Review and photos by Ben Hosking – www.hoskingindustries.com.au – for Life Music Media
Even before Animals as Leaders take to the Metro stage, the venue is rapidly filling with excited, guitar-crazy punters. There are scores of Periphery shirts circulating and it’s almost impossible to find more than one of the same design – a testament to the band’s proactive approach to merchandise and self promotion.

Despite this, it’s clear that just as many of the assembled throng are here to see Tosin Abasi and co. perform their unique brand of instrumental, 8-string rock fusion. For what is really an odd instrumental line-up (both Abasi and fellow guitarist Javier Reyes playing 8-string Ibanez guitars and drummer Matt Garstka), the mix rings true and clear and the band do an excellent job of recreating tracks from their first two albums – announcing to the eager crowd that they’ve just finished work on album number three. Watching Abasi and Reyes navigate their large fret boards with such ease and confidence definitely makes you feel insignificant – Reyes’ incredible, simultaneous bass line and melody counterpoint work was particularly breathtaking.
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