SPLIT ENZ – ROD LAVER ARENA – MELBOURNE

SPLIT ENZ – ROD LAVER ARENA – MELBOURNE – 13.05.2026
Review: Craig Eriksson. Photos: Jason Rosewarne.

It was such a nostalgic trip down memory lane attending Split Enz – Forever Enz reunion tour last night at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Having already played their home turf of New Zealand in 2026, this was their first Australian show since they last played in Melbourne twenty years ago. They now offered a new generation of fans the opportunity to see them perform their timeless classics, with a superb production and a killer 22-song setlist that celebrated their colourful career.

Split Enz formed in Auckland, New Zealand back in 1972 and are famous for their flamboyant art-rock theatrical shows, unique fashion, make up and teased hair. As a young boy, I remember in the late 70’s seeing Split Enz perform I SEE RED on Molly Meldrum’s Countdown TV music show and loved their quirkiness and energy. The first record (single) I ever bought with my pocket money and still own is I GOT YOU which was released in 1980 when I was 13 years old. Who would ever have thought back then that 46 years later I would be at a Split Enz concert.

It was an evening of brothers and sisters. The support act were singer-songwriter sisters VIKA & LINDA (Bull) from our hometown (Melbourne), who said they were thrilled to support their childhood heroes. They delivered a soulful and harmonious 9-song set that warmed up the crowd perfectly, opening with a Paul Kelly cover of BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR. Standout songs were RAISE YOUR HAND and PIGFACE AND CALENDULA. Vika announced they have a new album coming out on 5 June 2026 called WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?. They offered us a small taste of the record, singing 3 songs, including the title-track along with BLISS and THAT’S HOW I PRAY. Their set also included The Black Sorrows hit NEVER LET ME GO.

During the break, a giant red drape covered the full length of the stage as they played early black and white footage of Split Enz, showcasing the band’s history. The lights dimmed, a quirky instrumental played as the band shuffled out on to the stage shrouded under a gold fabric sheet, which was then whipped away to reveal the band. The band included four of the original members (Tim & Neil Finn, Noel Crombie and Eddie Rayner) and they were joined by Matt Eccles on drums and James Milne on bass guitar.

The crowd erupted and Split Enz launched into the high-energy SHARK ATTACK, which is the opening track from the 1980 breakthrough album True Colours. The frenzied intensity of this song still lives on and the band were wearing their iconic primary-coloured geometric suits designed by band percussionist Noel Crombie.

The upbeat anthem HISTORY NEVER REPEATS from Corroboree (1981) showcased the Finn brothers’ melodic vocals and the crowd sang along with so much jubilation, clearly a fan favourite. This followed with Tim Finn providing lead vocals on POOR BOY with Eddie Rayner performing an ethereal keyboard solo. Before the show, I was sceptical about Tim Finn’s vocals as there had been criticisim of his last tour here, suggesting that he couldn’t reach the high notes anymore, but personally I thought his voice sounded fine, especially on TIME FOR A CHANGE. The catchy and high-energy NOBODY TAKES ME SERIOUSLY thrilled the crowd too. Hearing their big hits like DIRTY CREATURE and SIX MONTHS IN A LEAKY BOAT from Time and Tide (1982) were two of their best songs of the evening in my opinion along with ONE STEP AHEAD from Corroboree (1981), which took me way back to my youth.

This nostalgic show brought so much enjoyment to all those in attendance and at times felt like one giant harmonious pub choir, with literally everyone singing along to the majority of their songs. Hearing all those huge hits from their iconic True Colours (1980) album was a highlight and special mention goes out to Neil Finn who was outstanding on guitar, as was Eddie Rayner, a maestro on piano/keyboards. Noel did a wonderful job on percussion and even threw in a guitar, drum and spoon solo.

One of many standout songs was MESSAGE TO MY GIRL which was stunning. Neil Finn wrote this beautiful love ballad and dedicated it to his wife Sharon and you could feel the emotional weight of this song as he performed it with such heartfelt emotion and sincerity.

The large cinematic backdrop displayed the band on each end of the screen and combined with the impressive graphics behind them, created a spectacular visual experience for the audience. During the instrumental DOUBLE HAPPY, the song was accompanied by a video montage of Noel Crombie’s costumes and transformations over the years. MATINEE IDYLL (129) from Second Thoughts (1976) was the song that apparently persuaded Neil Finn to join the band and MY MISTAKE had Crombie clowning about on guitar. HARD ACT TO FOLLOW was their heaviest song of the show and highlighted the quality musicianship of the band. I SEE RED saw the crowd erupt and leap up out of their seats to dance and sing. However, I GOT YOU was the biggest singalong of the evening, taking everyone back to their adolescent days.

The 3-song encore commenced with a thrilling SPELLBOUND from Mental Notes (1975), before Tim Finn took the spotlight for a stunning version of I HOPE I NEVER, which gave me goosebumps. The show ended with STRAIT OLD LINE from Conflicting Emotions (1983), a fun way to end the show and a celebration of this fabulous reunion, with Crombie performing his signature spoon solo.

The Forever Enz show proved that the Split Enz catalogue has really stood the test of time and the band remains just as popular today as they were back in the day. If you want to experience one of their shows, the Split Enz Forever Enz Tour Dates 2026 are:

Melbourne: Rod Laver Arena – Thu 14 May 2026
Brisbane: Brisbane Entertainment Centre – Sat 16 May 2026
Sydney: TikTok Entertainment Centre – Mon 18 & Tue 19 May 2026
Perth: RAC Arena – Fri 22 May 2026
Adelaide: Adelaide Entertainment Centre – Mon 25 May 2026

SET LIST:

SHARK ATTACK
HISTORY NEVER REPEATS
POOR BOY
NOBODY TAKES ME SERIOUSLY
GIVE IT A WHIRL
DIRTY CREATURE
TIME FOR A CHANGE
ONE STEP AHEAD
WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU
MESSAGE TO MY GIRL
DOUBLE HAPPY
STUFF AND NONSENSE
MATINEE IDYLL (129)
MY MISTAKE
HARD ACT TO FOLLOW
PIONEER
SIX MONTHS IN A LEAKY BOAT
I GOT YOU
I SEE RED