Live Review: The Jungle Giants, Adi Toohey

The line-up for tonight’s gig has some patrons scratching their heads with many, including this reviewer, unfamiliar with the opening and support acts. In particular the supporting slot from Adi Toohey. If you aren’t familiar with Toohey, here’s what you need to know: she’s one of the most prominent DJs in Sydney’s club scenes, has played some stellar shows and festivals throughout her career, and is regarded as one of the best up-and-coming artists in her scene. With that in mind, she deserves absolute props for being a master of her craft, however, tonight just doesn’t seem to mesh well with the expectations of what a Jungle Giants' show looks and sounds like. Would it have made more sense to showcase a full-piece band or rising vocal artist? Perhaps, but then this is what The Jungle Giants wanted for their Heavy Hearted vision. Each to their own.

One of the most interesting elements of tonight is the all-ages ticketing. It is always slightly disconcerting to see a child in Fortitude Valley after dark, but if we were to have our time again and re-experience our first live music gig, this show would have been a great one. When The Jungle Giants take the stage, opening with Quiet Ferocity, a wave of nostalgia crashes over this writer. Frontman Sam Hales embodies everything a superstar should - emphatic talent, brazen energy, startling warmth, and an undeniable love for the stage. That power is transcendent, taking us back to our own first gig and that feeling of, “Holy shit, this is amazing.”

The crowd doesn’t stop dancing, smiling, or bouncing. Soon the building shakes with us. Heavy Hearted, Feel The Way I Do and Used To Be In Love are the three highlights of the night. Some of their biggest tracks, it isn’t a surprise to anyone that they go the hardest. A big Happy Birthday singalong to drummer Keelan Bijker is a nice touch and bassist Andrew Dooris' impressive bass performance has a level of energy second to none, proving that Hales isn’t the only star of the show. 

Everyone walks away at the end of the show with a sense that The Jungle Giants are an unstoppable force. This may have been their biggest headline show to date, but it won’t stay that way for very long - by continuing to rock stages like they have tonight, they’ll be selling out stadiums in no time. It’s not often that you see a flawless performance, but we saw it here tonight with The Jungle Giants.