Words by Annette Geneva
Photos by Pete Mellows
The Living End have been a touring band for so long that they managed to both – define an era and become part of their listeners own stories. They’ve been there through different versions of my life, and after seeing them so many times over the years, there’s still something about watching them live that feels familiar without ever getting bland.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Chris Cheney, Scott Owen and Andy Strachan over the years, but that’s almost the point. Every tour is another reminder of why they’re still one of the country’s most dependable live bands. No nostalgia act. No phoning it in. Just three musicians who know exactly who they are but still look like they’re having as much fun as the people watching them.
Friday night SOLD OUT and full house show at Hobart’s Odeon Theatre felt like a big family reunion where everyone knew their role. The room was filled with teenagers seeing the band live for the first time, forty and fifty-somethings reliving their youth and little kids who were out well past their bedtime perched on parents’ shoulders, dancing through entire songs with the kind of energy only children can summon. Australian rock rarely spans generations quite like this anymore, but The Living End continue to bridge that gap effortlessly.
Opening the show were Queenstown locals Big Alcatraz, who apparently really wanted to get this support slot. Wearing The Living End tour shirts on stage and giving out the kind of vibe you’d expect from a well established band, they sure are one of Tasmania’s most entertaining live acts. Their set was packed with really catchy tunes: “Something About U”, “Long Live Rock N Roll” and “Take Me Over” landing particularly well. They’re a band that understood the assignment, getting a room warmed up without trying to outshine the headliner, and they might have even made several new fans.
I enjoyed hearing a bunch of The Beach Boys, Descendants, Bad Religion and even an odd Elvis Costello and the Attractions tunes between the bands.
When The Living End finally took the stage, they launched into “Second Solution”, immediately followed by “Roll On” and “Misery”, wasting absolutely no time reminding everyone just how stacked their catalogue really is. “Pictures In The Mirror” and “How Do We Know” sat comfortably beside classics like “All Torn Down”, “End Of The World” and “White Noise”, while newer material proved the band aren’t simply living off past glories.
Their latest record, produced by legendary producer Kevin Shirley, feels like another chapter rather than a victory lap, and those songs held their own amongst decades of fan favourites. Shirley’s influence, known for shaping records by Cold Chisel, Silverchair, The Screaming Jets and the Baby Animals, brings a fresh sharpness without sanding off the band’s unmistakable identity and that undeniably Aussie kick. Live, those songs already feel right at home in fans hearts.
One of the night’s memorable moments arrived before “E-Boogie”, when the band slipped into a tongue-in-cheek version of “Mr Sandman”. It was unexpected, playful and perfectly timed before the rockabilly chaos exploded. That’s always been part of The Living End’s appeal. They never take themselves too seriously, even while playing at an incredibly high level.
Musically, they’re still frighteningly tight. Chris Cheney remains one of Australia’s most underrated guitarists, effortlessly moving between punk, rockabilly and melodic pop without making any of it look difficult. Scott Owen continues to throw his double bass around like it’s weightless, and Andy Strachan anchors everything with the precision that has made this lineup so enduring. I honestly can not stop myself from doing a shout out to Scott Owen, who might be one of the most entertaining people in Australian rock to watch play an instrument. His black-and-white checkered double bass, complete with skulls and bones, is practically a fourth member of the band. He attacks it with those ridiculous fingers, plucking away at impossible speed before occasionally jumping onto the thing like he’s about to ride it away into the night. It’s part musical performance, part physical theatre, and completely Owen. Watching him work that bass while Cheney tears through the guitar parts is one of those things that still makes The Living End such a ridiculously fun band to see live.
Perhaps the most refreshing part of the evening wasn’t even on stage. There wasn’t a mosh pit threatening to swallow half the room. Nobody was crowd surfing over unsuspecting heads. More importantly, there weren’t endless phones blocking the view from the floor. A few screens appeared from the balcony, but downstairs people actually watched the show. They danced. They sang. They looked at the band instead of through a camera. It felt increasingly rare in 2026, and it made the night better for it.
I’m the type of a person who can’t shake off looking for influences and patterns in seeing bands live. With The Living End – there’s the Stray Cats in the rockabilly kick, Brian Setzer in the guitar playing and that whole bigger-than-the-room rock ’n’ roll attitude, and a bit of Green Day in the way The Living End turn punk energy into songs that are ridiculously catchy. It’s a strange combination on paper, but The Living End have spent decades making it sound completely natural. They’ve always occupied that sweet spot between punk, rockabilly and classic rock ’n’ roll, without ever sounding like they’re trying to recreate any of it.
The encore delivered exactly what everyone wanted. “I Only Trust Rock N Roll”, “Prisoner Of Society” and “Harry” closed the evening with the kind of collective singalong that only truly influential bands can inspire.
The Living End have long since earned their place in Australian music history, but nights like this prove they’re far from becoming a heritage act. They’re still writing new music worth hearing, still delivering performances that leave little room for criticism, and still connecting with audiences that now span multiple generations. If you get a chance – go see them live every time. They never ever disappoint.
GALLERY
BIG ALCATRAZ
THE LIVING END
