart’ carried this ambience wondrously, and then the new track ‘All My Life’ from their forthcoming sixth studio album (which was actually available at the show) instigated a dance groove that won’t soon be forgotten.
Britt took the lead and performed ‘Hear Me Out’ in a scintillating solo adaptation until the band returned in a theatrical closing. ‘Feel So Empty’ was the climax, a nu-metalcore venture that hosted a gritty groove and empowering chorus. ‘Stay’ was the track Fixation forgot to write, and then closer ‘Runaway’ put the “grand” in “grandiose” for their emocore conclusion.
It is impossible to deny the evolution DoD have undergone in their career from their melodic metalcore origins. However, onstage their happiness glows, and it provides an awe-inspiring illumination.
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Suddenly, movement had become very difficult. Vision of the UniBar’s stage was arduous at best. Canberra’s Hands Like Houses were in town, and they were about to set a ‘Wildfire’ of prog-synth-metal-pop upon South Australia. Honestly, though, we were ready to be set ablaze.
After some glamorous rock’n’roll hits such as Starship’s ‘We Built This City’ and Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’ – the mood was set. This house was being handed a party like no other.
‘Love And Affection’ roared out of the sound system as vocalist Josh Raven crooned and crushed the hundreds before him with his enigmatic voice.
“Alright Adelaide, show me what you got!” he bellowed.
Chaos ensued.
“How are you doing? Are you ready to have fun?” A huge cheer answered his query deafeningly. “Same!” he stated, with a laugh.
‘Perspectives’ was intricate, incredible and intense all at once – Raven actually decided the barrier was to be his new home for the majority of the track. However, this wasn’t personal enough, so for ‘ICU’ he descended into the audience to accept the avalanche of eager moshers going wild to the dance metal onslaught.
“Thank you, Adelaide, that was fucking awesome!” JR shouted elatedly.
Matt Parkitny then showed his superhuman percussion abilities with a rousing drum solo. The single ‘Flowers’ then sprouted a new level of finesse, as well as ferociousness, in the same sensational composition.
Raven then discussed the importance of mental health, our fragility as people in a very strange and scary world, and that we should always reach out in times of need and to talk to somebody if help is required. ‘No Parallels’, ‘Hollow’ and ‘Overthinking’ all provided a soulful embrace through R&B-driven alt-electro-rock music. This stirred up an immeasurable feeling of warmth and drove home the importance of being supportive to one another.
A cover of Chris Isaak’s ‘Wicked Game’ was wonderfully wicked, ‘Through Glass’ showcased a funk-pop that brought happiness to everyone in UniBar, arguably the entirety of the CBD. ‘Space’ moved into another dimension of prog-pop that would have had Justin Timberlake envious, especially with the Pink Floyd musical crusades courtesy of guitarist Matt Cooper.
Coop then, for one of the first times in his 18-year career with the band, actually grabbed the microphone to (mostly) simply state: “Thank you all for giving us your Saturday night!”
Britt and Gadacz from Dream On Dreamer then joined HLH for ‘Warning Signs’, enhancing the celebration and the theme of friendship which radiated throughout the building.
“Support local music, the Aussie music scene gets hammered,” Josh encouraged the concertgoers, to a lengthy applause.
“Encore,” an overzealous fan yelled.
“We haven’t even left the stage yet,” JR replied in hysterics.
‘Dead’ and ‘Paradise’ would have undeniably caught the attention of Bring Me The Horizon in the best way possible. ‘Colourblind’ would have potentially frightened Saosin with its elegant songwriting and incredible infectiousness. The same for ‘The Water’, but for this endlessly catchy single, the fear would be upheld by Amity’s Ahren Stringer if he were to properly undertake an indie-pop solo career. Laneway Festival, are you paying attention?
An interlude prompted the earlier requested (and overdone joke) of an encore where ‘I AM’ jolted SA into an oblivion of metallic popcore, with an earth-shaking breakdown to boot. This was capitalised by ‘Heaven’, which magically merged Loathe with You Me At Six.
This was the longest performance Hands Like Houses have ever delivered to Adelaide, it was cinematic, theatrical, an evolution and most importantly, happiness all-in-one.
“Don't just pursue happiness, catch it.”
Want more pics of the gig? Check out our full photo gallery here.
