Best Gig Ever
We asked nine Adelaide City venues to nominate the one gig that stands out as their best-ever – and tell us what made it so awesome.
Image by Nash Blight
Tam Boakes, Owner of Jive
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
I’d have to name West Thebarton (these guys have played at Jive a lot, and it was a privilege to watch them grow); Tame Impala on February 22, 2009 (you knew you would only see this gig in a small room once!); The Cat Empire, November 16, 2003 (there was literally sweat dripping from the ceiling); Marlon Williams July 2, 2015 (an impeccable performer – made my spine tingle); and Art Vs Science December 6, 2019 (another band who played at Jive earlier in their career and went on to play some very big venues and festivals).
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
Nile Rodgers & Chic, April 6, 2018.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
They were in town supporting Lionel Richie and wanted to play their own secret sideshow. Jive was recommended to them, their people checked out the room and it all happened very quickly from there. It sold out in a minute, not surprisingly.
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
I mean, it’s Nile Rodgers! You never expect to get an opportunity to see an act like that in an intimate room. It was an exceptional night. I’ve never experienced a gig of such pure joy from the artists and the audience.
How did the set round out?
They played for around two hours, at one point having to do a medley because they have so many songs in their catalogue. When Nile entered the room for sound check he said, “Wow, this reminds me of Studio 54.” Nile is a lovely person who lives for his music and is extremely friendly, and it was quite hard to get him off the stage. Driller was DJing and played INXS’ ‘Original Sin’ after the set – Nile ran back on stage saying, “I made this song!” and sang along for the whole track.
Want to share your next ‘don’t-miss’ gig?
Jive’s 20th Birthday weekend, June 9 and 10, 2023.
Symon JarowYJ, Co-Owner Grace Emily Hotel
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
It’s hard to narrow our greatest gigs to a few but would have to say Justin Townes Earle, Draught Dodgers and Los Chicos.
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
My absolute favourite gig would be Caitlin Harnett & The Pony Boys in early 2022.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
Prior to this gig, the pub had gone through a couple of years of dealing with COVID restrictions, and then in early 2022 had to shut for a couple of months due to not being offered any public liability insurance. Things were at a pretty low point. Finally, I got some insurance and restrictions had eased, so things were looking up. It was the first interstate gig booked for the year, so it was a bit of a sleeper.
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
When Caitlin and the band rocked up, they had no interest in hanging out in the green room and proceeded to knock back a lot of booze, just wanting to hang with the punters and soak in the atmosphere. This set the tone for the night… and when they got on stage, they absolutely killed it! The crowd was fixated on them. I remember watching and thinking that I’ve finally got my pub back. No more seated shows and crowd restrictions and finally people were allowed to dance. Something that was normal pre-COVID was suddenly very special.
How did the set round out?
After exhausting all their originals for encores, they covered ‘Wicked Game’ by Chris Isaak. Caitlin didn’t know all the words, but no one gave a shit. After the gig, Caitlin mentioned she thought things went pretty well, and my reply was, “I reckon you’ve made my top five gigs for the pub,” which was surprising to her. Little does she know that, upon reflection, it is now my favourite.
Want to share your next ‘don’t-miss’ gig?
A local act called Djawbreaker. We don’t have a date booked yet but we’re sorting something for July/August. They would be my favourite Adelaide band over the last few years.
Matt Tredrea, Crown & Anchor Bar Manager
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
Among the best shows I ever saw at the Cranker, Spencer P. Jones comes to mind. He was a legendary Australian pub rock guitarist, and I think it was his last Adelaide gig before he passed. Honourable mentions also to Hydromedusa, for every time I saw them; and Ricky Albeck and friends, for doing a covers night of American folk singer, Michael Hurley. It was everything you want a front bar acoustic gig to be.
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
Kid Congo and The Pink Monkey Birds – August 2016.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
It was always going to be a ripper. St. Morris Sinners were first up, followed by Tex Perkins’ band The Ape, which also has Raúl from Magic Dirt on guitar. It was totally sold out and hard to move in there. If you dared to get a beer, you lost your spot.
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
The mere presence of Kid Congo Powers – someone from a legendary band like The Gun Club – was enough to bring the house down. He’s an old dandy, always smartly dressed, suited up with an old fur hunting cap, if I recall. They were touring on the back of their record La Araña Es La Vida (there’s not a weak track on the whole album) but also throwing in a Gun Club cover here and there. Perfect pub rock vibe, jangling guitars and fuzz, a fusion of rockabilly punk and psych without actually being as pretentious as that sounds.
How did the set round out?
Kid Congo’s a real character so the stage banter was great – whimsical without a hint of cringe. The gig ended and everyone kind-of filtered out with that glazed look of shock and joy you only see after the best shows. I’m a big Tex Perkins fan, so getting to hang out for a few beers with him after the show was excellent. He’s a genuinely cool dude and I didn’t even get sweaty and quiet like I usually do with famous people.
Want to share your next ‘don’t-miss’ gig?
