Jon Stevens, The Vandastruts @ Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide 10/7/2026

The ladies were out in force for a spectacular night of classic rock and roll, making up roughly seventy five percent of a near-capacity crowd at the Thebarton Theatre—presumably leaving partners at home on babysitting duty. The impressive turnout proved once again that live music remains a massive draw in Adelaide.

First up was a band I didn’t know, but one that left an unforgettable impression after a blistering thirty-minute set: The Vandastruts.

Hailing from Wollongong, this young outfit plays the kind of no-frills rock and roll that would have packed out any Australian beer barn in the ’70s and ’80s, channeling the raw energy of Billy Thorpe and The Angels, amongst others. Yet, they manage to bring that classic sound firmly into the present, drawing comparisons to modern heavyweights like Airbourne and Wolfmother.
The bar was set incredibly high with the blistering opener, Cigarettes & Champagne and fortunately for band and audience, it was never lowered. This was their first time in Adelaide and according to the lead singer, Kayne Micallef “On this tour with Jon, first time in a lot of places”.

Lucy Lu absolutely rocked and their version of Arthur Crudup’s That’s Alright, Mama, (made famous by Elvis), was electrifying, complete with a guitar break that Elvis’s guitarist, Scotty Moore would be proud of. Some infectious boogie in I’m not Playing made it feel like it was 1975 all over again – and yes, I can remember 1975.

The band had read the Rock and Roll Manual 101, and ticked all the boxes: a mini drum solo during No Good, strategic use of feedback, taking one’s shirt off, foot on foldback speakers while shredding guitar and getting the whole room up on their feet, clapping, all the while playing loud, heavy bruising music. The drummer didn’t hit the drums; he attacked them flawlessly, maintaining the thunderous beat even after dropping a stick.

Final song, Into the Unknown also gave us some of Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love, which the crowd loved. Although at times sounding like a nostalgia band, they are far from it, pushing the boundaries of their gritty rock into the late 2020’s. Later in the night, headliner Jon Stevens told the audience “We are a live band. We are a dying breed”. Respectively, Jon I have to disagree. You only need to look at your support band to see that live music has a phenomenal future in the hands of artists like The Vandastruts.

Jon Stevens is rightly recognised as one of the most talented rock musicians to emerge from the Australian rock scene. He has had phenomenal success as a solo artist, and was also the lead singer of major rock acts Noiseworks, INXS and The Dead Daisies. Tonight was all about Noiseworks and INXS.

Opening with I Send a Message, a wall of smartphones immediately lit up the room. It felt like a deliberate statement of intent for the high-octane set ahead. Noiseworks’ Voice of Reason quickly followed, flowing straight into New Sensation. Stevens and his band weren’t here to waste time chatting; they were here to play.

The songs flowed effortlessly between Noiseworks to INXS and it wasn’t until Touch was being played, Jon paused for a “Good to be here tonight, how are you feeling?”. The verdict? We were feeling fine. The band sailed through Burn for You, Miles and Miles and What you Need. They were a well-oiled machine, after playing twenty dates already. However the regular keyboard and sax player had to leave the tour for the birth of his child, but his replacement didn’t miss a beat, nailing some brilliant, soaring sax solos

“We were here in 1986 and here we are in 2026. Same shit, different year” Stevens joked as Love Somebody sounded out around the room. The twin guitar attack from Simon Hosford and Troy Downward was exceptional. These two have a pedigree as long as your arm having played with artists like Daryl Braithwaite, Electric Mary, Tim Rogers and lots more. Behind them, drummer Johnny Salerno and bassist Christopher Bekker held the entire engine room together with a rock-solid backbeat.

It wasn’t just a greatest-hits parade. Heart and Soul from the Noiseworks catalogue got a welcome airing, with the band pouring immense emotion into the performance. The crowd gave that love right back, with shouts of “Love you, Jon!” echoing throughout the night—including one enthusiastic male in the audience.

A sign of the times perhaps, was when a roadie bought out a cup of tea for Jon. Or was it? “Do you want to know what’s in the cup?” asked Jon. “I don’t know what it is but it is sure great”. Never Tear Us Apart prompted an audience sing-a-long but alas, not a Port Power scarf in sight. Jon offered a humble “God bless you Michael” after the song though. “A song for our prime Minister’ naturally led to No Lies and red lights bathed the stage for Devil Inside.

Hot Chilli Woman showed Jon still had that signature “scream” and after an electrifying Don’t Change, Jon raises his cup of tea to the crowd and exits the stage.

Encore consisted of By My Side, Freedom, Kick and an explosive Take me Back before a “peace and love” from Jon as he exited the stage for the last time. The band stayed on and delivered a captivating heavy outro that left the people screaming for more.

Well done Jon on bringing a young, rising band in The Vandastruts along as support, giving them the chance to play bigger rooms and reach more people. But mostly, credit goes to Jon Stevens for delivering a magnificent night of rock nostalgia. It served as a brilliant reminder of just how many timeless anthems Noiseworks and INXS contributed to the soundtrack of our lives.

Live Review By Geoff Jenke