Los Angelian psychedelic prog-rock musical masters The Mars Volta hit the Forum stage in Melbourne at the early time of 8.15pm and assaulted the audience with a wall of energy that did not let up for two and a half hours.
While guitarist, songwriter, producer and band leader Omar Rodríguez-L??pez and singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala are the visual focal point of the eight piece band, the sound was carried by the phenomenal powerhouse rhythm section consisting of Thomas Pridgon on drums (who also happens to be the youngest musician ever to receive a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music at age 15) and the pounding bass from Juan Alderete.These two, while being conducted by Omar carried the band through their famously complex arrangements in a way that left the audience staring with their mouths wide open for the two and a half hour show.
With each song lasting around fifteen to twenty minutes the band were free to be carried away into their ferocious melodies that sounded like members of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin getting together to form a Frank Zappa tribute band.
This was my first time seeing Cedric and Omar on stage since watching At The Drive In tell the crowd off (and even kick two obvious fans out) at the Hi Fi Bar in 2001 and while that show left a sour taste in my mouth, these two have obviously moved on from there now and leave you with nothing to enjoy but this spectacular live display of musicianship and creativity.
