Hothouse Flowers, Mark Caplice @ The Gov, Adelaide 18/2/2026
Hothouse Flowers declared it was great to be back at “their home”, The Gov. They have played this iconic venue many times over the years and the faithful once again filled the room for an evening of infectious rock’n’roll with a fusion of Irish Folk and gospel music.
Mark Caplice is a multi-award-winning singer/songwriter, ironically also hailing from Ireland. He told us he secured the support slot after being in Adelaide months ago and asking strangers in the street where the best music venue is. They told him, The Gov so he ventured down and a Fleetwood Mac tribute band was on. “They were good” he told us “Then I saw a poster on the wall for the upcoming Hothouse Flowers show, so I contacted them and said I was available for the tour. They agreed to have me for the Australian tour”
With a thick Irish accent and easy charm, Mark started the set with Catch a Star followed by All in Your Head, which he introduced as “a song I wrote when I was hungover”. Being Irish, he naturally played a sad song and a touching song for all the mothers. He offered the crowd a choice between two songs; unsurprisingly, the drinking song, Carry You Home, a tribute to his grandfather, won the vote.
Before leaving the stage, he wished we all find happiness and urged us to enjoy the Hothouse Flowers. Having just moved Australia, let’s hope we see Mark Caplice back on the stage at The Gov again, soon. A wonderful performance.
Listening to the chatter during the break, I was definitely in the minority, this being my first ever Hothouse Flowers show. Taking to the stage with a warm “Hullo darlings” from frontman Liam Ó Maonlaí, the band stood in silence as he, looking splendid in a white suit, gently began An Raibh Tú Ar an gCarraig on piano. The room was hushed, absorbing each delicate chord as they resonated around the venue, the band gradually and tastefully joining him
The bands biggest Australian hit, I Can See Clearly Now came next to rapturous applause, lifting the energy. Hallelujah Jordon was an early highlight, the band in fine form. It was also at this point that the pristine sound quality became apparent—credit to the engineers, as every note rang out perfectly balanced.
For the remainder of the set the band shifted effortlessly between rocking out, slowing things down and smiling a lot. It was obvious they wanted to let the music do the talking, with minimal banter from Liam or any of the band members. Guitarists Fiachna Ó Braonáin and Peter O’Toole have been with the band since the beginning, drummer Dave Clarke since 1999, and Martin Brunsden since 2008 on what Ó Maonlaí jokingly called the “Swiss army knife” double bass, adorned with various musical attachments. Together, they are a well-oiled live machine.
One Tongue, Give it Up, Love Don’t Walk This Way and Isn’t It Amazing played out to a delighted audience. When Liam played Feel Like Living, it was just him on the piano and a solitary spotlight shining on him – utterly beautiful. The band surged back in with a powerful rendition of This is (Your Soul), bodies moving in time with the music on the floor. By now it was clear something special was unfolding, yet the night still had more to give. Gypsy Fair raised the energy further before the set closed with an extended Don’t Go, complete with band introductions and spirited solos from each player.
The band met centre stage and took a bow, but they were not going to go through with the leave the stage and come back routine. Instead, they calmly returned to their instruments while Ó Maonlaí addressed the audience about the state of the world, saying they play for love, not for the bombings and violence occurring globally. Liam spoke of peace, even while acknowledging how elusive it seems. It was a heavy moment, but one delivered with sincerity and purpose. He then requested a minute’s silence after the next song, the beautiful If You Go—and he received it. For a full minute, not a sound was heard in The Gov. Si Do Mhamo L bought the evening to a close and the band, after a centre stage bow again, departed the stage this time.
This is a show that will be talked about for years to come. The band delivered in spades and for all first timers like me, we will be eagerly awaiting their promised return.
Live Review by Geoff Jenke