A sold-out crowd spills through the doors of Brisbane’s Princess Theatre, eagerly awaiting the entrance of Perth’s up-and-coming alt-rockers DICE. Since bursting onto the scene in 2021, DICE have made quite the impact, consistently selling out shows, receiving accolades from fans and industry superstars alike – even Richard Kingsmill raved about their song Super-Vision – and quickly becoming one of the most talked about bands in the Aussie alt-rock scene.
But you can’t have a show without an opener or two.
Brisbane-based girl group Dizzy Days are up first, bringing the electric energy needed to warm up the crowd on the cold winter night. Spending their entire set looking like they’re having the time of their lives, the band’s stage presence is undeniable.
Frontwoman Aisling O’Byrne brings a new meaning to “hairography”, with her blonde curls flouncing around the stage like an extra member of the group. Seriously, the shortest people in the room could’ve only been able to see O’Byrne’s hair, and they would’ve still had quite the show.
“It’s literally our job to hype you up,” O’Byrne yells to the crowd mid-set. And hype us up, they do. Playing their own disco-dance pop anthems, as well as an iconic cover of Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Heads Will Roll, Dizzy Days sure knows how to get a crowd riled up.
After a short intermission for people to grab a few more beers and rest their feet due to dancing too hard, Peach Fur enters the stage. The Gold Coast four-piece absolutely oozes swagger, making you feel lucky to even be in the same room as them.
They bring more of a rock vibe to the theatre, and it becomes clear why DICE chose their openers – because they’re a mix of both Peach Fur and Dizzy Days. The crowd has a headbanging good time, screaming along to Funkn Oath as frontman Denny Hilder flips the bird. Hilder has the gravelly voice of a seasoned rocker, and he definitely uses that to his advantage, bringing an extra dimension to their music. Preloved even has the whole crowd swaying.
But, as suddenly as they came onto the stage, Peach Fur leaves, and the crowd holds their breath for the entrance of the band they all came to see.
The lights go dark, and as they slowly come back up, the first riff of Eyes Ahead rings out – and we all collectively go wild. Hands go up immediately, and everyone begins jumping and grooving as DICE performs their first song of the night.
“We’ve missed you guys,” frontman Ben Hodge says to the sold-out crowd as The Search begins to play. Audience participation was encouraged in this one, with the crowd singing the oh-ohs in the chorus, much to the delight of the band. But the singing from the crowd can’t compare to the screams of the next one – DICE’s debut single, Reality.
The roars are deafening as the band plays the song that brought them into many of their fans’ lives. Shout-out to the multiple people FaceTiming their friends and family during this one so they can enjoy it too – no one should miss out on seeing Reality performed live. The subtle note changes, the energy, the crowd… if we don’t get a recorded live version of this on Spotify ASAP, I might sue.
After playing Tickets perfectly, DICE provides the crowd with a gift – an unreleased song. The track, which talks about being too busy for love songs, is upbeat, drum-heavy, and has a few riffs on the side, in true DICE fashion. Safe to say this release will be a bit of a hit.
Waiting for the cheers to subside, Hodge proceeds to tell the crowd that this show is the biggest headlining gig they’ve played.
“Brissy takes the win,” he says, and, as expected, a roar comes from the fans.
Introducing the next track by saying, “If you’ve got shit tattoos, this one’s for you,” the band plays Bad Tattoo. And, as the lyrics say, “It’s gonna be a memory.”
The whole crowd goes feral when the first riff of Double Espresso rings out, and soon, we’re all clapping in time. The enjoyment of the band is palpable as they play hit after hit – Pieces, Super-Vision, and the new release Quick To Judge.
Much to everyone’s surprise, DICE also plays a cover – Nina Simone’s jazzy 1965 hit, Feeling Good. Joining the ranks of iconic musicians who have covered the song over the years, including Michael Bublé, Muse, Sammy Davis Jr., and George Michael, DICE put their own spin on it. The guitar-centric cover is a mix of rock and jazz and is genuinely one of the best versions I’ve heard of the track. When are we getting a triple j Like A Version of this? It better be soon.
For their last song, they play Stop Sign – or, rather, the crowd sings it. In a sort of “made it moment”, Hodge often stops singing, letting the sound of 900 people chanting his song wash over him.
As is concert tradition, the band leaves the stage after their last song – though we all know they’ll be back. Across the theatre, there are desperate cries of “One more song!”. And before long, DICE is back.
“One more song? What about two more songs?” Hodge yells.
Encore #1 is a stripped-back solo for Hodge, playing Cherry (We Don’t Have To Be Alone). The slow song is a nice reprieve from the consistent high-energy dancing of the night – though it’s short-lived.
To no one’s surprise, Stockholm is encore #2. Party vibes are high as people dance, sit on shoulders, and sing along.
And then it’s over.
The night was perfect. Openers? Iconic. Setlist? To die for. The energy? Unmatched.
My only criticism? DICE came on at 10 pm.
Damn, guys, some of us have to write a review in the morning.
