16 December 2023 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane – words by Cody-James Henderson – pictures by Bec Harbour
16 December 2023 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane – words by Cody-James Henderson – pictures by Bec Harbour
Ah Australia. We are known for many things. Our beautiful wildlife, our inability to stay away from cars when drunk, and some of the greatest rock bands on the planet. If you’re into punk, you have The Living End. If you’re into hard rock, you have AC/DC. If you’re into alternative or post punk, there’s Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. If you love your metal, maybe Parkway Drive is your poison. And if you want a little bit of everything, you have Grinspoon.
Regardless of your musical preference, almost everyone in Australia knows Grinspoon one way or another. And if you’re a regular of the late 90s/00s Australian festival scene, you definitely know who Grinspoon is. The band is towards the end of their ‘Easy Detention’ tour, celebrating 2 of the bands biggest albums by playing all the hits and deep cuts. We were lucky enough to see the Australian Icons in Brisbane with special guests Private Function and Ixaras.
Ixaras: Petition for local young upstart acts to open big shows from now on? This guy says yes! At just age 16, Ixaras is a quickly rising name in the local Brisbane indie scene and it’s not hard to see why! As nervous as you would be playing to a sold out music hall, the young artist delivered their own signature take on Indie-Pop rock that was a refreshing and pleasant way to start the night. Encouraging punters to enjoy themselves and dance along, Ixaras battled their way through nerves and jitters by being expressive and true to themselves. Taking a moment to express just how excited and happy they were to be there, making sure to thank tour promoters ‘New World Artists’ for the opportunity. Personally, I’d like to thank them too.
Ixaras – Fortitude Music Hall – photo by Bec Harbour
Taking the chance on a super young act to open for one of Australia’s biggest and most experienced is a massive risk to take, but should be more encouraged to help pave the way for the new generation. Ixaras played their heart out in the biggest opportunity of such a young career, and I for one want to see them headlining this venue one day. Lord knows they’ve got the immense talent to do so. I just wish the venue took more of a chance to address the subpar mix. After listening to their latest single ‘Sprout’ in between sets, the mix really didn’t do it any justice.
Private Function: If Australian Party Culture was taken and injected (maybe as an illicit drug or maybe not) into a Frankenstein like creature, and then that creature formed a band with other creatures just like it, you would get ‘Private Function.’ And that’s the only way I could describe it. No need for fancy introductions, just vivid lighting and obscure synthesisers is enough for this 6 piece from Melbourne to get the party started. It was at 100 from the get go. Ever had that experience where you feel you’ve been short changed on a night out after buying pills and then it finally hits you? That’s the basis of a Private Function set. “This next song goes out to any silly cunt that’s never had a bottle of passion pop in a dark alley before.”
Private Function – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
Whilst the aforementioned alcohol may get you super sloppy, it was the polar opposite to the performance of Private Function. Not missing a beat even when running to each part of the stage, vocalist Chris Penney wasn’t missing a beat. Interloping Passion Pop into a brief cover of ‘Take Me Out’ by Franz Ferdinand was a wonderful addition to the set. It may have taken a few songs, but finally the crowd decided to wake up and enjoy themselves. It’s only been nearly 2 hours since doors opened, so it was nice to finally see them get involved. They seemed to love the free cans of VB the band provided however. All I can say; drink a real beer. (I’m straight edge, but you couldn’t pay me enough to drink that shit)
Private Function – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
Also it’s Punk as fuck to hang a Palestinian Flag from your bass guitar for a set. If you don’t think politics have a place in music, it’s best you leave. If you ever want to party without the need to get pissed or high, just go to a Private Function show. Trust me, it’s the same thing. Side note: To the guy that told the urinal to “shhhh” when he heard it flush in the mens bathroom, I hope you had a good night.
GRINSPOON: The Kabuki was up, spotlights at the ready for the lights to go down. High pitched whistles and attempts to bring the band on early; this crowd was ready for the night. Warming up with a sing-a-long to ‘Lido’ kept them contempt for a while at least. It’s hard to believe we are celebrating 2 albums that are 21 & 24 years old respectively, as the energy of ‘Anyday Anyhow’ starting the set off would have you believe this was a brand new album tour. But if you were hoping to hear vocalist Phil Jamieson sing, good luck. Because when ‘Lost Control’ started, the crowd took the volume to the next level. No PA was competing with their sound and why would you bother? You know you’ve cemented a legacy when you can’t hear the band over the crowd singing back to you. And boy did they let the band hear it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen this high level of a singalong across the first few songs of a set.
Grinspoon – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
Megaphone in hand, Phil commands a youthful presence, moving and dancing as if it were 2003 as we go through ‘American Party Bomb’ & ‘Rock Show’. Age can only define you if you let it, and Phil refuses to allow it. His ability to not only command the dancefloor but the rafters surrounding the room is just a sight to be seen. The band was able to match this energy without forfeiting their tight-knit groove & in turn, middle aged adults were transported back to their teenage years as they threw themselves around and into anyone they could. The decently sized room felt as if it was a Big Day Out festival. (If you don’t know what that is like, that is your homework after you finish reading this. And if you do remember it, don’t forget your painkillers & vitamins) But if ‘Easy’ and ‘New Detention’ weren’t good enough for you (seriously though? How could it not be enough?) the band had extra to suffice at the back of the set. If you were here for the hits, then this part was definitely for you. Slowing it down for a beautiful rendition of ‘Don’t Change’ in the dark, the crowd had a chance to finally catch their breath between verses of belting out this classic. ‘Better Off Alone’ would follow, and this was a beautiful moment as this was my introduction to Grinspoon almost 20 years ago. The crowd singing along to the opening of ‘Hard Act To Follow’ though? Worth the price of admission alone. It was deafening. However the best was yet to come.
Grinspoon – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Harbour
Kicking it back to where it all began, 1998s ‘Guide to Better Living’ the band would crash through ‘DC X 3’ which sent grown men into a frenzy as they ran from the foyer bar straight into the pit. 25 years and a potential bad back in the morning wasn’t going to stop them. And I’d hate to see how they acted when ‘Just Ace’ shortly followed. But then, the penultimate war cry of a few thousand strong… “So you wanna be a champion?” I’ve never seen a crowd come so alive after a few hours the way I did tonight. Even after 25 years, intensity hasn’t been lost on Grinspoon. There was no novelty, just pure adrenaline. It would be unfair to say Grinspoon ‘still have it’ after all this time. Because let’s be honest, they never lost it. Even after a brief hiatus in the 2010s. Grinspoon is a well oiled machine showing no signs of slowing down in the slightest. Will we ever get another Grinspoon album? I doubt it. But hindsight is 2020. All I know is let’s not ponder on the future, but embrace the powerhouse that is Grinspoon in the now.