Yet again Gyroscope prove worthy of their status as a leading Australian rock band– owning the stage on which they stand.

After years spent on the road, they recently released a third album, Breed Obsession, that debuted at number one on the ARIA charts and will quite comfortable be their most successful release to date. On the back of its success that has seen more commercial acceptance then ever before, Gyroscope return to the live stage, hitting up venues across the country for night after night of sold-out shows.

Firstly, my apologies for missing the support bands – Young & Restless and Sugar Army. There was a battle to be won on the footy field and I had to witness it live. Seeing Gyroscope’s “Snakeskin” was the anthem track to all AFL promotions leading into the season, I’m claiming this as an appropriate blood-stirring warm up. Either that or Gyroscope the rocking after party.

If the heat and smell of the rock pit that welcomed me to the Hi-Fi Bar was anything to go by, those starters did the headliners justice. The animated punters lined the bar obstructing the entrance, but I squeezed my way passed to the perfect viewing position. With no room in the venue for a notebook, I keenly snapped away with my camera, trying to capture those alluring and fanatical eyes of lead man Dan Sanders and the Gyroscope vibe.

The complete set list I cannot be sure of (because the guy who went to get me the bit of paper didn’t come back with the goods) but two old favourites in “Dream V Scream” and the hard-hitting “Doctor Doctor” surfaced early to a thrilled response. Through-out the night, their older material was just as appreciated as the new.

Noticeably absent from the live stage was third single “Australia”. The soulful anthem with a strong marching-band beat possibly didn’t suit the up-tempo, sweaty rock stage. But it would have given drummer Rob Nassif the spotlight. The string arrangements may have also impacted on delivering it live.

The pace only slowed at one point. “Do you guys want to hear another slow one?” Guitarist Zoran Trivic teased and smiled before they launched into something quite to the extreme. The heaviest track of the night that gave the pit a good work out was “Weapon, Enemy, Friend” and Dan was just the man to perform the lyrics of the eerie “O.K”.

With his eyes taking on the stalker role, “You know that window in your basement? I used to sleep outside it. Now I'm inside hiding from you.”

The second track on Breed Obsession “All In On One” and second single “1981” suited the live stage and excited the crowd. Majority of the softer melodic tracks on the record stayed with the stereo.

The impressed guy standing behind me was spot on with his reactions for the gig highlights. His first in awe response and “that’s awesome” came as Dan Sanders routinely performed from within the pit for the much-loved “Safe Forever”. Guitar in hand, he surfed the crowd and sang from a microphone stretched out to him. It was indeed awesome.

Similar response for encore closer and the track that inspired my night’s opener, “Snakeskin”. Although Dan’s vocals showed small signs of its hour work-out, pulling back the chorus screams one small notch, they concluded with a bang. Only downside to the close was that it did have to come to an end. Time flew and I could have listened and loved for another hour.

A gyroscope gig never disappoints.

Chick here to view photos from the gig