Review: GRINSPOON - Metro Theatre, Sydney
Bringing Whatever, Whenever, Wherever to The Metro Theatre
Tuesday 22nd October 2024
Written by: Jimmy Wah
Photographer: RA >> SEE PHOTOS <<
It was a beautiful Spring day, the sun was shining, the sky was crystal blue and the new King and Queen Consort were making an appearance at the Sydney Opera House forecourt. The public were so consumed by hysteria that a queue wrapped from the forecourt entrance, all the way around around Circular Quay, and beyond the Museum of Contemporary Art. Most onlookers would only be able to imagine the Royals’ presence because the crowd was so thick but even so, the excitement in the air was electric. So what could make this historic day even more memorable? How about GRINSPOON’s Sydney leg of the Whatever, Whenever, Wherever tour in 2024!
© Copyright: Rebecca Amy
Thanks to Daylight Savings, the sky was still blue when we entered The Metro Theatre at 7pm. The stage was cloaked with black sheets and the backdrop clearly read PRESS CLUB. The commotion on the floor began to build and was soon broken by punk music played over the in house PA. We didn’t wait long before shadowy figures appeared and the lights kicked in simultaneously with the drums. Lead guitar and bass flanked an impressive windmill of hair belonging to vocalist Natalie Foster, which was only outmatched by her cartwheels and incessant energy while the band held down the racing heartbeat of punk. PRESS CLUB have clearly become a well oiled machine at this stage in the tour, with Frank Lees on the drums, Greg Rietwyk on lead guitar and Iain Macrae on bass free to explore their stage persona while gliding through their songs. Natalie was already stepping over the barricade to mosh with the audience during the bridge of the third song, and the only thing interrupting her infectious energy was the break between tracks.
Pictured: Natalie Foster
Pictured: Greg Rietwyk
Pictured: PRESS CLUB
Pictured: Frank Lees
On one occasion she reminded us that there were “44 shows on this fucking tour” and having been reliably told by tour manager Mark Hosking while we were waiting out the front that this was the 21st show, I realised that they had not even reached the half way point! On another occasion she had to second guess herself while announcing that it was “…lovely to see you all here on a Tu-Tuesday?”, before slinging a guitar over her shoulder to prove that she was more than just a voice. With the mic on a stand it seemed like the music might slow down, but no… the rhythms kept coming and only grew more powerful as her voice opened up to fill the room. Finishing the set atop the barricade, Natalie drew upon a heartfelt connection with the crowd which continued after the music had stopped, with hugs for nearly everyone at the front row.
Pictured: Natalie Foster
Pictured: Natalie Foster
Pictured: Iain Macrae
Pictured: PRESS CLUB
Chilled out house music began during the interim before GRINSPOON appeared, while a seasoned audience and some extremely fresh faces filled the rest of the theatre. The set beneath the sheets on stage revealed a Whatever, Whatever themed setup complete with cardboard cut-outs, riser coverings, a backdrop and even a bass drum featuring art from their latest album. By 8.30pm, songs grew louder and more energetic, beginning with ‘Manah Manah’ by THE MUPPETS and ending with ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’ by KISS. 8.40pm rolled around and like clockwork, the lights went down, the crowd roared and GRINSPOON filtered onto the stage.
Kicking things off with the first single release ‘Unknown Pretenders’ from their new album, it felt like an already familiar song fitting into GRINSPOON’s live set like it had always been there. Don’t be fooled, just because they’re playing new stuff doesn’t mean they didn’t mix it up with a good dose of old favourites. ‘DCX3’, ‘Just Ace’ and ‘Rock Show (You Don’t Know Me)’ followed the opener, each beginning with a reliable fountain of beer from Phil Jamieson’s mouth as his charismatic energy locked in with the crowd. His flamboyant stage presence, leather jacket and pink nail polish were matched only by the unrivalled musicianship of Pat Davern on lead guitar, Joe Hansen on bass and Kristian Hopes obscured from view behind the drum kit. These guys are approaching 30 years together as a band with an unbroken line-up whilst their catalogue sounds fresher and slicker every time I see them.
Pictured: Phil Jamieson
Pictured: Pat Davern
Pictured: GRINSPOON
Pictured: Joe Hansen
I was almost fooled into thinking that the loyal GRINSPOON fans in the crowd would have slowed down over the years, but when ‘Lost Control’ kicked in I was proven wrong. My place at the front ensured that I was pinned firmly to the barricade as the mosh-pit broke out, beer was spilled, my shoes were ruined and crowd-surfing began. I looked to my left to see someone holding their phone extended high above the crowd with an active call clearly visible on the screen. I’m not sure if the music was more powerful than the audience chanting the lyrics but I hope whatever, whoever was on the other end of the line enjoyed the moment as much as we did. New tracks like ‘Never Say Never’ and ‘Nasty’ slotted into the set seamlessly but when familiar favourites like ‘Hard Act To Follow’ and ‘No Reason’ were played, you could be forgiven for thinking that the concrete floor of The Metro was a trampoline. The sentiment was echoed by Phil himself as he simply said “This is REALLY FUN man! Sydney, you guys are incredible.“
Pictured: GRINSPOON
Pictured: Phil Jamieson
Pictured: Phil Jamieson
Pictured: Kristian Hopes + Phil Jamieson
By the time the set was in full swing the music seemed to heighten with the energy of the crowd. Every new song, was accompanied by 3 or 4 hit singles and Phil continued to hype everyone up with his on stage antics. A sweet little duet took place between Phil and Natalie from PRESS CLUB, displaying moments of affection and turning ‘Underground (Hell on Wheels)’ into an instant classic. Phil’s story of losing an argument with Kris about tea-towels being added to the merch line, evolved into a story about distance, providing a fitting segue into ‘1000 Miles’ where the crowd went crazy. The energy was maintained until ‘Chemical Heart’ pulled on all of our strings, reminiscent of many of our teen years. When Phil announced the final song ‘Champion’ the floor erupted, my crisp white shoes were now noticeably scuffed, and the mass of us went crazy once again.
Pictured: Phil Jamieson + Natalie Foster
Pictured: Phil Jamieson
Pictured: Phil Jamieson
Pictured: GRINSPOON
Instead of playing an adult game of peekaboo and walking off for an encore, Phil simply said “One more?”. Having learned my lesson, I stepped aside to watch the crowd take the mosh-pit to a higher level than I’d seen all night as GRINNERS wrapped it up in a rain of red confetti with ‘More Than You Are’. Fond words were exchanged as everyone filtered out of one of the best GRINSPOON shows I think I’ve seen to date. A mid-week show called for an early finish and I saw that it was only 10.15pm. One thing’s for sure though, there’s gonna be a few days off on Wednesday!
If you haven’t already secured your tickets for the upcoming show in your area CLICK HERE
Photographer: RA
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