Grinspoon - Dunsborough, 24th August 2017
Words: Karen Lowe
It was a Thursday night in Dunsborough and many people had come from all over the South-West to see one of the most seminal Australian bands to come out of the 1990s; a band that has been on hiatus since the end of 2013 and the first band to win Triple J's Unearthed competition way back in 1995....Grinspoon. Back from hiatus to perform A Guide to Better Living from start to finish to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
It was Brisbane band Good Boy that had the honour of opening the show for Grinners. They started with S.O.G.K, Your Mum's Your Dad and Green Dress. “It's nice to be here in Dunsborough! I would have called it something better than Dunny,” lead singer Tom Lindeman told the audience before calling them out on the circular gap at the barrier.
“Thanks for having us. It's our first time here. We've been to Margaret Court... I mean Margaret River! This place is way cooler!” Bassist Rian King laughed. “This song is about my dead dog” as they slowed things down a bit with Millie. They finished their set with new song Fishing with a Shotgun and Poverty Line.
While they were entertaining and had a great beat, unfortunately for Good Boy, the audience hadn't had enough time to whet the whistle to properly loosen up until the last few songs.
Hockey Dad was up next. They are a two-piece band from Windang, NSW and started their set with Can't Have Them, Beach House and Homely Feeling. “Right amount of beers had and everyone is having fun now” lead singer Zach Stephenson said. “This one goes out to all the beautiful mums out there! It doesn't matter what anyone says. You are still beautiful!”
They also played Sweet Release, Raygun, My Stride and So Tired. Hockey Dad are talented and the audience got right into them. “Thank you very much! We'll see you next time we come back to the Dunny!”.
By this stage, Dunsborough Tavern was heaving at the seams and there was a distinct energy buzzing about the room as everyone waited impatiently for Grinners to finally take the stage.
It was Brisbane band Good Boy that had the honour of opening the show for Grinners. They started with S.O.G.K, Your Mum's Your Dad and Green Dress. “It's nice to be here in Dunsborough! I would have called it something better than Dunny,” lead singer Tom Lindeman told the audience before calling them out on the circular gap at the barrier.
“Thanks for having us. It's our first time here. We've been to Margaret Court... I mean Margaret River! This place is way cooler!” Bassist Rian King laughed. “This song is about my dead dog” as they slowed things down a bit with Millie. They finished their set with new song Fishing with a Shotgun and Poverty Line.
While they were entertaining and had a great beat, unfortunately for Good Boy, the audience hadn't had enough time to whet the whistle to properly loosen up until the last few songs.
Hockey Dad was up next. They are a two-piece band from Windang, NSW and started their set with Can't Have Them, Beach House and Homely Feeling. “Right amount of beers had and everyone is having fun now” lead singer Zach Stephenson said. “This one goes out to all the beautiful mums out there! It doesn't matter what anyone says. You are still beautiful!”
They also played Sweet Release, Raygun, My Stride and So Tired. Hockey Dad are talented and the audience got right into them. “Thank you very much! We'll see you next time we come back to the Dunny!”.
By this stage, Dunsborough Tavern was heaving at the seams and there was a distinct energy buzzing about the room as everyone waited impatiently for Grinners to finally take the stage.
They came out and immediately launched into A Guide to Better Living with Pressure Tested 1984, Boundary and Dcx3. There were already crowdsurfers, the pit going off and the windows had all steamed up. It was just like the good old days, with Phil Jamieson channelling the aggression and attitude that everyone all knew and loved.
“Thank you for coming out on a Thursday night!” Jamieson said before launching into a song that they haven't played for way too long, Sickfest. The audience was eating up every song from the album, including crowdsurfing to the slower (but still oh so heavy) song Scalped. “We've been to Bunbury! We've been to Busselton and we've been to Albany but we chose you! We want to thank each and every one of you for your support over the years!”
While the crowd was definitely going off, everyone was mostly well behaved with only one person trying to get up on stage (but being stopped by the bouncers before she was successful in her attempt)... that is until they had just started Champion. Some drunk guy decided that it was a great idea to tackle the guitar tech and made it up on stage before anyone could react.
“Stop the show!!” Jamieson shouted. “You're going home in the back of a paddy van!” he sung, clearly angry (as he should be). “I lost my temper. I'll own that.” he shouldn't have to though. As Jamieson pointed out, he interrupted the show just because he wanted his five minutes.
After Truk, they walked off stage before coming back out (with Jamieson now in a suit) for the hidden track Protest.
It was now that they started the 'modern' part of their set with Chemical Heart, Lost Control (with a little curtsey from Jamieson at the end), Ready 1 and No Reason. While Jamieson looked absolutely shattered, like a true frontman, he did not slow down.
They ended the night with 1000 Miles, Hard Act to Follow and More Than You Are. “20 years ago, we didn't think that we would still be doing this! Support live music and come and see Kingswood and come and see British India!” Jamieson said as they all came together and bowed to a completely satisfied audience and proving once more to the world just what a force Grinspoon (and A Guide to Better Living) truly are.
Let's just hope that this has given them back the 'bug', that their hiatus will finally be over and that this tour will lead to a new Grinners album. So Grinspoon? Please Don't Go Away again.
“Thank you for coming out on a Thursday night!” Jamieson said before launching into a song that they haven't played for way too long, Sickfest. The audience was eating up every song from the album, including crowdsurfing to the slower (but still oh so heavy) song Scalped. “We've been to Bunbury! We've been to Busselton and we've been to Albany but we chose you! We want to thank each and every one of you for your support over the years!”
While the crowd was definitely going off, everyone was mostly well behaved with only one person trying to get up on stage (but being stopped by the bouncers before she was successful in her attempt)... that is until they had just started Champion. Some drunk guy decided that it was a great idea to tackle the guitar tech and made it up on stage before anyone could react.
“Stop the show!!” Jamieson shouted. “You're going home in the back of a paddy van!” he sung, clearly angry (as he should be). “I lost my temper. I'll own that.” he shouldn't have to though. As Jamieson pointed out, he interrupted the show just because he wanted his five minutes.
After Truk, they walked off stage before coming back out (with Jamieson now in a suit) for the hidden track Protest.
It was now that they started the 'modern' part of their set with Chemical Heart, Lost Control (with a little curtsey from Jamieson at the end), Ready 1 and No Reason. While Jamieson looked absolutely shattered, like a true frontman, he did not slow down.
They ended the night with 1000 Miles, Hard Act to Follow and More Than You Are. “20 years ago, we didn't think that we would still be doing this! Support live music and come and see Kingswood and come and see British India!” Jamieson said as they all came together and bowed to a completely satisfied audience and proving once more to the world just what a force Grinspoon (and A Guide to Better Living) truly are.
Let's just hope that this has given them back the 'bug', that their hiatus will finally be over and that this tour will lead to a new Grinners album. So Grinspoon? Please Don't Go Away again.