Crash Test Dummies @ The Gov, Adelaide 30/3/2025
It has been a long wait for Canada’s finest the Crash Test Dummies to return to Australia let a lone Adelaide. Thirty-three years! Who is counting right? As they say absence makes the heart grow fonder and good things come to those who wait. This was a fantastic show celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of their second album God Shuffled His Feet which launched their career internationally in a big way even reaching the coveted #1 spot on the ARIA chart.
So it was Adelaide’s turn with fans turning out in droves at The Gov. It might have been a Sunday night but that did not seem to matter in the slightest. Opening with The Ghosts That Haunt Me from the album of the same name and once the distinctive vocal stylings of singer Brad Roberts transcended The Gov the audience were transfixed for next eight five minutes. It was perfection and just the tonic for a Sunday evening.
In The Days Of The Caveman followed with Roberts saying how happy they were to be back after thirty three years. Flying Feeling off the album Puss ‘n Boots was fantastic as was I Think I’ll Disappear Now. There are some absolute gems off these classic including How Does A Duck Know? and the uber popular God Shuffled His Feet.
The set list was like a well woven tapestry with everything hanging together perfectly. No doubt fans were hanging tight for that big song but there was so much to dig including the likes of Swimming In Your Ocean and The Physic. The covers in their set well made well and truly their own with the first being The Replacement’s Androgynous and the second being XTC’s The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead which featured on the Dumb And Dumber Soundtrack. Androgynous featured Ellen Reid on the squeeze box and taking the lead on The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead singing it beautifully.
One of those forgotten gems Superman’s Song was brilliant and a few including me were surprised with sublime new tune Sacred Alphabet with Roberts saying this was a quiet one and to “keep it down out there” and at the end thanking the crowd “very patient of you to sit through that”. Afternoons & Coffeespoons got the crowd up and singing with Roberts saying “we had the most excellent time, you have treated us like dinkum royalty”.
Leaving the stage to return moments later Roberts said “we’re only pretending to be finished” adding that the melancholic Heart Of Stone is the downer of the set picking up the pace with He Liked To Feel It. There was a real sense of anticipation for that song of cataclysmic proportions and set closer Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm. Mobile phone cameras came out to capture that moment and if there was going to be a part of the show that would create a long lasting memory this was it. Just brilliant! Watching the audience reaction was something to behold. Fantastic show and we can only hope they return again much sooner.
Live Review By Rob Lyon