Jet, The Living End @ Superloop Adelaide 500, Adelaide 2/3/2019
What a day track side for rev heads watching their team battling it out under extreme heat with the temperature soaring above forty degrees on the street circuit in Adelaide. No doubt it looked like that the heat zapped some of the energy of those there but definite hadn’t broken their spirit. So waiting for the bands to come on most took the opportunity to sit, continue drinking and recharge their energy stocks.
The Living End should be in the alumni when it comes to the Superloop Adelaide 500 and no doubt are right up there as one of Australia’s best festival bands. From a performance perspective they set the bar so high making it tough for any band coming on after them. This night was no different. Chris Cheney, Scott Owen and SA’s prodigal son Andy Strachan really typify the spirit of what it means to play the Superloop Adelaide 500. Opening with Don’t Lose It it took some prompting from the heat weary crowd to join in on Second Solution.’Til The End rocked and it was great to hear rock nugget Bloody Mary get the nod.
Chris Cheney made the statement that “the whole thing is fucking lie, this is not the City Of Churches but the City Of Rock” suggesting that a letter needed to be written. Another tune from the new album in Otherside before delving back in to more familiar territory with Roll On complete with a reminder to sing-a-long. Death Of The American Dream takes on a lot of meaning with Cheney reminding the crowd how lucky we are to be living in Australia. Chris Cheney almost demanded a ticket tape parade on his return next tour for SA’s prodigal son Andy Strachan with the Lord Mayor to give him the keys to the city and signs to be displayed saying welcome home son.
All Torn Down was about “shitty ‘ole Melbourne” and Uncle Harry got the crowd up and about even prompting the compliment that Adelaide looks pretty good tonight which was something Cheney doesn’t give out “willy nilly”. Wake Up and Drop The Needle were great and so to is the guitar mastery in E Boogie. Cheney asked the crowd to give all the fuel in their tank (“no pun intended”) in White Noise and Prisoner Of Society. Hats of to The Living End for rocking the Superloop Adelaide 500 in such tough conditions.
Jet were next and given that they don’t play here that often I’m surprised more didn’t hang around. I’m a big Jet fan and have been since their very first gig in Adelaide at Enigma Bar a long time ago but it really did seem that it really wasn’t their night. Their set was serviceable but clearly it looked like the heat had affected them but take nothing away from them they played all the hits you would expect to hear and with the slightest of hints that they would be back again.
Last Chance got them off and away followed by She’s A Genius which required some running repairs to Chris Cester’s stool. Rollover DJ and Get What You Need were solid and Look What You’ve Done was a chance for some brief respite from the heat. Even now Get Born stands tall with some of the best rock albums and Get Me Outta Here and Cold Hard Bitch resonates with the crowd. Favourite moment for me was Black Hearts (On Fire) from Shaka Rock then with Nic introduced his brother Chris as the King Of Moomba to take the lead on Shine On. At times the body language looked concerning so I hope it was purely the heat playing when it is so hot.
Introduced as a new song they had been working on for a while Are You Gonna Be My Girl was a definite crowd favourite finishing the second of the Superloop Adelaide 500 concerts off with Take It Or Leave It, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is and the finale in Rip It Up.
Live Review By Rob Lyon