Review: Pirate Life 10th Birthday @ Pirate Life Brewing 01/03/25
Pirate Life went all out for their 10th birthday bash, pulling together an incredible lineup of international and local acts, and we were there to catch all the action.
Words by Belinda Quick // Photos by Justin White
Pirate Life 10th Birthday w/Millencolin, Pennywise, Area 7, 28 Days & more @ Pirate Life Brewing 01/03/25
An American, a Swede and a sea of Australians walk into a Brewery. The bartender says, “What is this, some kind of joke?” The Australians reply, “Nah mate, this is a birthday party…”
So much of popular culture is fleeting. It's of a time and place, and while contributing vital threads to an era's tapestry, many icons represent an age we've moved beyond. As true for silly jokes as for social movements and music, it's a harsh reality that only the rarest talents will transcend generational divides, celebrate milestones that stretch across decades and contribute to a wider history.
On a sunny autumn Saturday, blessed with a light breeze that provides a reprieve from sharp rays, perfect conditions were set. Commemorating the 10th Birthday of Port Adelaide's Pirate Life Brewing, the former home to Froth & Fury Fest threw its doors open to South Australia's music fans once again, hosting a double bill featuring two of the most iconic exceptions to the aforementioned rule - Californian titans Pennywise and Sweden's punk stalwarts Millencolin.
Packing heat well before the headliners, a premium selection of local and Australian artists alternate across both the Main and Beer Garden stages, filling the regular weekend silence of the urban-industrial suburb. The opening slot belongs to The Note's winning ‘Home’ town act, ‘Likely Lads’ St Judes, while Frenzal Rhomb’s Jay & Lindsay round off an entertaining opening half.
Temperatures soar across the ‘Stockyard’ as Stabbitha & the Knifey Wifeys’ Sass Williams splits the day and scorching atmosphere with razor-sharp precision. In the vastly shadier beer garden, Brave Mistakes prepare to command the smaller stage while punters feeling the heat sip on PL’s newest beverage – an 8.8% Double Pale Ale beast. LOLA's Billy Burns questions, “Has everyone had enough beer yet?” Answered by a resounding “No!” it's definitely not ‘Game Over’ yet, although the ‘Farside’ inches ever closer already.
“We aren't supposed to be up here, but it's been a while since we caught up; how are ya, Adelaide?” Jay Dunne, vocalist of the legendary skater punk outfit 28 Days quips while soundchecking. Twice visiting in 2022, it's humorously noted that the last performances were at our eponymous university's UniBar and as part of another of SA's festivals celebrating brews and beats - Beer & BBQ Fest.
Serving a ‘Sucker’ punch straight up, the first fleet of crowd surfers escape the sinking ‘Sand’ of the moshpit and tumble over the barricade. Dunne’s voracious vocals are far from that of “a fucking 50-year-old man.” Flipping ‘The Bird’ and rocking side-to-side on stage, his presence takes us back to the gigs of decades past. “Thank you for supporting us all these years, we don't deserve but we appreciate you” never saying ‘Goodbye’. The Frankston four came here to ‘Rip It Up’ and that’s exactly what they did, 28 years later.
Area 7’s introductory Irish medlies and endless procession of members across the Main Stage play ‘Mind Games’. My reporting abilities are tested by the sheer activity of the band and brass line. I can thankfully rely upon my memories of the spectacular ska orchestra dating back to my first live concert experience in 1999 supporting Jebediah. I ‘Know Your Product’, Area 7!
The epic ‘Second-Class Citizen’ ignites imagery of my crowd surfing debut, as fellow elder millennials cascade over the barrier. ‘No Logic’, just passion, vocalist ‘Stevo’ reaches out for a call-and-echo to ‘Let Me Down'. Serendipitously, Young Offenders kick off in the Beer Garden as Lindsay McDougall is called to the stage for ‘Nobody Likes A Bogan’ - the iconic hit reminding us of our juvenile delinquencies. The Screaming Jets’ David Gleeson joins next for a cover of South Australia's The Angels classic ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’ (and obligatory reply of “no way, get fucked, fuck off”), unleashing chaos before ‘Bitter Words’ bid farewell.
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A sea of bodies swarms between silos and far back to the specially built viewing platform, a Noah’s Ark for today’s VIPs. Desperate to witness Pennywise’s ‘American Dream’, the ‘Same Old Story’ ensues in and out of the mosh - ‘Living for Today’, the ‘Perfect People’ of Adelaide tussle before the performance begins.
As the maelstrom intensifies, the Californians appear and ‘My God’ is the scene reminiscent of former days. Wearing beer like a ‘Badge of Honour’ in the whirlpool, no judgements are made on ‘Who’s to Blame’, but Pennywise recognise we’re not all as young as we used to be. Pause is taken to acknowledge “the legendary parents out there who raised their kids on punk rock!
Vowing to move to ‘My Own Country’ now theirs “has gone to hell,” we’re honoured with a rendition of Men at Work’s beloved anthem, ‘Down Under’. One of many songs that tell of our ‘Society’ and heritage, 30 years past but still “broken today,” the band challenges us to “get off the couch and do something to fucking fix it!”
The call to arms rallies the troops, creating crowd surfing chaos. Violence incited, Pennywise “open this place up” for the epitome of punk protest - ‘Fuck Authority’. A group singalong to ‘Stand By Me’ ending with the ultimate ‘Bro Hymn’, these legends are as powerful a political force now as they were, unbelievably, 37 years ago.
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Everyone, including Pennywise’s Jim Lindberg, “loves a Swede.” A country renowned for its tranquil beauty, it's always amazing to recall what a proud history of punk music Sweden has, with Millencolin one of the nation's finest examples. The ‘nice guys’ in the genre, the quartet are dedicated to producing timeless anthems and anticipation is building to high tide for their closing set.
Time ticking beyond the scheduled start, ‘SOS’ calls begin to circulate. My ‘Fingers Crossed’ for good luck, the ‘Penguins & Polarbears’ players storm the stage and make ‘Da Strike’ we’ve all waited for since 2019. Renowned like Aesop for their animalistic affinities, ‘Fox’ and ‘Man or Mouse' follow as Millencolin moves through tracks with the pace of an ‘Olympic’ sprinter. With a keen awareness of each other and the mood of the audience honed over generations, their execution is flawless.
Spirits buoyed on both sides of the stage by Pirate Life’s ‘True Brew’, Millencolin’s performance is the crowning achievement of a celebration worth its weight in gold ‘Bullion’. Far from ‘Lozin’ Must’, midway through the set “and in the middle of a fucking brewery,” temperatures radiate in the moshpit. Fiery behaviour receding into a ‘Ray’ of light for a shared moment of acapella, blends into a medley of music “dating back to 1996 when we first visited here.”
“The man who's going to drink Adelaide dry tonight,” Matthias Färm introduces Nikola Šarčević, “the heartbeat of this band” and the “genius behind Millencolin,” before breaking into “a few more songs” before ‘Farewell’. ‘Mr. Clean’ closing the main set, an encore of cult classic ‘No Cigar’ lights up the crowd for a final time.
Pouring out into the streets, revellers intoxicated by the moment rejoice. While time may age us, it ‘shall not weary them’ – the icons of culture, the musicians who soundtrack our history. Here’s cheers to them!
Check out the full gallery of Pirate Life’s 10th Birthday images here.
