The Superjesus, Violetine @ The Gov, Adelaide 7/9/2019
There’s no doubt about it with Adelaide’s own The Superjesus is career best form back at The Gov playing to a big Saturday night crowd. This tour was all about Sumo 20 Live – a double live album recorded during their massive twentieth anniversary tour of their celebrated debut album Sumo.
It was fantastic that The Superjesus were able to talk Melbourne band Violetine out of retirement to join them on this tour. Violetine is one of those bands who disappeared far to soon experiencing modest success in the nineties. Small Speaker Joyland is one of the most have albums if you can find a copy these days with singles Birmingham, You Know and Any Day from it. Chuck in the likes of Fuzzanova, Red, Dr Vonk and Buzz made for an awesome set. Hopefully the door is ajar there for some follow up shows sometime soon.
The Superjesus have really stepped up their game on this tour and this show was proof of that. With Sarah McLeod being quoted recently as being fascinated by moon landing conspiracies there was an obvious space theme with McLeod sporting a NASA inspired jumpsuit and the intro walk on music setting the scene. The band have so many great songs to choose from but what was pleasing was seeing them mixing it up on this tour with some songs we haven’t heard in a while.
Right from the get go Shut My Eyes have the venue moving. McLeod was full of beans and appreciative of her hometown crowd saying that without you there is no us. The next couple were off Rock Music with Over And Out and Manic which were great. Eight Step Rail opener was a welcomed inclusion followed by full throttle set staples Down Again and Saturation. With a rock ‘n roll malfunction being sorted McLeod commented on how great it was to be playing The Gov and it took to The Reformation tour 2013 to get that first opportunity.
New single The Impossible was played for the third time live, check it out, it’s a belter! Ashes and Secret Agent Man were fantastic as was the punk tinged Love And Violence. Set closer Gravity featured a great audience sing-a-long which was one of many highlights.
Returning for an encore it really did feel like the band had plenty more to give. The rock inspired Kylie Minogue cover Confide In Me led the way followed by Enough To Know and Dead Ended. Not content on being finished the band pulled out a ripper AC/DC cover Highway To Hell to finish off a great night.
Live Review By Rob Lyon