Live Review: Mental as Anything at The Princess Theatre

Mental As Anything

50 years! The last night of their 50th anniversary theatre tour was spent at the beautiful Princess Theatre. Although these Pub Rock legends have created some of the best partying music in the last five decades, The Princess suited the importance of the event with its wonderful stage and all round elegance.

l first saw 'The Mentals’ a month before my 18th birthday in August 1979 at an outdoor festival that included Cold Chisel, The Sports, Jo Jo Zepp, The Radiators and The Aliens for $4.00. l saw them again two months later in a pub. l was finally legal. They were riding high on their mega hit "The Nips Are Getting Bigger" and were filling pubs all over the country. If the Mentals were playing a pub nearby you knew you were in for a fun night.

Last night was no exception and was made even more special for me because l went with my son and it was his first time to see them play even though he knew their music well from my record collection.

Founding members Chris O'Doherty aka Reg Mombassa (guitar) and his brother Peter (bass) lead a new band line-up that features Shannon Stitt (keyboard, vocals), Declan O'Doherty (drums, vocals – Peter's son) and Simon Rudston-Brown (guitar, vocals). Original drummer David Twohill also made appearances at select shows, while co-founder Martin Plaza could not be available due to ill health. Original keyboardist Andrew 'Geedy' Smith (RIP) who often sang and was the writer of the band's international hits "Too Many Times" (1982) and "Live It Up" (1985), toured Mental As Anything in the 2000s, after other original members of the band had left or stopped touring and were replaced by new recruits. By about 2016, Smith was the only original band member left still touring as Mental As Anything, and he continued to tour the band until passing away in 2019. Greedy was definitely there in spirit though last night especially when his hit ' Live It Up' was performed having also becoming a surprise big hit recently with Scottish football fans of Celtic FC who sing it at matches to celebrate victories.

And last night was a real celebration, a celebration of one of Australia's most popular bands ever to be a part of Aussie Pub Rock.
Live It Up is also the title of a recent documentary about the band and with the current rise in interest and rekindled love for the band hopefully we might see more of these Pub Rock legends ....live it up!