Boom Crash Opera, MODELS @ The Gov, Adelaide 24/4/2025
It was billed as The Double A Side Tour boasting a line up that featured two of Australia’s rock stalwarts Boom Crash Opera and the MODELS that played in Adelaide at the home of live music The Gov. In a time where live music goers are looking for value for money entertainment this was exactly that with a couple of hours worth of awesome music. What was originally going to be a one off show in Melbourne turned in to a national tour. Both bands are enjoying a renaissance right now with the interest and relevance being as strong as it has ever been.
Heading in to a public holiday the next day the vibe in The Gov was excitable but equally as frustrating with people insistent on talking over the top the music, seriously some some respect to the bands. That aside, MODELS (Sean Kelly, Andrew Duffield, Mark Ferrie and Ash Davies) opened to what was already a big crowd. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing with the set list heavily weighted with their debut album Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf (1980) and Out of Mind, Out of Sight (1985) with coverage from their other albums as well as the infamous Cut Lunch EP (1981).
First up it was Evolution followed by Two Cabs To The Toucan which was written in Adelaide then Man O’ Action. Unhappy was a great moment as was the homage to James Freud in Hold On was stellar also. Set staple Happy Birthday IBM was well received and Barbados got the crowd focused and singing. Sean Kelly asked the crowd for any requests then jokingly said that they ignore them wanting to continue on with their “sandwich spread of hits”. Whilst their was no rivalry, just mutual respect and admiration, on the tour Kelly did humorously suggested that Boom Crash Opera “pinched our IP and can’t play the key of C!” Out of Mind Out of Sight was just tops followed by Pate Pedestrian and another classic in I Hear Motion got the night off to a flyer.
Boom Crash Opera seem like they were only just here with Roxette but made a much welcomed return back to Adelaide. They are in red hot form, looking and sounding absolutely fantastic. The interest in ‘The Crashies’ continues to grow and is as strong as it ever has been. Their set list is stacked with anthemic tunes right from opener Great Wall and City Flat. The band is up and about and full of smiles, playing these songs why wouldn’t you be. Dancing In The Storm with extended crowd sing-a-long was just ace followed by new single, their first in twenty eight years, Latest Hustle makes the bold statement “we are still here”.
The hits kept coming with Her Charity followed by deep cut Mountain Of Strength. Bettadaze was gold extending to solos to give everyone individually a moment to shine. End Up Where I Started is becoming a set staple nowadays with the band finishing in a blaze of glory with Get Out Of The House, Best Thing and finishing on their monster hit Onion Skin. No doubt tough to follow that up but the band returned for an encore minus Dale who was “getting fluff out of his belly button!” With thank you’s out of the way it was the b-side Caught Between Two Towns and Hands Up In The Air that wrapped up a rock solid few hours of live music.
Live Review By Rob Lyon