Spacey Jane, Jess Day @ Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide 30/4/2021

If there was ever any doubt that live music was well and truly back in Adelaide, that thought was blown out the water on Friday night.

When the flavour of the season, Spacey Jane, took to the Thebby stage, it was to one of the loudest and most enthusiastic sold-out crowds I have been a part of in well over a year.

With at least 90% of punters present and ready to party, hometown girl Jess Day slayed with her eight song indie-pop set. Together with her band, she produced a highly charged performance that included songs Gravity, Rabbit Hole, Affection, and a delightfully moody version of Signals. However, the highlight was a slick cover of Ladyhawke’s My Delirium that had the crowd singing and dancing despite the mandatory seating that was in place.

By the time Spacey Jane hit the stage, there was a palpable electricity in the air. Despite already playing a show just hours earlier, the Perth quartet showed no signs of lethargy. Vocalist Caleb Harper, drummer Kieran Lama, guitarist Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu and bassist Peppa Lane were in top form as they smashed out an hour of hits. To say they had the crowd eating out the palm of their hands would be an understatement.

With a main set including songs Cold Feet, Wasted on Me, Sawteeth, Feeding the Family, Good Grief, Head Cold, Weightless, Straightfaced and Booster Seat, among others, it was difficult to pick a highlight. The sameness of the songs was undeniable. Yet despite the one notedness, the manic audience were frothing. The symbiosis of crowd and band was such that they were feeding off each other. By all accounts, Spacey Jane could do no wrong and the punters well and truly let them know it.

Relatively simple lighting produced a complementary backdrop but often left the band appearing like shadows. For the most part, this did not detract from the performance. In fact, it served to highlight the music and enhance the frenzied vibe.

With the stage bathed in pulsating then strobing red lights, the band returned for an epic encore that finally offered a well-needed change in tone and pace. Had this change been sprinkled among the main set, this gig could have had the potential to be an unforgettable one.

Spacey Jane has almost become Adelaide’s adopted siblings after performing in the City of Churches more than any other city in 2021. For this, we thank you. Time and time again, they have proven they are worthy of the wave of success and popularity they continue to ride. This performance was no exception.

Live Review By Anita Kertes