Live Review: The Smith Street Band, The Front Bottoms, Apologies, I Have None, Grenadiers

Local trio in Grenadiers opened proceedings at Adelaide’s iconic Governor Hindmarsh venue with a powerful display of intense, dirty rock and roll that provided the perfect atmosphere for punters to unwind as the sun gradually set over the Adelaide horizon.

This paved the way for English act, Apologies, I Have None, with help from the headliners' own Lee Hartney, to brandish their melancholic, pub rock with punk influence. The exploitation of a thick London accent was implemented instead of a vast vocal ability, which saw the four-piece as possibly the weakest act of the night. Though the songs were performed with significant gusto, there was a noticeable difference in professionalism between this act and the four New Jersey lads that made up The Front Bottoms, who had been given the role of main support.

Immediately hooking their audience in by providing an electric and emotive performance from the first note and backed by one of the most solid, yet active drummers this writer has had the privilege of seeing all year, The Front Bottoms ignited the crowd into a small frenzy. The band displayed musical depth and eclecticism through multi-instrumentalist Ciaran O'Donnell’s cycle through keyboards, guitars and several trumpet lines for added measure as frontman Brian Sella’s talented song- and lyric-writing ability gave the audience opportunity for some huge sing-a-longs in songs such as Au Reviour and Twin Sized Mattress.

This allowed smooth transitioning into the headline act as the crowd was more than limber to welcome The Smith Street Band to the stage for their “biggest Adelaide show ever by about 400 people” as claimed early by frontman Wil Wagner. The set was an absolute celebration of both Australian music and the band’s accomplishments so far. Nailing through solid rock jams including Surrender and Ducks Fly Together, The Smith Street band took the mixed audience of both youth and experience on a special musical journey and it is this sense of nostalgia yet fresh youthful modernity that appeals such a wide audience to the four-piece. However, a young lad of all of about ten easily won the winner of best audience member, as he was one of the most relentless stage divers. This caught Wagner’s attention, who grabbed the boy and held him up in front of the crowd, much like that infamous scene in The Lion King, Wagner presented the audience the future of Australian rock music, but for now the present belongs to The Smith Street Band. Put simply: they ruled.