Despite warnings about 'coarse language and adult concepts' that may appear during the performance, it did not stop concert goers bringing their kids to the all-ages Regurgitator show at The Princess Theatre on Saturday (25 April).
Brisbane adores the multi-genre outfit more than ever and the band are happy to embrace the adoration by putting the show on at the family friendly time of 3:30pm. It's a beautiful thing.
A line-up of eagerly waiting fans weaves down the street, containing all ages, heights, genders and hair colours.
This is the time where parents can show off their 'hey day' band and spruik tales of seeing the Gurge at Livid Festival in the Davies Park era, or the Big Day Out on the cusp of the millennium.
The energy of youth is rampant. Luckily, there's an upper level balcony inside that will safely headquarter a majority of the younger audience members alongside their spruiking elders.
The show starts exactly on time as Media Puzzle takes the stage. The Lismore-based five piece caught audience attention from the get-go.
A recording of race calls and equine related vox pops interstitial their songs, making sense of the band name. Their 30-minute set is a scorching bundle of Kraut-rock beats and phaser-effected guitars.
Media Puzzle - image © Chris Searles
Tracks from their new album, 'New Racehorse', such as 'Knowledge' and 'New Pet' are fantastic. The band, led by Tom Peter, oozes a combo of Devo, A Certain Ratio and The Sunnyboys with a sprinkle of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
They're amazingly tight as they manoeuvre around some deliciously difficult arrangements. 'Out of The Rain' and 'Dead Dog!' are top-shelf tracks that prove the band is crammed with talent.
DEM MOB hail from communities through central Australia and have proud heritage from north western South Australia to the Torres Strait Islands.
Formed circa 2019, DEM MOB is Elisha Umuhari, Jontae Lawrie, Basso Edwards and Matt Gully. Gully tantalises the crowd by dialling through samples of classic Australian songs like an old radio ('Blackfella/Whitefella' to 'Solid Rock' et al) before Umuhari, Lawrie and Edwards ignite the stage.
The trio uses their national and international (the first Aboriginal band to play at Spain's Primavera Festival, 2023) tour experience to full effect and lift the crowd into a flailing armed frenzy.
DEM MOB - image © Chris Searles
The power of rap is in full effect as stories of social injustices, viewpoints and indigenous life are told. Umuhari is at the forefront of discussion about the importance of education and how the younger audience members are the future of cultural connection.
Edwards has a wonderful R&B voice in the vein of Babyface or Brian McKnight, helping balance the Ice Cube rap style of Lawrie and Umuhari. Kicking off with 'Dip' and new single 'Dream', DEM MOB are not here to mess around.
They're fluid in rhymes and natural in their roles. 'Still No Justice' and 'Suit Vibes' could sit comfortably on mainstream radio. It's criminal why local artists such as DEM MOB aren't represented in this way.
They pay homage to fellow Indigenous rapper, Baker Boy, with a cover of his song 'Marryuna'. In closing, they deliver a lively version of the super hit 'Big City Life' by Mattafix (that was recently remixed by Luude).
DEM MOB - image © Chris Searles
Umuhari explains the distance travelled and life gained through touring their music is now a big city life for them – something that defies all the dreams they've had. Now, can the main act bring the same noise?
Regurgitator, lovingly dubbed the Gurge, are one of Brisbane's mainstays. Emerging in the 1990s alongside fellow stalwarts Custard, Screamfeeder and Powderfinger, Regurgitator helped put Brisbane back on the music map.
Their approach was a little different as they seamlessly adopted troves of music styles with each album, often combining punk with rap, hyped electro with plenty of lean-ins to the 1980s.
It's a spectacular palette to work from as the band circle Australia on their Jukeboxxin tour, covering the hits and favourites from their 30-plus years.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer's version of Aaron Copeland's 'Fanfare For The Common Man' blasts as the light dip. A worthy soundtrack for the '80s kids in the crowd, reminding them of Saturday morning TV and 'Chris Conroy's 'World Of Boats'.
