Live Review: Jet - 'Get Born' 20th Anniversary Show @ Forum Melbourne

Picture this: it’s 2003, Beyoncé is Crazy in Love, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been elected governor of California, and we’re all obsessed with The O.C. That same year, a Melbourne band known simply as Jet would take the world by storm with their legendary debut album. 

Recorded at Sunset Studios in LA, Get Born is a high-octane, sonically infectious album that is still as electrifying today as it was 20 years ago.

A shining moment in the short-lived early noughties rock revival, Get Born received six ARIA Awards and was certified nine times platinum in Australia, selling over four million copies worldwide. The triumphant success of the record led to international tours with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Oasis, and Kings Of Leon, as well as appearances on prominent film and television soundtracks. The album’s lead single, Are You Gonna Be My Girl, even featured in one of the very first Apple iPod adverts.

Marking the 20th anniversary of Get Born, Jet kicked off the celebration at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre, returning to the stage for the first time in five years in what would turn out to be one of the best gigs of the year. 

Jet. Credit: Ryley Clarke

Leading the way was Melbourne band Neon Goblin, who delivered a psychedelic performance that left the audience spellbound. At their loudest, the three-piece sounded muddled, particularly at the start of their set, but as their performance unfolded, the trio refined their chaotic energy and sank sumptuously into an invigorating 70’s-esque groove, evocative of Black Sabbath, Cream, and Tame Impala.

Comprising Samuel Drew-Rumoro (vocals, electric guitar), Danger Doug (bass), and Johnny Zacharias (percussion), the band thrived at fusing fuzzy guitars with unusual time signatures and sprawling breakdowns while leading concertgoers on a journey with every song. The highlight of their set was their blazing debut single, Midnight Sundial. 

After a few false starts, with the house lights dimming only to be raised again and then dimmed again, the second support act finally took the stage. Appropriately named Pacific Avenue, the quartet effortlessly blended nostalgic rock ‘n’ roll with wistful, sun-drenched indie sentiments. This is the band you’d want blaring from the speakers as you cruise the coastline.

Hailing from New South Wales, the group were admittedly nervous about opening for their favourite band, not that you could tell. The four-piece, consisting of Harry O’Brien (vocals and guitar), Ben Fryer (lead guitar), Jack Kay (bass), and Dom Littrich (drums), looked confident throughout their high-energy set. Highlights included Strawberry Daydream, Leaving For London, and Easy Love, as well as their rendition of ABBA’s Dancing Queen. 

Following Wednesday’s intimate warm-up gig at The Night Cat, Jet took to the stage amid an outpouring of applause. The band, featuring Nic Cester (lead vocals/guitar), Cam Muncey (vocals/guitar), Mark Wilson (bass), and session drummer Pete Marin (Chris Cester remained in LA due to family reasons), seemed sincerely happy to be back on stage. 

Jet. Credit: Ryley Clarke

Divided into three parts, the set began with the seductive Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, showcasing Nic Cester’s vocal dexterity as he transitioned from falsetto verses to grizzled choruses. The revelry continued with fan favourite She’s A Genius as the crowd erupted in a fit of excitement, and before long, it was time for the main event.

Plugging into their debut album, Jet revisited each track, in order, starting with the anarchic Last Chance. Anticipating the next song, phones darted up. A shake of the tambourine, and the crowd went wild. Layer by layer, the excitement grew as a playful drum beat met the commanding bass until Nic delivered that ferocious guitar lick from the band’s signature song Are You Gonna Be My Girl.

Jet. Credit: Ryley Clarke

Everyone in the room knew every word and sang as loudly as possible. Other shout-along highlights included Rollover DJ and the viscous Cold Hard Bitch. On the other end of the spectrum, Look What You’ve Done, Move On, featuring Andre Warhurst and Timothy, provided the night’s best sentimental moments. 

After briefly retreating into the wings, Nic returned on stage, unaccompanied, and thanked us for playing along with the idea of the encore. ‘We were always coming back on,’ Nic told the crowd before a moving acoustic performance of Shine On.

Jet. Credit: Ryley Clarke

The rest of the band returned on stage for perhaps the most surprising moment of the evening. Joined by Andre Warhurst, Nic treated the audience to a new song. Little Fish was met with such enthusiasm that one can only hope it becomes a permanent addition to the setlist on all future tours. As if it couldn’t get any better, Jet closed the show with Seventeen, Bring It On Back, and finally, the remorselessly glorious earworm Rip It Up.

Does anyone else have déjà vu, though? Five years ago, Jet performed to a sold-out crowd at The Forum on their Get Re-Born 15th Anniversary Tour, which begs the question: are Jet content playing anniversary tours, or does the inclusion of new material hint at a new phase in their career?

New music or not, it’s comforting to know that in the shadow of a preliminary AFL Final, Melbournians will still turn out in droves to see live music. Sure, scores were monitored throughout, and black and white scarves waved at the final whistle, but for most of us, Friday night was about celebrating Jet and, more specifically, one of the greatest Australian rock albums ever recorded.

Jet. Credit: Ryley Clarke

Jet. Credit: Ryley Clarke

Jet. Credit: Ryley Clarke