Live Review: Spiderbait at The Tivoli
Spiderbait at The Tivoli. Photo credit: Keely Baker (@musicbyneverland)
Spiderbait kicked off their nationwide tour at Meanjin’s (Brisbane) Tivoli last Saturday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their album Ivy and the Big Apples. They entertained generations of rowdy fans at this sold-out show with supporting acts, Brisbane’s own VOIID, Custard and Frankston’s The Gnomes.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Ivy and the Big Apples’s hits, Calypso and Buy Me A Pony as for many others in the crowd. And upon listening to the whole album recently, it felt like I was peeping through a window into Aussie music of the late 1990’s. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole cohesive vibe and the raw instrumental elements. It’s a totally sick album and to see the whole thing live was a privilege.
So, here I am in amongst loyal, bustling fans. The Tivoli serving a classic, yet grungy backdrop. I turn around to see the mezzanine behind me packed, not a gap amongst the people leaning against the railing, lining the room onlooking the mosh pit below and the stage in the centre front adorned with equipment. Ready for a night of pure, grungy, bliss gifted to us by rock gods from rural New South Whales themselves.
The lights changed to green as local legends VOIID erupted on the stage with their unforgettable heavy hitting sound. Right at home in the Spiderbait crowd, the all-female four piece was nominated by the community in response to a call out from Spiderbait searching for local female and gender diverse artists to open throughout their tour. You can absolutely see why VOIID got the spot. Their screaming vocals created an energetic atmosphere, this paired with a refreshing and genuine stage presence that instantly connected them with the audience, created an outstanding performance.
The Gnomes were on next. Four dudes straight out of the 70’s, all rocking the same haircut, their groovy surfer funk continued the energy. Bringing a new take of this classic sound in a blue and pink strobe, they had the crowd in a trance, grooving and moving like I haven’t seen before. The Frankston boys will be with Spiderbait throughout the whole tour, and having never before gracing Brisbane stages, I’m excited to see more of this band.
Custard delivered their usual electric sound to an anticipating audience, bringing together unusual instruments a whistle and a megaphone which added a unique vibe to their set. These seasoned Brisbane veterans were an essential addition to the lineup, they flooded the audience with their familiar 90’s tunes, a beat you couldn’t help but clap along to from the drummer’s right foot and groovy guitar solos. They knew how to rock an audience, ending their set with a bang, featuring hits Music Is Crap and Girls Like That (Don’t Go for Guys Like Us).
David William’s acknowledgment of country was accompanied by his incredible didgeridoo performance, a true marvel to watch which fit beautifully within the whole evening. David is a close friend of Spiderbait and often plays alongside them at live performances. During his acknowledgment of country David proudly said, “We are not a monoculture!”, Kram echoing that same sentiment later in their set with an enthusiastic response from the crowd. A homage to the First Nations people of this country and a true reflection of Australia’s diverse culture.
During Davids performance Kram, Janet and Whitt filled out on stage to an eruption of whistling, applauding and shouting from the crowd. The signature red lighting adorned the stage as the three warmly embraced David, then headed to their usual stations. The sold-out Tivoli still going wild not even coming to a halt as they open with the records first song Chest Hair, an exciting taste of what was to come.
Continuing on with the album in order they pulled out Hot Water and Milk. This one was short and sweet, with Janet’s vocals shining through. I could notice the beginnings of a mosh pit that was due to go mental with the third song in the album Buy Me A Pony. This classic earnt the top spot of the prestigious Hottest 100 in 1996, safe to say a familiar sound to everyone in the crowd. Whitt’s riff echoed through the audience as they screamed the lyrics back, jumping around like puppy’s let off a leash. It was truly something to behold.
Janet switched up from bass to guitar for When Fusion Ruled The Earth, which she wrote herself and is one of my favs. Purely instrumental and a bit groovy, it was a change of pace that sat well with the crowd. The whole atmosphere progressed to a personal vibe, as they took liberties diverging from the original track and jamming out as if we were there watching them play during practice. A feeling that resonated through out the whole set.
Blue lighting shone down on the trio as the crowd fell into an anticipating quiet. We knew what was next, Calypso. The calm iconic riff cut through the air and the crowd exploded into applause, settling to clap along. Then, the lyrics from Janet and everyone singing along, “Sunshine on the window, makes me happy like I should be…”. Kram erupting on the drums signals the Tivoli to go crazy, in a beautiful abrupt change of pace. Taking us back and forth between an all out mosh and swaying to a peaceful tune.
What followed was a journey through the rest of the record. From more instrumental jam outs like Hawaiian Nights featuring Kram absolutely killing it on the drums, to Joyces Hut something a bit more chill and cruisier. The playing was dynamic, tight and I felt it truly reflected the core feeling of the album, the audience soaking up as much as they could with every song.
Wrapping up the night with a few more of their popular hits from different records like Old Man Sam from their 1993 record ShaShaVaGalava and Fucken Awesome from their 2004 record Tonight Alright. Their infamous cover of Black Betty was the final song they played. With David returning to the stage to play didgeridoo alongside Spiderbait this collab worked incredibly well and brought the set to an epic crescendo.
Chatting to my dad earlier in the week, he reckons Spiderbait always rocked the hardest, letting loose and going wild at gigs and festivals all over the country for decades. So, it’s awesome to see they are still going strong, selling out venues and celebrating diversity by bringing other artists to the forefront.