The Screaming Jets @ TheGovernor Hindmarsh, Adelaide(23/01/09)

Wed 28th Jan, 2009 in Gig Reviews

Australia Day weekend at The Gov, time to drink piss and pledge allegiance to Aussie rock, and what better band to do it with than The Screaming Jets. A labor politician, who shall remain nameless, was spied among the punters violently shaking the remaining drops out of a can of premix, ensuring not a drop was wasted, what would the PM think! The promo girls, walking around with cans of Brand X syrupy piss appearing to be freebies, stung some unsuspecting blokes. Unfortunately for them the cans weren’t free and quicker than a peek at cleavage, the girls took the money for the now open cans, which would be savoured for a while if not for the price alone.

Adelaide’s Dangerous were the support tonight. A young band, but old enough to know better, they were sloppy musically and professionally. The only time the band could get a response from the crowd was by constantly mentioning of The Screaming Jets. They were clearly not used to playing their sub-standard retro rubbish to a crowd who were actually alive in the 80’s. The house music provided all the nostalgia this crowd needed. It may have been a coincidence or a cheeky sound tech, but when Iggy Pop’s I’m Bored came on directly after the band finished, it was brilliant.

The Jets literally blasted onto the stage, burning their way through at least 5 songs before a break. The drumming tonight was tight and power packed. The lounge jazz track Helping Hand was the crowd favourite tonight; the chorus made the entire dance floor erupt. Dave Gleeson’s stage performance is second to none, pulling faces for photo opportunities, jumping around and not to mention he can actually sing. There were punters barely able to stand by the end the set, which clocked in just shy of 2 hours, Gleeson however looked fit enough to go another two. The set ended with 1991’s Better, the interlude saw Gleeson have a patriotic rant, in which he laid it on 50 Cent, to the approval of the crowd. Rockin’ Rob Riley, of Rose Tattoo infamy joined the band on guitar for the encore set, which included The Birthday Party’s cover of Shivers.

In their second decade The Jets have amassed a sizeable back catalogue and legion of fans to boot. It’s hard to know who enjoyed tonight more, the fans or the band, either way a good night had by all.