CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS HERE.

Eskimo Joe are back. Touring nationally with their 4th album Inshalla they rolled out a tight show with plenty of bang for your buck bringing fellow westerners Bob Evans and Steve Parkin along for the ride.

Steve Parkin had the unusually early start time of 7:30pm, even though I arrived at 7:20pm queues to get past security meant I missed all but half of one on his songs. He was only on stage for 12 minutes! The room was near empty apart from a few pubescent teenagers keen to get their spot front and centre for the main act. The fact that the venue left the house light on full ball as well didn’t help the atmosphere at all but hey ho.

Bob Evans casually sauntered to centre stage without any fuss, few people even noticed and went straight into Sadness and Whiskey. The house lights were still up and the room relatively empty, which I found surprising as Bob Evans aka Kevin Mitchell is a well known singer/songwriter in his own right. It took the familiar lines of Pasha Bulker for bodies to drag themselves into the room to see what was going on. Swigging SA red from the bottle he thanked Eskimo Joe early and was surprised people applauded this but fittingly launched into Friend.

Bob Evans plays inoffensive pop and sometimes seems to be in his own world but it works. Aptly assisted by some talented musicians in particular Hugh Jennings who swapped from Bass to Flute to Accordion all during the space of Don’t You Think It’s Time? and his keyboardist who solo was really great, he played a mixed setlist with many songs from his Suburban Songbook album as well as the favourites from Goodnight Bull Creek. Kevin being the lovely gent that he is spent the time in between sets signing at the merch desk for those who were too young to be in the beer queue.

It was the familiar Turkish loop of Foreign Land that signified that Eskimo Joe were kicking things off with a bang! Applause and screams filled the near packed Thebbie. Joining Kav Temperley, Stu MacLeod and Joel Quartermain were a touring drummer and keys/ guitarist. This gave them a more powerful sound in the live forum.

Since seeing them playing on the uni circuit back in their Girl days you can really appreciate just how far these 3 lads who won a Battle of the Bands competition have come! In case anyone was in doubt over who they were seeing Kav announced after Foreign Land “we are Eskimo Joe”.

Sarah , New York and London Bombs followed, the latter getting a massive response. It was a big production show with lights, big screens and movies. A couple of times Kav mentioned Adelaide was where songs came to die. It was debated as to whether it had been 4, 12 or 30 years since they had played it but were bringing it back to life tonight and the old fans were treated to the Sydney Song, later we got Wake Up.

Pressure was where to boys acetated as to which album their fan base had come from and this proved what everyone already knew, that Black Fingernails Red Wine launched them into mainstream success. The boys showed what versatile musicians they are by constantly swapping instruments with Joel being the slut of the group playing guitar, keys drums and generally anything he could get his hands on!

They have a fine tuned set list that builds you up then brings you down before elevating you once more. Friendly banter and stories mingled between songs and the boys seemed to genuinely being enjoying themselves, at times it did appear a little too choreographed but no one seemed to mind in fact they lapped it up.

Black Fingernails Red Wine easily got the biggest reception of the night the boys confidently exited the stage awaiting their encore, returning with Just Kav initially on acoustic guitar for I’m So Tired before being joined by the others.

Life Is Better With You was simply hilarious, EJ was joined by Steve Parkin, Bob Evans Band and Mr Bob Evans himself dressed in a nude negligee sunglasses and head wrap.

Finishing tonight with From The Sea before seamlessly moving into Icehouse’s We Can Get Together I am sure there was many a lady among us who had hoped to get together with the lovely males before us, sorry girls they are all taken.

Eskimo Joe have clearly come a long way and tonight proved why they are currently one of Australia’s top bands.

SETLISTS:

BOB EVANS
Sadness and Whiskey
Pasha Bulker
Friend
Don’t Walk Alone
Goodnight Bull Creek
Nowhere Without You
Hand Me Downs
Don’t You Think It’s Time?

ESKIMO JOE
Foreign Land
Inshalla
Sarah
New York
London Bombs
The Sydney Song
Pressure
Childhood Behaviour
Falling For You (intro)
Falling For You
Loosing Friends Over Love
Wake Up
Older Than You

Encore

I’m So Tired
Life Is Better With You (feat Steve Parkin, Bob Evans & Band)
From The Sea
We Can Get Together.

CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS HERE.