Skindred, Future Static, Alt. @ The Gov, Adelaide 3/9/2026
The outgoing tune is Carly Simon’s Nobody Does It Better from a James Bond movie. Moments before, most of the venue had the shirts off, waving them manically in the name of the Newport Helicopter because a reggae metal crossover band from Wales, that recently had the number 1 album in the UK, said so. And that isn’t even the most surreal rock moment of the night.
It could’ve been the Adelaide royalty of Alt. shaking the foundations with half a new line up. It could’ve been Melbourne’s Future Static being a hand grenade wrapped in a silk cloth of power exploding in the faces of the Adelaide crowd. It could’ve been middle aged people bouncing in unison with teenagers, matching the energy with the headline band, to ‘Gimme That Bounce’. All of it was wild, untamed and a fucking great time.
Skindred are back in town and Benji Webbe’s band are an experience best seen live. Webbe doesn’t stop yapping all night. His energy infectious, his patter a mixture of an over excited kid practising to be a horse racing announcer. However, he is the master of ceremonies and has the crowd totally in his control.
It’s a crowd that had been suitably warmed up by two of Australia’s finest and diverse up and coming bands in Future Static and Alt.
The latter, Alt. have different ingredients added to the mix tonight, a new vocalist for example, which does create a new sound for the band yet maintain the musical polished power of before. Newer tracks like Replicate matching well with A.D.D. and a half hour set of mature tracks has the venue humming like the speakers the music is coming from.
Future Static are one the hardest working bands out there. The success of their hustle is evident tonight. They don’t play the stage as support; they play it as headliners. Dramatic, theatrical and earth shuddering. With a new album waiting to be unleashed, and the task of getting the crowd sweaty before Skindred, Amariah Cook and the band bring the heavy, suffocating grooves, the angel fighting the demon vocals and crowd that engages in pit work willingly.
New tracks Ornaments & Memories and Swing, sonically tease the step up the band are primed to make however that’s not to say Gasolina and the Liminality tracks are not fun. The guitars crush like collapsing buildings, the rhythm section pound like a weightlifter’s heartbeat and the theatrical performance of Cook, an award winning act.
Now that the crowd are sweaty and smelly, and trust me they are, Skindred arrive. Dressed in what I can only describe as a 70’s pimp jacket for lack of a better vocabulary, Benji Webbe and crew arrive for a little over an hour of metal, reggae, dance and fun, all for your pleasure.
A UK number 1 album in hand, a back catalogue spanning twenty years and a frontman who is criminally underrated, Skindred sprinkle the air with their magic and the venue transforms into a giant trampoline. This Is The Sound indeed.
Where do you start? Webbe’s mesmerising humour and stage presence as he flips from your friendly neighbour metalhead to raging war hero to Freddie Mercury within a few minutes in Rat Race. The cabaret of managing sections of the venue to sing certain parts only in Can I Get A. Getting hundreds of people during winter to take their tops off and wave them over their heads in Warning Some bands have that one song that is interactive, Skindred have a whole setlist.
While as a crowd member, it’s the most fun I’ve had at a show in a long time, the bands musicianship is serious. They sound like a band that knows what it wants to say and says it loud. The guitar is hair raising on the neck tantalising, the drums spine tingling and the songs so good they make you forget about daily life. Now That’s My Jam.
Adelaide is fortunate we got them early on this tour, however the fortunate ones are the east coast, because if you haven’t got a ticket yet, get one. I’m arguing this may be the most fun you’ll have this spring.
Live Review By Iain McCallum