GRINSPOON – 170 RUSSELL – MELBOURNE – 05.11.2024
Review: Craig Eriksson. Photos: David Harris
Winners are Grinners! Ironically it is Melbourne Cup Day here and I’m not talking about the race that stops the nation. Grinners fans will know that I’m talking about iconic Aussie rockers GRINSPOON on their ‘Whatever, Whenever, Wherever’ Australian Tour.
Grinners have been travelling all around Australia on a gruelling forty-plus-date tour promoting their new album, Whatever, Whatever (2024). Tonight fans were fortunate to see their show at 170 Russell in Melbourne. Looking around the packed bandroom, the multi-generational crowd ranged from teenagers to old rockers, all mixed in together having the time of their lives.
Grinspoon are an Australian rock band from Lismore, NSW, formed back in 1995 and fronted by Phil Jamieson on vocals and guitar, Pat Davern on guitar and backing vocals, Joe Hansen on bass guitar and Kristian Hopes on drums. Their music can be described as grunge blended with indie-rock and alt-metal/hard rock.
I first saw Grinners live back in the late 90s when grunge was at its prime and have been following this band for almost 30 years, having seen them perform well over a dozen times at various festivals and live music venues. It is an experience within itself to attend a Grinners gig as they are an incredible live band known for their dynamic, energetic and thrilling shows leaving fans soaked to the core and craving for more.
The night kick started with the strong, powerhouse vocal delivery by Natalie ‘Nat’ Foster fronting the Melbourne indie punk band PRESS CLUB. Nat came out and tore up the stage, flinging her hair like a head-banger, commanding the stage and even did a cartwheel. Press Club put on an electrifying live punk rock show. This was the third time I’ve seen them and they are well on the rise in popularity playing songs like: EUGENE; HEADWRECK; SEPARATE HOUSES; SUBURBIA; NO PRESSURE and their latest release CHAMPAGNE & NIKES.
From the minute GRINSPOON stepped out on stage it was ‘Aussie Rock on Steroids.’
They opened with their latest release, UNKNOWN PRETENDERS with its explosive, fast driving guitar riffs by Pat and Joe and powerful drumming by Kristian that indicated instantly that you were in for a big night. Grinspoon had the crowd in the palm of their hands right from the moment they took stage.
Phil Jamieson wasted no time ripping it up and pushing the band to their limit with his high energy, flawless vocals, distinctive dance moves and charismatic smile, which seemed to be infectious judging by the crowd’s response. The connection Jamieson has with fans is second to none and you can see he loves every minute of it. It was then straight into DC x 3 (Dead Cat Three Times) from their debut album, Guide to Better Living (1998).
Grinspoon delivered a high energy, 2-hour rock show of non-stop anthems and hits. They mixed it up with a wonderful range of songs from their past albums and combined this with six songs from the new album.
Jamieson announced to the crowd that it has been 12 years since they last released an album and they’re incredibly excited to be out on the road travelling around Australia playing their new songs to their legion of fans. He also mentioned that they’ve never played at 170 Russell before and he loved the energy of the bandroom, which was noticeably jam packed. Not bad for a Tuesday night!
Grinners 8th studio album is an absolute ripper and is well worth a listen. It has high-impact riffing, Jamieson’s intense and emotional vocals, great drum work and catchy tunes.
It was great to hear them sing – UNKNOWN PRETENDERS; NEVER SAY NEVER; NASTY; (ILYSM); THE ONLY ONE along with a wonderful duet of UNDERGROUND with Natalie Foster from Press Club.
What truly amazes me is the amount of Grinspoon songs that fans absolutely love and enjoy. Throughout their show you hear a song and think to yourself, oh this is my favourite. Then the next song comes on and you think, no, actually this one’s my favourite and this pattern continues throughout the show until you realise they’re all your favourites.
The diversity of their songs creates a great show. You have the catchy, feel-good indie tune JUST ACE. The slow-paced, sing-a-long favourites – CHEMICAL HEART; NO REASON; HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. Then you have the full throttle songs like: LOST CONTROL; ROCK SHOW; CHAMPION. When Jamieson grabbed the acoustic guitar and sang BETTER OFF ALONE, his voice shined as he delivered a deeply emotional rendition of the song. Just when you think it couldn’t get any better than this, they performed a cover of INXS’ DON’T CHANGE with the packed bandroom singing along with glee.
To complete a perfect show, the encore, MORE THAN YOU ARE created total mayhem. Cannons were shooting out red confetti all over the stage and crowd as the mosh pit became a frenzy of body slamming, crowd surfing, hysterical fans.
It doesn’t get much better than this! Here they are almost 30 years on and Jamieson and the lads still continue to absolutely nail it with their shows leaving both old and new fans in total awe. I saw fans leaving the gig looking like crazed cats, grinning from ear to ear with excitement and exhilaration having just experienced an incredibly special show.
At the end of the night, Jamieson announced to the crowd that tonight’s show had been recorded for Triple J’s Live at the Wireless.
SET LIST:
- Unknown Pretenders – Whatever, Whatever (2024)
- DC x 3 – Guide To Better Living (1998).
- Just Ace – Guide To Better Living (1998).
- Rock Show (You Don’t Know Me) – Easy (2009)
- Lost Control – New Detention (2002)
- Never Say Never – Whatever, Whatever (2024)
- Nasty – Whatever, Whatever (2024)
- Hard Act To Follow – Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills (2004)
- No Reason – New Detention (2002)
- (ILYSM) – Whatever, Whatever (2024)
- Better Off Alone – Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills (2004)
- Secrets – Easy (2009)
- Ready 1 – Easy (2009)
- The Only One– Whatever, Whatever (2024)
- Underground (with Natalie Foster from Press Club) – Whatever, Whatever (2024)
- 1000 Miles – New Detention (2002)
- Don’t Change (INXS cover)
- Chemical Heart – New Detention (2002)
- Champion – Guide To Better Living (1998)
- More Than You Are – Grinspoon (EP) – 2007
