The Fabulous Caprettos @ The Gov, Adelaide 11/1/2024
The Fabulous Caprettos played to an almost full house at the home of live music The Gov. Like many, I was craving to see some live music and this was just perfect on a warm Friday night. So who are The Fabulous Caprettos? Well, it does read like a like of list of some of Australia’s GOATS (Greatest Of All Time) leading with Russell Morris, Dave Gleeson (The Screaming Jets), Rai Thistlewayte (Thirsty Merc) and Jack Jones (Southern Sons). This made for quite a formidable line up as individually their credentials speak for themselves being responsible for some iconic hit singles that continue to stand the test of time. Backed by rhythm section with one of busiest drummers going around in Jackie Barnes and Jason Vorherr on bassed added even more class to this line up. The set list definitely seemed like a classic songbook of some of the very best.
This show had something for everyone appealing to a broad range of music fans of all ages. Plenty of applause as The Fabulous Caprettos took to the stage with Russell Morris taking the lead on Sweet Sweet Love. It was quite a different role for Dave Gleeson seeing him play acoustic, tambourine and being a backing singer when he wasn’t taking the lead, nevertheless he looked like he was having a blast. His t-shirt had a really pertinent quote “Stop Making Stupid People Famous”. His version of October Grey was awesome and it doesn’t matter how it is played it embodies so much emotion.
For someone who was getting over the effects of a nasty cold you wouldn’t know it hearing Jack Jones power through Always And Ever. Absolutely incredible and one of many great moments from Jack. Rai Thistlewayte played keys and a ripper version of 20 Good Reasons. What makes this show is the comradery and the friendly banter on stage. Doing the introductions Morris said they didn’t want to be arseholes about it and call themselves The GOATS setting on The Fabulous Caprettos. It was a collective effort on Hit The Ground Running followed by Bob Dylan cover It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.
Gleeso spoke about how full on it was for first time playing tambourine so hopefully the nick name “Tambourine Dave” coined by his wife doesn’t stick. Helping Hand was stellar as was the power ballad Hold Me In Your Arms sung by Jack Jones. He really does still have it. Thistlewayte was on point with Mousetrap Heart and The Fabulous Caprettos tune Highway Of Your Heart is a good one.
Russell Morris is seriously elite and Hush was a highlight which was followed by Shivers sung by Gleeson which was accompanied by the story of Roland S Howard’s reluctance to hand the story over after what The Screaming Jets had done with it. Whilst the original Caprettos in Daryl Braithwaite wasn’t there Gleeso said there won’t be any Horses tonight playing a killer version of Better preceded by Jack on Lead Me To Water.
The last part of the set was an absolute powerhouse of hits from In The Summertime (Rai) which got the crowd going and was appropriate for the weather in Adelaide, followed by Jack saying he drew the short straw having to follow that one but wowsers Heart In Danger was fantastic. What a moment to finish the main set than with Russell Morris’s The Real Thing. Incredible! One of the most iconic Australian hit singles. If that wasn’t enough the encore lifted the roof off The Gov with a rousing version of Neil Young’s Rockin’ In The Free World topped by The Animals We Gotta Get Out Of This Place. Great show and you would be hard pressed to find anyone who would say otherwise.
Live Review By Rob Lyon