©2012 Stephen Booth http://www.sbphoto.com.au

Moments of clarity amidst madness.

A single chord in darkness, throbbing and snarling. A black curtain drops and “The Shape of Punk to Come” erupts from the stage and there’s no way I’m not pushing forward and into the pit.

I’m lost in the pit, no sense of direction as the crowd swells and fractures. I find an island of stability and look up to see Dennis towering above, each foot supported by supporters underneath, a halo of orange light behind him. A communist messiah.

“Deadly Rhythm” shifts into “TV Eye” mid-song. It crystallizes that this is a thing that is happening and then it’s back to “Deadly Rhythm” as soon as it began.

“Worms of the Senses/Faculties of the Skull” builds into a fierce cacophony of pounding guitars and crunching drums and the tribal dance reaches its peak and then it stops – the lights and music cut out and silence takes hold. An awed moment for reflection and adulation.

The encore opens with “New Noise” and the swirling crowd-hivemind tears me into the middle of a euphoric circle pit and then leaves me a metre from the stage, hands raised as the chant consumes the room.

“The new beat.”