I’m surprised to find that I can walk unhindered to the barrier between the public and the stage so snag myself a front row possie fifteen minutes before Melbourne-boys-done-good, Jet, make their appearance. While there are still a few small gaps in the stage’s forecourt, bodies line the first floor balcony; the excitement is palpable.

Right on the button (the scheduled 10.30pm) the house lights go down and a bongo drum beat starts up, echoed by a fully amplified bass drum and punctuated by static white lights. The quartet – Cameron Muncey (guitarist), Nic Cester (guitarist/frontman), Mark Wilson (bass) and Chris Cester (drums) – are joined on stage by touring pianist (and sometime percussionist) Louis Macklin.

Nic seemingly notices the trio of photographers clustered at his feet and poses on the lip of the stage allowing the shooters a few pre-sweat shots, while allowing himself a moment to scope the crowd and absorb their adoration. As he positions himself behind the microphone – flanked by Cameron and Mark – the drum intro peaks and leaps straight into Rip It Up and onto Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is both from second album Shine On.

While Chris lets the arms run free in a t-shirt, Cameron, Mark and Nic line up with tidy jackets and sharp haircuts. As the warm crowd screams and whoops in appreciation Nic reminds them, “We’re the rock and roll band Jet from right fucking here and we’re so glad to be home so thank you.”

An offering from record number three, She’s A Genius, comes next and see’s Nic perching on his foldback, holding his guitar head up before another declaration of how glad they are to be back in Melbourne town for Christmas.

It strikes me that this is essentially – after an exhausting year of touring – the official Jet Christmas break-up. I imagine that the next few days will be spent lounging around in their parent’s backyards talking a bit of shit over a few cold beers and prawns, just like the rest of us. It is clearly a nice feeling for these far-flung rockstars to be back in suburbs and they make it known repeatedly throughout their twenty-song set.

Now, there’s nothing overly mysterious about Jet: they play good rock and roll and have enjoyed astronomical success because of it. Having never seen them live before, though, the revelation for me is how much they share on stage and how easy their musical relationships tend to be. While Cameron and Mark seem reasonable serious in the first third, Nic is utterly charming; altogether engaging and attentive, seeming just as keen to get to know his audience as they are to know him.

This is evidenced as Chris takes over vocal duties on Beat On Repeat leaving Nic to execute a wobbly straddle of the photographers pit, where he eventually stands on the crowd barrier (albeit with bouncers clutching the back of his knees) and peers out into the crowd’s eyes.

Louis is introduced officially, then introduces Walk (from this year’s Shaka Rock ) on piano before ambulating bass drum kicks in; Get What You Need (from 2003’s smash debut Get Born ) has Nic raising a glass of red to a fan in the front row before Jet get the crowd clapping along; Nic focusing on the venues second tier of crossed arms (who dutifully clap, before resuming the classic Melbourne arm cross).

Come Round Again a song written in a Mentone backyard by 16-year-old Nic and Cameron is sung by the latter who is still looking unruffled in a neat leather jacket and Alex Kapranos-esque (ie, stylish) haircut. Nic grins, telling a patron in a Dingley Football Club shirt, “Nice touch” and the set list takes a turn toward the more mellow before Chris chips in, lyrically, again on Skin and Bones. Not surprisingly, Chris’ voice is of a similar ilk to Nics, with a bit more of an edge than Cameron’s sweet, low vocal.

Through Take It Or Leave It, and Black Hearts (On Fire) – for which Mark takes up a cowbell; how I do love the cowbell – it strikes me how effortless it seems for this band. Black Hearts (On Fire) could go off at Pony Bar, or set Wembley Stadium alight but these guys are just blokes who like guitar music: as Nic sings the opening line, and the crowd drowns him out on the next, he drops his head in mock dejection at being made redundant.

Picking up a tambourine he announces, “It’s time. Are you ready?” and anyone on the planet who has a passing interest in pop culture could predict what’s coming next. The crowd duly screaming, Nic again asks, this time mirroring the scream of the audience, “Are you READY?!” before Are You Gonna Be My Girl – the song that made the world fall in love with them – is embraced. Jet drags this one out – even stopping half way through the tune so Nic can towel dry his hair, and have it patted into place by Mark, drawing a laugh from the room.

Once Nic is pleased with his coif, he screams “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” as drumsticks and axes flail all around him. Cameron props a leg on his foldback as he happily drops that universally known phrasing onto his fretboard.

Seventeen (off Shaka Rock ) is fresh – with Nic utilising more straight singing on a kind melody – highlighting their onstage connection as they all look to each other, waiting out the crescendo with instruments poised and knees bent. They don’t miss a beat before thumping into Cold Hard Bitch; at it’s end Nic again raises his glass of red to Melbourne before balancing on Chris’ bass drum to face his brother. There’s no way to tell who’s giving cues and who’s receiving them but it’s soon over and they all exit stage – Chris piffing his drumsticks into the mosh – to wait out their encore.

Back they come – Nic in a fresh t-shirt and a happy frame of mind – to knock over Goodbye Hollywood (which is a bit MOR for me, makes me feel like this encore could go forever) and the classic singalong Look What You’ve Done (which has drunken couples pashing and crooning all around me). Times Like This picks up the pace and last but not least – despite having the time of their lives, ahead of a few days off catching up with relo’s in sunny Melbourne – Jet rock it out one last time for 2009 with Get Me Outta Here. Great show. Merry Christmas!

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