Punters migrate to The Triffid (6 July) to get their fill of Jebediah playing their 'OIKS' album tour and no doubt fans are crossing their fingers in hope that Kevin Mitchell (vocals, guitar), Chris Daymond (guitar), Vanessa Thornton (bass), and Brett Mitchell (drums) will throw in some of our old faves.
I know, I know! It's their first album in about 13 years, so we can be forgiven for thinking there would be no more new Jebediah songs, but here we are! I deliberately waited for tonight to get my first taste of 'OIKS'. I wanted it to be raw, unadulterated, just the way I like all my music – LIVE, BABY!We all know her for her extremely talented bass skills, songwriting and indie-rock sass from Screamfeeder; many will also know her from her Majestic Horses collaborations that add shoegazey and dream-pop delights to her repertoire; and others also know her for giving it up as an accomplished artist that shines in the space of solo artists from time to time.
Tonight Kellie Lloyd is armed with a guitar and mic. Navigating us on 'How To Get There', she does this like a compass using 'Magnetic North' and we are on our way. Kellie backs this up with 'Paradigms' that she has recorded on 'Majestic Horses' and solo albums.
Kellie Lloyd - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Lloyd explains the delay for giving us song three is due to a tune change on her guitar. We don't mind the wait, especially when we realise it is 'Call You Out' ('Majestic Horses')! Next is my favourite, 'We Are Made Of Stars' and then something we are not, is 'Late To The Party'.
While receiving cheers, Lloyd bangs the capo on her guitar to give it the right pitch. Speaking of pitch (ha!) I can really notice the change in depth and pitch of Lloyd's voice compared to her '00s voice as she is singing 'Sushi Bowl'. Both perfect for the song that remains a relevant banger and great tune to leave us on.
More punters have congregated in The Triffid hangar and are shout-chatting and lubricating their voice boxes with ales and whatnot. I see Magic Dirt tees worn by the fans who are migrating to pack in a more cosily with other punters at the stage barrier.
With a casual entry from the side of the stage, raised drinks to the crowd followed by the plugging in of guitars and tune checks, the rocking quartet with origins from Geelong, Victoria, is about to make our ears bleed.
Familiar are the sounds of long-time fan favourites 'Amoxycillin' and 'Ice' providing the revs that have our rock & roll engines rumbling like a '70s muscle car.
Magic Dirt - image © Clea-marie Thorne
While I'd like more sound in the vocals, I happily shrug it off as my declining hearing and easily get suckered back into the wonderful overabundance of reverb and feedback out of the amps and foldbacks.
'Daddy' makes it a trilogy of classic and quintessential Magic Dirt choons from when 'Life Was Better' kicking us into a frenzy back in 1994! We get the heads up the next on is a newie. 'Ghost In The Wall' and we respond with dancing bodies and serious head nodding – I'd say this is a winner.
'Pristine Christine' brings a barrage of sound crashing to an urgent climax resounding about the room. Adalita Srsen warns us they're "taking it down a bit" for 'All My Crushes' – we needed this after that last one and sing the chorus loudly and cheer when it ends.
Srsen looks side of stage and says hi to Jedediah's Chris (Daymond) and asks "Is this the third show? Feels like we've done a thousand"! The band return the pace to the room with the boppy beats of 'Watch Out Boys' and Srsen channels her inner Blondie and Chrissie Hynde through her vocals.
Magic Dirt - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Changing it up a gear 'Pace It' elicits a scream-and-shout-along from fans and some serious head-banging. New song 'Ice Age Number Seven' is introduced to us and we go absolutely nuts for 'Plastic Loveless Letter' and super fave, 'Dirty Jeans' that see Patrick sticking us with the deep grooves and Srsen hand out her guitar pick to a fan on the barrier.
'She-Riff' is the perfect ending as our Aussie all-star female rocker can grind with an axe and cut loose those good feedback vibrations with the right dose of distortion to keep us salivating.
Srsen bellows the ending with a roar "she-riff!" while Raúl Sánchez shows us his guitar mojo with a ludicrous guitar skit, playing his guitar behind his head. We are left in a shower of glorious feedback – rock & roll baby!
Now kicking off set 3 of their 22-date national tour are our headliners appearing before us to welcoming cheers. They don't waste too much time whipping straight into 'Motivation' with its jangly feels.