Regurgitator - image © Chris Searles
The band is feverishly welcomed by the crowd as singer-bassist Ben Ely takes to the front of the stage adorned in acid-washed denim. Fellow singer, and guitarist, Quan Yeomans jogs into view wearing acid wash and parachute pants (Google it). It's as '80s as it comes.
The perfect song for an all-ages show (joking), 'I Sucked A Lot Of Cock To Get Where I Am' from 1996's 'Tu-Plang' kicks the set off. You can't hide anywhere at a Gurge gig as the song names are displayed on a giant projection behind the band.
The heaving crowd on the main floor love it as the parents on the balcony shrug and accept that the kids have to learn some time, hey?!
Jukeboxxin' is the tour name, and that they did. The set list was like putting their discography on random and going with it. 'I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff' from their insanely popular 1997 album, 'Unit', quickly follows.
Regurgitator - image © Chris Searles
While many bands wouldn't survive many ups and downs, line-up changes and creative impetus roadblocks, Regurgitator somehow used it to consistently produce a bundle of exciting material.
'One Day' from 2011's 'SuperHappyFunTimesFriends' proves it, along with 'This Is Not A Pop Song' from their excellent 2024 album 'Invader'. Both songs rock with scorching electro and contain further evidence of their love for Prince.
Sarah Lim is the fourth member of Regurgitator, taking on the iconic keyboard riffs and aiding Yeomens on guitar. Epic scorchers are rolled out with matching projections – a great way of capturing the song name in audience video or photos (not that they wouldn't already know!).
'Blubber Boy' and 'Kong Foo Sing' raise the roof, 'Mountains' is a sprightly indie pop and 'Pest' is perfect back-to-basics three-chord punk. Ely's 'Fat Cop' threatens to peak the evening as he stands against the security barrier, pulling the crowd to him.
Regurgitator - image © Chris Searles
Throughout the show, Ely expresses his love for Brisbane (he still calls it home) and is met by mutual love from the audience. New songs, 'Cocaine Runaway' and 'Epic' are superb showcases of their breadth.
The former is a glitzy 1980s summer road song, while the latter is a gritty modern rap. Yeomens seamlessly morphs from rock into rhymes within a millisecond. The crowd are in a lather, oblivious that this is the show is only half way done.
'Track 1', 'Everyday Formula', 'F.S.O.' and 'Distractions' lead into the perennial favourite, 'Polyester Girl'. The stage is graced by a dancer in a head-to-toe mirrorball outfit that spectacularly bounces light to all corners of the venue.
The home straight sees 'Superstraight', 'Black Bugs', 'Happiness' rip more of the Princess roof off. It seems the Regurgitator song bucket is bottomless. A cheeky addition of a chorus from John Farnham's 'Two Strong Hearts' slots in after 'Black Bugs'.
Regurgitator - image © Chris Searles
Regurgitator have always been proud activists for Indigenous rights and government decisions that may impact our way of life, so the words in Farnsey's chorus are not lost on the audience (again, Google it!).
Children across the balcony are still jumping up and down, hearing protection barely holding on. The power of energetic music reigns supreme across all ages.
I'm sure they're not aware of what 'I Wanna Be A Nudist' means. It doesn't count in the end as it was just another awesome noise to leap around to and something they'll possibly thank their parents for down the track.
Capping the night off is '! (The Song Formally Known As)'. It's a community affair as DEM MOB join the Gurge onstage, delivering bars and extra flavour to an already excellent track.
Regurgitator - image © Chris Searles
Yeomans perfectly sneaks in a little riff from Daft Punk's 'Da Funk'. It's a glorious mash of everything that is great about Regurgitator.
This reviewer has seen them numerous times throughout the years, witnessing their evolution and experiments in sticky-floor backrooms and giant festival stages. Every gig has been a joyous celebration of life and art.
Yeomens, Ely and gang load you onto their train and plunge it full-throttle across their kaleidoscopic countryside. They are the engineers and conductors of a unique and magnificent express. Please, may they keep stoking the fire and never let it slow down.