Can’t say too much, but people should keep the weekend of June 10-11 clear as the Cranker has a rather big milestone coming up…
Damien Kelly, Co-Owner The Metro
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
Twerps and Hit the Jackpot, Old Mate and Matt Banham, in 2011 – an awesome line-up and a great night. I was privileged to have seen the Twerps. Hank Wood and the Hammerheads (USA) and Hydromedusa in 2018. It was a Sunday night and these guys broke the record for payers, which still stands at 153. Absolutely killed it! Also, The Fighting League, No Action and Mountain Blood in 2012 – the best on-stage banter ever.
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
So tough to name this, but I’m going with what essentially began as a launch for a Friends recording on June 13, 2010. A Sunday night.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
We knew it would be a good gig. Friends were an awesome band and the supports (possibly Rule of Thirds) were strong. We had tied it into the first Socceroos game of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, which started at 4am the next day.
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
We added an all-star local covers band to play between 1am and 3am called The Crying Game. It was the perfect party vibe to extend the night to the kick-off.
How did the set round out?
Friends were awesome, and many joined The Crying Game in belting out some classics, glasses in hand. Sadly, the Socceroos were soundly beaten by Germany, but it was the first and only time The Metro traded for 24 hours. I got the 8am bus home.
Want to share your next ‘don’t-miss’ gig?
RAT BAIT and Sparrow, May 20. Hardcore is back, baby. I think some of the Uglies are in RAT BAIT.
Gareth Lewis, Co-Owner UniBar Adelaide
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
UniBar ADL has been hosting gigs since the ’70s, so it’s seen a few good ones. I’d have to mention Blink 182 (playing to less than 100 punters), Powderfinger, Violent Soho, Midnight Oil, and Silverchair. Since re-opening post-Covid, the first legitimate, unrestricted full houses couldn’t have been further apart in style: Huskii and You Am I.
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
Amyl & The Sniffers in July 2022 will be remembered for a long time! The band was already well on the up and the 500-capacity UniBar is the smallest venue they had played for a while – and potentially will play for the next decade.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
It was always going to be a fast one – it sold out in a few hours on the back of a social media post without even a Facebook event page being created. They could have sold the venue four times over.
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
The show was a Thursday and just happened to be the night the finale of Neighbours was airing. Of course, being proud Victorians, the band are stoic Neighbours devotees and asked during their load-in if there was an area we could set up for them to watch the finale. We put them in the old upstairs UniBar with couches, big TV, snacks and their rider and locked the door! I returned upstairs as the credits were rolling on the final episode and the whole band was in tears, hugging and consoling each other. It was the most non-rock-n-roll moment I have seen. Lead singer Amy Taylor looked at me, tears having ruined her stage makeup, and said, “How the fuck are we supposed to be rock stars tonight?”
How did the set round out?
The show was a cracker, with a full house of truly appreciative music fans. The band ripped through it and were off-stage in 50 minutes with the Neighbours theme song blaring through the PA. Their walk-off music baffled almost everyone in the crowd except me and the UniBar crew.
Want to share your next ‘don’t-miss’ gig?
Some amazing emerging talent coming out of SA: Stiff Necks on May 20. Also Windwaker and Caskets (UK) on July 21.
CHET O’BRIEN-TILBROOK, Promoter Rocket Bar (2015-2018)
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
Rocket Bar has featured plenty of recognisable names including Skrillex, Flume, Violent Soho, Flying Lotus, FKJ, Roy Ayres, Hiatus Kaiyote, The Presets, Flight Facilities and Chet Faker – pioneers of their craft and some of the biggest shows Adelaide has seen.
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
Stones Throw Records’ 20th-year anniversary tour with Peanut Butter Wolf, J-Rocc, Egyptian Lover and MNDSGN – September 2016.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
There was a lot of heat on it from when we announced, selling out a month before the gig. It was definitely an expensive gig. I don’t think we made any money on the tickets, but with Rocket Bar’s rich music history, we had to secure the show
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
Four incredible artists under the one roof, all playing back-to-back. Need I say more? The most memorable part was how stressed I was to make sure it all ran smoothly with so many DJ rig changes between sets. Everyone had a different setup! Second to that was Egyptian Lover mixing a record in reverse that he was manually spinning back on the platter into another track. Wild! Didn’t miss a beat
How did the set round out?
From memory, Peanut Butter Wolf played overtime. He had the whole audio-visual set going on, so everyone’s eyes were glued to the stage/projector screen. By that time, I was relieved it was over, and that it had all run smoothly. Myself and LL Cool Dre jumped on after PBW and kept it going till 5am.
Saige Prime, Creative Content Manager at Five Four Entertainment, Lion Arts Factory
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
One of our favourite things is hosting an artist right before they catapult to a massive level. For that reason, we’d have to say Tones and I, Lime Cordiale and G Flip – purely because we got to see these global stars in our main room before they well and truly blew up!
