Live Review: Grinspoon, The Hard Aches, The Gooch Palms, Bugs

Bugs kicked things off and it was just the type of fun and feel-good energy the room needed, as the loveable trio sang a nice mix of new and old. The Gooch Palms were another incredible addition to the powerhouse indie-rock line-up. The wildly versatile two-piece left jaws dropping again and again as singer Leroy Macqueen went from bopping out to rocking out.

The Hard Aches nailed their set for a now jam-packed Odeon. Tassie’s adoration for the band has seen the state basically claim The Hard Aches as their own. Singer Ben David has openly announced he is no longer drinking, so we weren’t initially sure if they’d perform their booze-infused track, I Get Like This. Then again it's a song that gets an entire room jumping, so it wasn’t overly surprising that the band closed with it, livening up the already enthused crowd.

The crowd was here for Grinspoon and they made it known with chants and howls. DCx3 and Lost Control kicked things off as singer Phil Jamieson jumped around the stage with frenzied energy.

There was little to boo-hoo about, aside from some questionable lighting choices and a disappearing Jamieson. The stage went pitch black for Minute By Minute, causing confusion in the upper decks and front few rows. It was so dark that it took the crowd a moment to realise Jamieson was nowhere to be seen. It would stay that way for two songs. It was all rather confusing - until the crowd realised he’d walked to the back of the venue. It was a big move when there were no cameras or screens on stage for the reveal, and one that didn’t play for the head-scratching crowd.

The lights came back and the band smashed out several more bangers before they began their encore. “I love Tassie because, well; apples, Luca Brasi and Kmart at 3am,” Jamieson said, and same.

They belted out some of their most loved hits in Chemical Heart, Champion and More Than You Are to close. If there is one person who knows how to work the stage, it’s Phil Jamieson. He’s also one of the few people who can pull off a suit and T-shirt combo. He and the entire band were on fire tonight, proving that the Aussie rockers have still got it after almost 25 years together.