Legendary Scottish band Big Country roared into Brisbane last night at The Triffid for the opening night of the Australian leg of their Greatest Hits tour, marking the band's first visit down under since 2019.
Opening the evening (9 October) was Ipswich artist Damien J. Johnson and his band, the aptly named Damien J. Johnson Trio. Johnson was quick to muse to the crowd that before they got to hear Big Country, he was going to play a little country.
The trio served as the ideal support act, engaging the audience masterfully and ensuring they were well amped up for the headliner to follow. Damien commanded the stage with an effortless mix of charisma and authenticity, his powerful vocals and deft guitar work anchoring each song with precision and brilliance.
Backed by bassist Jim Bopalouie – who entertained the crowd with playful footwork and outstanding bass playing – and drummer Logan Senjov – who provided a rock-solid foundation with flawless timing and tasteful flourishes – the Damien J. Johnson Trio demonstrated an exceptional blend of musicianship, entertainment and songwriting, winning over the crowd with moments of audience participation while firmly announcing to any country music festivals across the nation they're ready for the big stage.
Damien J. Johnson - image © Lex Svensson
With the audience buzzing, and The Triffid reaching near capacity, Big Country were ready to take the stage. From the first chord, the Scottish legends made it clear this wasn't simply going to be a nostalgia trip so much as a living, breathing celebration of what makes them great.
The set, which began with the early inclusion of hits like 'Look Away' and 'Lost Patrol' flowed naturally. There was energy in every riff, and the guitar interplay that's been Big Country's hallmark sounded vibrant, urgent, and beautifully textured.
The signature bagpipe-like guitar lines rang crisply throughout the venue and had members of the predominantly Gen X crowd bouncing in ways they may be feeling for a few days to come.
After joining Big Country in 2024 as their new lead singer, Tommie Paxton's vocals and presence were strong and heartfelt carrying the songs with sincere pride.
On several occasions between songs, he and guitarist Bruce Watson (the only founding member in the current line-up) paid homage to past member, original singer and lead guitarist Stuart Adamson (who died in 2001), and the sincerity and emotion was felt throughout the room.
One of the great strengths of the night was crowd engagement, both through participatory musical elements such as the sing-along in 'Chance', which had everybody in the audience corralling in unison, but also through the storytelling and memory sharing between songs.
The passion of the band was reciprocated by the audience and made the already larger than life songs even bigger. Another standout feature was the brilliant drum work of the band's youngest member, Reece Dobbin, whose Celtic rhythms and brilliant tom work made every song anthemic.
The set naturally closes with the band's biggest hit in Australia 'In A Big Country', which caused the crowd to erupt, which continued past the end of the song, thus demanding an encore.
Closing the night with 'Fields Of Fire', the showmanship and audience appreciation was taken to a new level with the sneaky inclusion of some AC/DC, which the crowd lapped up, followed by a tribute to Thin Lizzy before returning to close out the final chorus of 'Fields Of Fire'.
Big Country truly lived up their big reputation and promised to be back on Australian shores in 18 months time.
- written by Joseph Blatch
