On a rainy Friday night in Adelaide (28 June), the chances of a sold-out show are very rare – but The Getaway Plan did it effortlessly.
With the support acts hardly advertised and the show receiving little promotion, fans trickled in slowly. It was glaringly obvious that everybody was here for the main event and that was all.In what was a bit of a miscommunication between the venue and the bands, the first act took the stage at 8:30pm, but it was not who was originally advertised. Fortunately, there did not seem to be too much reaction as they announced to the crowd they were in fact not the band Sports Car but Harris.
With a raw, live feeling of just guitars and vocals, their laidback, soft-rock style was engaging and easy to listen too. The lacklustre crowd did dampen some of the vibe, as many were more content catching up for a chat. While this was no fault of the band, Harris may not have been the best choice to open the show for this audience.
There was a craving for something more lively and possibly heavier that seemed to tinge the air, but despite this, they soldiered on putting on a solid set. Harris did explain this set was impromptu, so the fact we even had a third act on the bill may have been lucky.
As promised, the second act was Melbourne's Fan Girl. Featuring members of the opening band Harris, Fan Girl did in fact satisfy the crowd's desire for something a little livelier. Tapping into that quintessential Australian indie rock sound, Fan Girl leaned all the way into putting on a show.
There is something so delightfully messy about this band's show. Almost curated and intentional, even as they seemed to be up there emulating the classic rockstar image – it was authentic because you believed they truly wanted to be iconic.
Their frontman, aided at times by a tambourine and other times a megaphone, was an enigmatic figure. Keep you guessing as you watch him deliver his sultry vocals.
As charismatic and engaging as their singer was, it was the rhythm section that captured my attention through the entire set. Their drummer was tenacious, skilled and energetic. Carrying the set forward with intricate fills and heavy hits, he was a joy to listen to.
Their bass player also played a role in this driving rhythm section – subtle in technicality but prominent in sound, the two painted the perfect soundscape for the singer and guitarists to add their flare. Finishing off the set with their singer unwinding his lead as much as possible and taking a walk into the crowd, Fan Girl are a band that is worth checking out.
Much to the chagrin of what could be considered an 'older' audience (I can say this as I first saw The Getaway Plan in 2005), our headliners did not hit the stage till 10:30pm. This allowed the audience to have plenty of time to spend a pretty penny at the bar and meant that some of the crowd was quite rowdy.
The behaviour of some of the more intoxicated patrons though was easy to ignore as the lights dimmed and the band took the stage. With a brief intro, they powered straight into 'Streetlight', pulling the audience in immediately. Frontman Matthew Wright did not even have to strain, as there were almost 500 people joining him singing every word.
Other than showing a little strain on the screaming sections, throughout the set Wright sounded immaculate. As tight as ever, this band truly showed why they could still sell out a tour with ease.
Picking and choosing the highlights over a 20-year discography to throw into the set, there was a little something for everybody. Surprisingly, the band chose to also include two new songs, giving fans hope this won't be one of the last times we see the cult favourites hit the road again.
One of the things that stood out the most about this show was just how relaxed and effortless The Getaway Plan felt when they performed. There is nothing over the top, but it is still impressive and engaging.
Letting the music speak for itself, Wright kept the talking breaks to the minimum. Occasionally referencing the band's history, possibly making punters like myself feel a little ancient in the process, it's clear they have found a pace that works for them and their joy of performing shone through.
The feeling was mutual from the audience too. When they played anything that was brand new, the crowd belted along. Every note, bodies were moving. Smiles were plastered across the faces of so many, the tiny moments entering their minds as each song triggered a memory. It was one of those nights where it felt as if the room was not five hundred individuals, but one collective consciousness.
As they approached the end, giving us a new song to form new memories too, the song most of us were waiting for began to fall on our ears. People climbed on shoulders, phones came out to film and lungs prepared themselves to sing.
Of course, the classic hit 'Where The City Meets The Sea' erupted through the sound system. As the song finished, the band bid their farewells to the Adelaide punters, an encore chant started before the guitars had even been racked
In one of the shortest gaps between an encore ever, The Getaway Plan barely even pretended they were not going to play another one of their classic hits. That hit, the final song of the night, was 'Shadows'.
In an emotional display from the audience, they sang their hearts out with the band one last time, the "whoa-oh-ohs" ringing through the building. There was no better way to end.
For somebody who first saw The Getaway Plan at this same venue in 2005 (when it was called Fowler's Live), handing out their demos for free as young, hungry musicians to seeing where they are now; it felt like a full-circle moment.
Let's hope that circle can restart as there is no doubt after this show, if they tour again, I would not miss it for the world.
