Regurgitator, DEM MOB, Tonix @ The Gov, Adelaide 7/2/2026
Regurgitator are definitely riding the wave of a renaissance having experienced the ups, the downs and the in betweens over a career spanning well over thirty years. It is of no surprise the affinity Adelaide has with the ‘Gurge selling out another show here at The Gov with this tour being focused purely on all the hits… and there is a shit load of them. Interestingly, if Regurgitator were going to play all fifty four of them I’m sure they would have needed another hour on top of the two hours played this time round. So, it was definitely a rare treat to experience a show like this staked with hits.
Adelaide band Tonix are fast emerging as a hot prospect to keep an eye out on as they are emerging as a super talented outfit that is set for bigger things. The black and white aesthetics on stage really works for them and they have an infectious energy about them that makes it easier to win hearts and minds of new fans. Their music is a unique blend of electronic, indie and pop and just the “tonix” to kick start Saturday night at The Gov. It was a clever move pulling out a cover of The Angels Am I Ever Gonna See You Face Again getting the crowd involved on the anthemic chorus that everyone knows.
Indigenous hip hop outfit DEM MOB from the APY lands in northern South Australia are far more than a band and if you delve in to the projects and initiatives they are involved in to champion social justice and be advocates for change they deserve a lot of acknowledgement for that alone. They are the first to rap in the Pitjantjatjara language and as soon as they hit the stage the energy in the room peaked at an all time high. Their music carries an important message which demands attention and many, including myself, were won over with the intensity and energy in their performance. Set highlights include the likes of We Will Survive, Still No Justice and the Luude & Mattafix cover Big City Life which saw the band get in amongst the crowd which was a great moment of unity.
Well played Regurgitator! Well played! I have lost count how many times I have seen Regurgitator play here in Adelaide but this is right up there with the best of them. Adelaide simply cannot get enough of Regurgitator and I reckon a second show would have sold out as well. Walking out to the iconic Sportsworld theme Fanfare For The Common Man was really cool and brought a few memories of that show. It was the iconic I Sucked a Lot of Cock to Get Where I Am that got the crowd jumping and singing a long to this one. New track Pest from Invader was followed by the likes of olden golden Miffy’s Simplicity and Couldn’t Do It. No stone was left unturned taking fans through the entire discography dusting off the likes of I Like It Like That (from the much revered and known as the Hamburger EP) and then staple Blubber Boy.
With a set list spanning over thirty songs there wasn’t much time to stop as there was plenty of music to get through. New addition to the line up Sarah Lim (guitar, keytar) is an awesome one allowing the band to flex even more muscle. Gems like The Drop, Distractions, Mountains and Tsunami were great to hear but it was crowd favourites Kong Foo Sing, F.S.O., Fat Cop and I Will Lick Your Arsehole that got the crowd going. Even at this point it was like hells bells, we’re not even half way through!
Hard to top the likes of I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff, Superstraight, Polyester Girl and Modern Life in amongst more recent tunes This Is Not a Pop Song and Cocaine Runaway. Quan asked if anyone could sing My Ego as he “couldn’t be fucked” but persisted anyway. Pretending to walk off and return the ‘Gurge came charging home with Blood and Spunk, I Wanna Be a Nudist and ! (The Song Formerly Known As) there is simply no way anyone could complain about getting their fill. Great show by much loved band Regurgitator.
Live Review By Rob Lyon