Jebediah, Magic Dirt @ The Gov, Adelaide 11/7/2024
Thursday night done right was heading down to the home of live music The Gov to see two of Australia’s finest Jebediah and Magic Dirt. If you weren’t there you missed a seriously great show. Jebediah are hot off the heels of releasing their sixth studio Oiks which is an absolute beauty.
Magic Dirt were in cracking form and this would be right up there as one of the best I have seen them play. There’s no denying the affinity between Magic Dirt and Adelaide as Adalita commented on her love of our city several times and appreciative of the support they receive wherever they play in Adelaide. Even better was the fact that the band previewed some long awaited new songs which if this is an indicator of what to expect from their forthcoming album it will be awesome.
Wasting no time ripping through the opener Amoxycillin followed by Redhead off the Signs of Satanic Youth EP theme of going back to some of their earlier stuff continued with Daddy off the Life Was Better EP. New tune Ghost In The Wall was awesome in amongst set staples of Pace It, Watch Out Boys and All My Crushes and the ever so popular Plastic Loveless Letters. The band played at blistering pace and with frenetic energy, awesome to watch. Another new tune by way of Ice Age Number Seven was a great addition. There was a moment of reflection for Dean Turner (who passed away in 2009) saying they miss him every day and that he would love playing at The Gov. Finishing on Dirty Jeans and She-Riff topped of a great set raising the bar for Jebediah.
It is hard to fathom that Jebediah have been going for thirty years (makes me feel incredibly old) but over the last few months they have been riding a massive wave that does not look like breaking any time soon. The renewed attention and focus is well deserved as their new album Oiks is fantastic. There were plenty of loud cheers as ‘The Jebs” took the stage to open with Motivation followed by Military Strongmen. Kev Mitchell said hello asking fans whether they preferred Adelaide or Radelaide suggesting the later is a bit naff. Control continued that good time vibe.
Mitchell was full of admiration for Magic Dirt who they followed by Jebediah became a band and added that it was a huge buzz being able to tour with them. Loaded Gun was great and Animal lifted the collective spirits even further. Giving the crowd some insight to the album title Oiks referring to pick pockets and asking the crowd to embrace the oiks within us all to “fuck shit up”. New tune Don’t Stop is a gem with old tunes Please Leave and Yesterday When I Was Brave to follow. Taking a minute to recall when Jebediah last played The Gov was back in 2011 with one punter guessing correctly and requesting She’s Like A Comet which they were about to play anyway.
New tunes April Slumber and IWANNAGETOUT went down awesomely before playing set essentials Harpoon and Fall Down finishing their set with Star Machine (the set list had another option Run Of The Company which was not played). Gee whiz! How good was the encore? Kicking off with Bad For You then wheeling out some big guns in Gum Up The Bearings, Leaving Home (which got a few crowd surfers going) and leaving Adelaide Jerks Of Attention. Monument was listed but when they were that got it would of been hard to top that. Great show!
Live Review By Rob Lyon