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
Genesis Owusu, Smiling With No Teeth Tour, May 1, 2021.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
It was a gig that took place during COVID-19 restrictions which meant limited tickets. The demand was high, and despite being a reduced capacity show, the energy was palpable. Genesis was on the steady rise and people were buzzing with excitement for both him and the prospect of a live gig after so much uncertainty around music events.
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
Three words: WHAT – A – SHOW. If you’ve ever seen Genesis Owusu perform live, then you know exactly what we mean. The energy, the connection with the crowd, the lyricism, the charisma – need we go on? Watching Genesis Owusu navigate the Lion Arts Factory stage so masterfully in front of a heaving crowd was a memory we’ll never forget. Not to mention we always love a show with confetti…
How did the set round out?
It wasn’t quite at the end of the set, but one thing that really sticks out to us was when a patron experienced a medical episode. Genesis Owusu stopped the show and followed the patron outside to make sure they were okay. He didn’t resume until he was certain the person was all good. That type of artist deserves all the hype in the world, and we can’t wait to see more from him!
Want to share your next ‘don’t-miss’ gig?
We’re getting geared up for Floodlights’ Painting Of My Time Tour. They’re headlining at Lion Arts Factory on May 27!
Tom Cumming, Marketing Manager at Five Four Entertainment, Hindley Street Music Hall
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
Honourable mentions go to Yung Gravy, Ashnikko and – of course – Vengaboys! One of our big missions since opening as a venue is to put Adelaide in the minds-eye of international artists, so it’s been a pleasure to host these international acts.
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
Kehlani, Blue Water Road Trip Tour, Sunday, January 29, 2023.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
Excitement for this show was through the roof! Tickets sold really early, which we know in Adelaide is not always the case. Kehlani had also never been to Adelaide for a headline show, so there was definitely a lot of buzz.
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
The moments that really stuck out for us were the ones between songs. Kehlani has so much personality and they had us in stitches with the jokes they were cracking throughout the night. There were also deeply personal moments that helped the audience better connect to the songs.
How did the set round out?
The set rounded out with an inspirational spiel from Kehlani about strength and independence. They followed with an open-ended question about who was partying after the gig. They closed their final song at the barrier, interacting with all the fans and taking photos. Kehlani is a superstar!
Want to share your next ‘don’t-miss’ gig?
Our next don’t-miss gigs are happening this month! Mallrat on May 13 and The Jungle Giants on May 20.
Jake Phillips, Director of Operations and Marketing at Crippen Place, Electric Circus
Ok, warm us up – give us your ‘honourable mentions’ for best ever gig.
After Electric Circus’ 20 years of operation this year, the artist list is one to marvel at. The biggest artists in the world have stepped foot in the basement at one stage or another, including Calvin Harris, Chris Lake, Chris Lorenzo, Alison Wonderland, Diplo, Green Velvet, Dom Dolla, Afrojack, The Bloody Beetroots, Justice, Ruby Rose, AC Slater, Dillon Francis, Anna Lunoe, What So Not, Boys Noize, Deborah De Luca… the list goes on and on. That’s not even to mention the people who’ve been in and around the club at those times – Rhianna was there the night Calvin Harris played and said Electric Circus was “one of the coolest clubs in Australia”.
And now, let’s have your absolute, hands-down, all-time most memorable gig.
One of my most memorable was the second time Chris Lake entered the basement in 2020. It was a real back-to-his-roots set, playing IDs and his biggest records on his final show of the tour that year.
How did it start out? Was it always going to be a ripper, or was it a sleeper?
Chris Lake’s show was planned, and it was wildly anticipated. January 4 is a notoriously hard date for nightclubs off the back of the NYE period, but Chris was well on his way up to the top – he had come out of his EDM era and was re-defining his sound. People arrived in droves to see him again, [some of them] straight from interstate festivals direct to the club, making it an extra-enjoyable event.
What made the gig so memorable? Was there a kicker moment?
I got him from the airport just after the NYE rush and he was exhausted. We chatted, had an easy dinner, and then when he got to the club and settled in, [he] put on a mind-altering show. Chris had heaps up his sleeve for the gig. He started with a lot of Anti-Up stuff – heavy, moody, UK-influenced music – and then came back to his own sound throughout the set. He played his must-plays and dropped a lot of music which had never seen the light of day. He played edits of his own stuff and finished with ‘Turn Off the Lights’. It was a wild show, people and limbs everywhere, in a hot and sweaty EC. Due to it being the final show of the tour, you could tell he’d found the rhythm of the set, moved stuff around and had the crowd right where he needed them for [his] hour and 45 minutes.
How did the set round out?
Chris played an extra 15 minutes and came off ecstatic about the reactions and the crowd. The final thing he said before I dropped him back at the hotel was, “I love this place, but I think we aim bigger next time…” His next Adelaide show was Listen In, 2022, in front of around 6000 people.
Want to share your next ‘don’t-miss’ gig?
Some big shows coming up in Electric Circus, for all tastes. Torren Foot B2B Airwolf (May 6), MPH (UK) (May 13), CRUSH3D (June 3).
