Review by Matt New
Photos by Angie New
Eagles Of Death Metal are a band that have endured a rollercoaster of highs and lows throughout the duration of their 25-year career. A band that is renowned for its incredible energy, but also harnessing the fun and charisma of bands from the golden era of rock.
Returning for their first tour in seven years on Australian soil, it certainly felt long overdue, and frontman Jess Hughes found it hard to contain his emotion as he proclaimed his love and admiration for our fine country.
Opening for Eagles Of Death Metal for the Sydney leg were Perth rockers The Southern River Band. A band on the rise, this was the first time I had personally heard of and experienced this act, and against my initial trepidation, I was instantly engaged by their infectious blend of classic rock and antics. A wonderfully charismatic 4-piece that commanded an incredible twist to a familiar sound we know and love as Aussies.
The talent amongst these self-proclaimed bogan troubadours was very redeeming, as guitar solos were traded, powerful gang vocals had the crowd chanting energetically, and the crack of every snare echoed magically throughout the walls of the iconic Enmore Theatre. If I were to describe The Southern River Band’s sound to a punter who had not experienced them, it would be a well-balanced cocktail fused with the potency of riffs likened to AC/DC, the melody and control of Aerosmith, and the bravado and theatrics of Queen. A tasty balance that seemingly went down easy with this Sydney audience, and they were thirsty for more.
Understandably riding high from their recent support with rock funsters The Darkness, The Southern River Band wooed a Sydney audience that grew in numbers as their set progressed.
By now the Enmore was completely packed and buzzing with excitement. The wit and charm of frontman Cal Kramer was equally entertaining as he connected with a Sydney audience that absorbed all of his stories about drug addict tradies and people he knows that are in prison.
As the house lights dimmed to the sounds of Rocky Horror Show’s Time Warp, Eagles Of Death Metal sprinted on stage keen with enthusiasm. Jessie Hughes draped in a cape like the rock n roll hero he is, scanning through the audience; insistently feeding off the joy and elation emanating from the room.
Launching ferociously into Got A Woman and I Only Want You, Eagles Of Death Metal are immediately locked into overdrive, and are setting a frenetic pace that makes you want to dance your ass off.
The most endearing characteristic that Hughes possesses is his sincere and highly passionate appreciation for his fans. Every opportunity to talk and connect to his fans between songs feels like we are in a debaucherous rock ‘n roll church, and Jessie Hughes is our pastor. His swaggering charm and thick southern accent telling his flock about how much he “loves us motherfuckers”. A deeply emotional privilege he certainly does not take for granted. His love and appreciation also transcend to his bandmates, with whom he has great admiration for, sharing a dramatic account of how he met drummer Leah Bluestein at Griffith Observatory in the early hours of the morning.
His ensemble also consists of Scott Shiflett on lead guitar who is the older brother of Foo Fighters Chris Shiflett, and Jennie Vee on bass, who has previously served as a session musician for Lana Del Ray, amongst others. Both equally cool and talented musicians that showcased incredible skill and a powerful presence on stage. Jennie Vee is captivating on bass as she plays with precision and power. She radiates an exceptionally cool rock and roll attitude as well as an awesome Wild West-inspired fashion taste that fits perfectly with the vibe of the band.
Jessie Hughes took to social media earlier in the week to share his brand-new guitar gifted to him by Australian manufacturer Maton. Again, this act simply shows how appreciative and humble a human he is, and you just can’t help but love him more for his humility. It is evident that playing this new guitar provided him much joy and excitement and his tones were massive.
Eagles of Death Metal ended up performing an amazing set that consisted of 17 high-energy rock songs. Every fun tune connected artist and audience intimately. Set highlights included classic tracks such as Cherry Cola, I Want You So Hard (The Boy’s No Good), with Jesse joining the crowd for an epic rendition of Speaking In Tongues and an even more epic guitar battle with Scott.
This performance was highly entertaining and an extremely positive experience. Jessie Hughes made a promise to his fans that Eagles Of Death Metal will return to Australia soon. In the meantime, the tour continues on to Adelaide, Perth and New Zealand thanks to Frontier Touring.
Their return to Australia came with one simple mission, to spread the love of rock ‘n roll and have a damn good time doing it.
