The Screaming Symphony radio show has, for many years, been the sole outlet for Melbourne's power and progressive metal fanbase to get their fix. Other community-based metal shows have come and gone, but Screaming Symphony is the undisputed grand-daddy of them all, and rightly so. Gary and Peter have managed to score interviews with some of the world's biggest bands, while at the same time relentlessly promoting local talent at every opportunity, so it is only right that every now and then these bands (and Screaming Symphony's listeners) repay some of what they've been given.

It is with this in mind that Screaming Symphony's PBS Benefit was organised - a chance for bands to say a big "thank you" to PBS for their part in the development of the metal scene in this city, and for fans to show support for the only station that has a weekly prog/power show.

With the line-up of bands present - Vanishing Point (VIC), Black Majesty (VIC), Eyefear (VIC), Voyager (WA), and Template (VIC) - it was a grouping of some of the most talented bands in the country; certainly a once in a lifetime show. So it was more than slightly disappointing to find that, when Eyefear hit the stage as the first band to play, there was barely 40 people in the crowd. It filled out a bit as time went on, but there's no doubt that the numbers were a very big let down considering the talent on show.

But forgetting the disappointing show of support from fans, the gig was absolutely one of the most rocking Melbourne has ever seen, and every single band seemed to be having a huge amount of fun on stage. The fact that every band played for free and for a good cause would have had a lot to do with that - everyone was there to have a good time and celebrate great music, and the night had really good atmosphere as a result.

Eyefear, as I mentioned, were the first band to play, and despite the lack of crowd reception, they put on a fantastic show. Danny Cecati (vocals) has an unbelievable presence on stage - his voice, his hair, you couldn't help but watch. It was my first time seeing Eyefear live, and I will no doubt go and see them again many times in the future, they just plain rocked.

After their set, Template - the only band on the bill I would describe as prog - preceded to rock the shit out of the second stage. I'm positive almost everyone in the crowd had no idea who they were, but they managed to win over the crowd and by the end of the night they were getting cheers almost as loud as those for the main stage bands. It was a great idea to have Template play in the breaks between the other bands' sets - it gave the punters something to do other than look at roadies' arse cracks as they make sure cables are taped to the floor correctly. Definitely a good thing!

Now my memory is a little foggy and I can't quite remember who came on next, but it was either Black Majesty or Voyager. Black Majesty, despite having less stage presence than the other bands, put on a great show and seemed to have a shitload of support in the crowd. Their rise to popularity has been extremely swift, and this gig surely went a small way to continuing that.

Voyager, I'd never seen or heard before. They've been pumped up by Gary and Peter in the past, but I really didn't know what to expect. As it turned out, they were very energetic and entertaining - they sure know how to have a good time on stage! Musically they weren't my favourite, but they definitely made up for it with the obscene amounts of fun they were having. They seemed to have the crowd well and truly in the palm of their hands, even when they threw some D12 into their covers medley, which is an amazing feat.

And speaking of covers, Template pulled off an amazing rendition of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man", a brave choice of song considering the mostly power metal crowd and the other bands on the bill, but it seemed to get a good reception. They also threw in a couple of lines from Deep Purple's "Child in Time" and Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" into their own original music, and with a full cover of "Stormbringer" by Deep Purple, they well and truly proved that if Template doesn't go anywhere with originals, they could make a mint as an oldies cover band!

When it finally came time to see Vanishing Point, my legs were like jelly and I was ready to crawl up in a ball and die. It was huge night of music, and I honestly didn't think I could survive Vanishing Point's set without needing to sit down. In actual fact, from the very start of their show, I completely forgot about everything else and was almost mesmerised by their presence on the stage.

The last time I saw them was in 2001 at a suburban metalfest, and I didn't actually know any of their music. On stage they seemed pretty subdued and very much concentrated on the music rather than the rock poses and such. It was a good show, made better when they played the intro the "The Mirror" by Dream Theater when I suggested they play it, but they've grown in leaps and bounds since then. There's almost no comparison between then and now - especially with bassist Joe Del Mastro and second guitarist Tommy Yucur. They were running around the stage, demanding the crowd get into the music, and it was an amazing show all round. They played predominantly new music, which I'm not as familiar with compared to the Tangled in Dream stuff, but the show rocked nonetheless, especially when they once again teased me with the intro to "The Mirror"!

After their set and a round of "thanks you"s from Gary and Peter, Vanishing Point returned with the vocalists from the other bands (except for Template) to perform a cover of Europe's "The Final Countdown" (which, incredibly, was predicted by a friend of mine!). I must say, I hate that song with a passion, but it went off. The entire crowd was singing along with the musicians on stage, who were all having an absolute ball, and it was an experience to treasure.

Next time Screaming Symphony organise a gig like this, which is doubtful considering the lacklustre turnout, I strongly suggest that everyone gets out there and supports their local scene. It was a great experience for a good cause, and something you will probably never get the chance to see again.