Grinspoon, Regurgitator, Molly Rocket @ Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide 1/11/2025
Grinspoon have turned their thirtieth anniversary in to a birthday bonanza playing to a full house at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre along with Regurgitator and Molly Rocket. It was an epic gig and just when you think you have seen their best they seem to find a way to eclipse previous shows. Last night was no exception. Thirty years strong with no end in sight we can’t be any more prouder of what this much loved band has achieved having experienced the highs, the lows and the in betweens. It was an elite performance well and truly confirming their place in the upper echelon of Australian bands.
It might of only been a thirty minute set but Molly Rocket played a blinder getting the party started. Looking right at home on the big stage there’s no doubt that they can hold their own and mix it with the best of them. New single Breathing Lead is an absolute gem.
Regurgitator need no introduction and much like Grinspoon there is an affinity with Adelaide that continues to grow. Quan first comment was “love this city” before ploughing through Track One. Dedicating Bongzilla to Adelaide the birthday the celebratory vibes continued on I Will Lick Your Arsehole followed by the iconic set staple I Sucked a Lot of Cock to Get Where I Am. Regurgitator are in the challenging position now with so many good songs which ones get left out now considering the constraints of a fifty minute set. That said this was vintage Regurgitator at their very best. Big sound, big production, big everything! Quan, Ben and Peter have expanded with the addition of Sarah Lim to the line up allowing them to flex even more muscle than ever before.
Turning the set list on its head it was a song that had not been played in twenty years I Like It Like That from the affectionately known Hamburger EP (self-titled) which went down a treat before switching gears pulling out Fat Cop and Blood And Spunk. New tune Cocaine Runaway is brilliant as was the “love letter to Grinspoon” in Kung Fu Sing. It was great to hear new tunes Tsunami and Epic before going all punk rock on I Wanna Be A Nudist. It wouldn’t be a Regurgitator set with ! (The Song Formerly Known As) either and the Daft Punk segue was the absolute cream. Winning!
Grinspoon were in rampaging form and I can’t highly enough of the show they put on. They are unstoppable and in career best form. There is definitely something special about this band that have had the same unchanged line up for thirty years led by Phil Jamieson, Pat Davern, Kristian Hopes and Joe Hansen. Keeping with the bonanza theme the big screen had the credits of the classic Western TV show Bonanza reimaging each band member in to the credits. The projections throughout were next level.
It was rowdy, loud and packed in the Theatre with the crowd vibe and energy at an all time high ready to keep this celebration going. Straight out of the blocks with Unknown Pretenders it was ninety minutes of some of the best Aussie rock you’ll hear. Their set list was loaded and packed full of singles from their highly esteemed career. I reckon they did a top job to covering something from every album knocking over DCX3 and Black Friday early. “We’re thirty years old,” proclaimed front man Phil Jamieson bowling over Just Ace and Sickfest. “Any old timers in the house?” Jamieson asked the faithful playing Rock Show and Lost Control with crowd members asking for it to be turned up louder.
There was plenty of adulation for Regurgitator with Jamieson talking about their days in Lismore and that one CD in the room was from the only band that they liked dedicating the aptly titled Hard Act To Follow. One by one it was a procession of hits from No Reason, Better Off Alone, Secrets and Ready 1. The poignant moment was the tribute to a friend who passed and was extended to anyone who has lost anyone playing Minute By Minute acoustic.
A huge highlight was INXS cover Don’t Change which has become a much loved song in the set followed by another big one in Chemical Heart. Even Jamieson admitted that this was the best show on the Bonanza Tour adding that “it doesn’t work without you” thanking the fans for their support. Champion was fantastic leaving the crowd with “we are Grinspoon from Lismore, New South Wales, goodnight Australia” playing the iconic More Than You Are to bring the celebrations to an end. Here’s to another thirty years of Grinspoon!
Live Review By Rob Lyon