It is all the stimulus we need to rekindle the energy Magic Dirt had raised in the room only 30 minutes earlier. Backing this up with 'Military Strongmen', you could say we lose all 'Control' for the next one!
Jebediah - image © Clea-marie Thorne
'Loaded Gun' is lapped up by the audience who are now breaking out merry dance moves to the build-up leading to the chorus of 'Animal' – it is bouncy and energetic but in a controlled way. Thornton and Mitchell run a tight back end while Thornton hasn't lost her cool bass swagger one iota – a mesmerising sight and sound!
Calling on our inner OIKS and that we should all be OIKS together is a rousing speech that excited one punter who proudly holds up their vinyl copy of the new album.
Stepping up to bring in the revolutionary new song we are told to "f...ing send it!" and we did with all the dirty rock loving for this cracker 'Don't Stop' – such a cool groove even Daymond got in on the percussive groove with a tambourine.
'Please Leave' comes with a kiss blown by a very tall punter (in a NOFX shirt) to Daymond who catches it and places it on his cheek. How adorbs!
Jebediah - image © Clea-marie Thorne
'Yesterday When I Was Brave' is followed by a second favourite from the 'Kosciuszko' album that gets a roar of approval, 'She's Like A Comet'. This blistering banger has fans going off like frogs in socks on the venue floor, and when they get a front-of-stage guitar solo they got even wilder!
Mitchell thanks us and acknowledges that we all want to hear the old stuff, but they hope everyone wants to hear the new stuff too. We do and that is what we are getting. 'April Slumber' has an early Jebediah vibe.
This comes before another punkier new tune 'IWANNAGETOUT' that invites you to release your tensions just like the moshpit mob have already been doing. I admit there has been an excellent balance of the old with the new and so far 'OIKS' has been a versatile gem worthy of further listening.
However, when fans hear the first strums of 'Harpoon' you could feel the whole room smile and I swear throats are being cleared and lubricated with beverages in preparation to sing it word for word and raise the roof, the whole way through. The feels that are hitting are so warm and phones are recording it from all angles.
Jebediah - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Mitchell thanks fans for paying for tickets, buying merch, and supporting live music in acknowledgement of the cost of living pressures.
'Fall Down' gets off to a bouncy start and Mitchell gives us the first jump with serious air time I've seen all night. Then 'Star Machine' makes for an excellent and raucous end to their set with Mitchell on his knees having his own shred fest and us cheering wildly.
However, we all knew the short interlude was only a sip away from the encore. Correctomundo! It starts off with an acoustic change up and their moody alt-rock gem 'Rubberman', followed by another also from 'OIKS' that deals out more pop-rock treats – 'Gum Up The Bearings'. This last one has made an impression on the younger girl who still lives inside me!
Jebediah - image © Clea-marie Thorne
We are encouraged to give up some more energy and sing as a choir for the anthemic banger 'Leaving Home'. This is the perfect segue for one, last song that is drawing one, final burst of energy from the mostly older crowd who have shown excellent stamina tonight.
Yes, we are now going all out in a 'Slightly Odway', hell for leather to 'Jerks Of Attention'. The hardcore fans in the crowd are exploding upwards like jumping fish. Daymond on guitar, who is "all about the hair" is reaching out to make devil horn signs into the cameras of mobile phones at the front barrier as he passes a pick to his adoring NOFX fan.
There is so much action happening. Daymond is riffing it up on the drum riser. Thornton tearing it up on bass while the Mitchell on drums canes those heads and frontman Mitchell is playing his guitar out the very front. In the moshpit, air guitars are being played. The mimicry is hilarious in some cases.
Jebediah - image © Clea-marie Thorne
It is all-out fun from start to finish and ends on a high we can ride home on. I for one am leaving with a broad smile and a feel-good buzz. The album and the fans were all but OIKS tonight, ha!
No matter how many grey hairs or wrinkles I may have now, what made Jebediah (and the support band and solo support) great all those years ago still makes them awesome live acts to catch in the 2020s.
What a stellar line-up tonight. Oh and 'OIKS'? I'm revisiting the recorded versions ASAP. Don't sit on the fence. Get on it!
More photos from the concert.
