Hockey Dad, The Belair Lip Bombs, Ethanol Blend @ Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide 22/6/2024
The pick of the bunch of gigs on the weekend was Hockey Dad who were well served by supports The Belair Lip Bobs. Hockey Dad were back in town to celebrate the release of their fourth album Rebuild Repeat at Hindley Street Music Hall. It is a great album and shows a more mature sound with their brand of indie rock. It was a large and enthusiastic crowd who were up for a big Saturday night.
Ethanol Blend are an impressive Adelaide band who continue to grow in stature each time they play and it was no different on this occasion making the most of playing in front of a big home town crowd. Great band, check ’em out around town. Indie rock band from Melbourne The Belair Lip Bombs are a young band on the rise and I have no hesitation in saying that we’ll be hearing a lot more about this band as the year rolls on. There wasn’t a lot interaction with the crowd letting the calibre of songs in the ilk of Gimme Gimme, Stay Or Go and Say My Name do all the talking.
Hockey Dad really did step up the production on this tour and having toured the world playing shows just about everywhere they are well and truly gig hardened. This was a great show with a set list loaded with new tracks from Rebuild Repeat as well as the tried and true crowd favourites that we have all grown to love. Wasting no time at all get stuck in to new tune Base Camp followed by Germaphobe and Homely Feeling. Drummer Billy Fleming asked Adelaide “what’s goin’ on” adding that “it smells incredible in here!”
Non-album single T’s To Cross was great as was new tune Unhinged. Having only had the new album for a week it was clear to see that fans are still finding their way with it and which ones will ultimately be the ones they want hear live. It was the familiar that got the crowd excited with the likes of Good Eye and I Wanna Be Everybody lifting the Hindley Street Music Hall vibe. After That’s On You singer/guitarist Zach Stephenson said they wanted to slow things down a bit with Itch and Keg which provided a nice subtle contrast.
With Billy admitting that he isn’t the greatest singer enlisted the support of the crowd to assist on Sweet Release. New tune Safety Pin is a ripper proving to be one of many stand out moments from their set. Time really did whiz by and so did the great tunes I Missed Out, Still Have Room and early classic Hockey Dad tune Seaweed finishing on Join The Club. Returning for an encore Billy asked the crowd for one hundred percent more effort ploughing through what will be a set staple in Road Signs and leaving Adelaide fans on early gem Babes. Looking forward to Hockey Dad’s return later in the year.
Live Review By Rob Lyon