At the final gig ever (18 November) at Fowler’s Live (Adelaide) before it is renovated by new proprietors, New Zealand rockers Shihad thought they would help with the demolition by blowing the roof off the iconic venue with a systematically retrospective set that encompassed their entire 30-year career.
For 15 years, Fowler’s Live has held a special place in the hearts of hundreds, if not thousands, of touring rock, punk and metal acts.
On the venue’s closing night, enigmatic Shihad frontman Jon Toogood reminisced about the time they toured their brutal follow-up to the controversial Pacifier album, ‘Love Is The New Hate’ there in 2005. It was a privilege, he said, to be the final act to grace the stage.
It was an evening filled with nostalgia, as Shihad paid homage to their three decades of delivering wild, live performances, while simultaneously celebrating two decades since their iconic 1999 release, 'The General Electric'.
With so much ground to cover, the band decided upon an unusual and innovative approach to crafting their set list: they would play at least one track from each album in reverse chronological order.
The audience watched the band devolve, as they began with ‘Think You’re So Free’ from 2014’s 'FVEY' and then concluded with ‘Factory’ from 1993’s 'Churn', before returning to the seven-minute 'FVEY' album closer, ‘Cheap As’, for the encore.
It was an approach that meant that the raucous crowd, some of who were dressed in party hats and pristine signed 'General Electric'-era t-shirts, didn’t begin to become unhinged until about four tracks in, when they unleashed the bone splintering ‘Alive’ from ‘Love Is The New Hate’.
From that point onwards, though, Fowler’s became a sweaty and heaving chorus, as they ripped through hit after hit.
While Jon admitted that 2002’s 'Pacifier' release, where the band changed its name briefly in the aftermath of September 11, was a rough time, the political and branding ramifications of that time have been lost, while the songs ‘Comfort Me’ and ‘Run’ have stood the test of time.
He even admitted they are some of his favourite tracks, and the audience clearly agreed. The band didn’t need to sing the chorus for ‘Run’, because the Adelaide crowd was more than happy to oblige.
What followed, though, was perhaps the finest five-punch combo in noughties rock: the first half of 'The General Electric'. The anti-Government and corporate themes of ‘My Mind’s Sedate’ resonated more now than ever, while 'The General Electric' and 'Pacifier' were pure catharsis. With the latter, smartphone torches were waved in synchronicity.
Their first big hit, ‘Home Again’ from what Jon termed “the fish album”, The Mark Of Cain-inspired ‘You Again’ from 'Killjoy' and ‘Factory’ from 'Churn' rounded out proceedings.
Throughout the rapid-fire retrospective, it was evident that the charisma and tightness of the band had not diminished with age.
While on 'The General Electric', Jon sings: “You’re holding everything inside”, this has never been the case with them as a band; they have always let everything they have within out for the benefit of the audience, and in so doing made their fans “feel so good to be alive”, even if it is just for an evening.
Farewell Fowler’s. But please come back again Shihad.
