The Cruel Sea @ Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide 7/12/2023
Elite! The Cruel Sea were in town playing to a sold out Hindley Street Music Hall crowd in Adelaide to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of phenomenal, five time ARIA Award-winning / triple platinum album, The Honeymoon Is Over. It has been a minute since The Cruel Sea were last here and quite a lot had changed in this time. It was absolutely packed in tight and like most gigs the optimal viewing positions were at a premium.
It was a low key build up as the band emerged from the shadows to play the instrumental tune Shadder with the crowd lifting as Tex Perkins emerged to rip apart It’s Alright (‘Cause She Loves Me). Looking a million bucks Perkins plenty swagger. Encouraging the crowd to clap their hands thinking “that shit” usually happens at the end of show. Adding that being in Hindley Street he wouldn’t leave for a day as there was “so much to do”.
The show was dedicated to long-term guitarist and keyboardist James Cruickshank who passed away in 2015 and also welcomed new member Matt Walker to the fold. Plenty of great songs in the set focused on the entire back catalogue. Anybody But You was awesome with Perkins indicating that ambiguity is where he lives and whilst he was responsible for the he wasn’t sure about what Delivery Man was actually about. In an awkward moment Perkins went to throw his tambourine to side of stage but ended up collecting drummer Jim Elliott in the head.
Don’t Sell It followed and then Too Fast For Me inspired by the fear of technology including pop up toasters. Better Get A Lawyer was brilliant and whilst Tex disappeared backstage for a moment the rest of the band were giving their moment to shine of instrumentals Fangin’ Hoons and Seems Twice. It really did keep getting better and even more enjoyable as they left everything on the table drawing on an abundance of riches from their back catalogue. Woman With Soul was great and whilst Tex takes no credit for writing Cocaine or responsibility for what it might make you do was another highlight.
Getting out that “big fucking Black Stick” was pure gold followed by their legendary song The Honeymoon Is Over which was described by Perkins as their “The Happy Birthday Helen, The Accidentally Kelly Street, the Your The Voice”. The band looked settled in and up for more but as the old adage goes time flies when you are having fun as finished the main set on This Is Not the Way Home.
Returning for an encore the band ploughed through instrumentals versions of High Plains Drifter and 4. Perkins returned to play the first song he put lyrics to in Down Below which was originally titled Kingtide. Perkins posed the question about what Margarita was about – was it about a drink? A pizza? Or is it cunnilingus? Hoping that wouldn’t make the review (of course that will Tex) he said it was probably about cunnilingus. Blame It On The Moon went down well finishing on a surprise cover of Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band’s Sure ‘Nuff ‘n Yes I Do topped off an elite performance by an all time great Australian band at the top of their game.
Live Review By Rob Lyon