Live Review: Jebediah

A homecoming show for WA born and bred local legends Jebediah saw the iconic Astor Theatre transform into a reunion for many fans. A welcoming roar was subdued by a nasally “hello” from a scruffy looking Kevin Mitchell that reassured punters his trademark vocals wouldn’t disappoint, and everyone climbed aboard the Star Machine.

The opener was a surprisingly easy-going number, but provided a slow build for everyone to get reacquainted before kicking things up a notch with a megahit that almost saw the walls Fall Down.

“We’re playing a venue far too fancy for us,” Mitchell said. If you’re packing a venue out three nights in a row, you don’t have to be fancy. Newer hits Control and She’s Like A Comet yielded a great response, proving the band retained their followers from album to album, while the juxtaposition between fast-paced Slot Car Racing and mellow number Please Leave demonstrated just how diverse their catalogue was — the latter appearing on the band’s recently-released greatest hits record, Twenty.

Yesterday When I Was Brave’s upbeat and inspirational nature captured a different side of the band, both musically and lyrically, and illustrated drummer Brett Mitchell’s tight playing perfectly.

The band may have been on their 20th anniversary tour, but were in no way showing any of The Seven Signs Of Ageing, and after an hour of hits, it was hard to believe it was only intermission. A slideshow held the audience’s attention during the break, before Jebediah returned to play their iconic debut album, Slightly Odway, in full.

“You know how this goes, right?” Mitchell asked, and from the opening line of Leaving Home, the room erupted and the audience’s collective voice held up for the entirety of Benedict and Harpoon.

Invaders and Spoil The Show had the room bouncing and Blame showcased their punk edge without jeopardising quality of melody. Puck Defender was introduced as bassist Vanessa Thornton’s favourite song, but her happy, bouncing expression throughout the set could lead one to believe she loves all their tracks equally.

The response from each song highlighted the significance the album had on the WA music scene and how much of a connection it made with fans, the set reaching its climax at Teflon, which transformed the room into a 2000s Big Day Out mosh.

“Thank you, you fucking party animals,” guitarist Chris Daymond said grinning, leading Slightly Odway to a close, but even after two smashing sets, the audience wasn’t quite satisfied, and demanded Jebediah return. Their encore rewarded old school fans with Ferris Wheel and Tracksuit from the band’s first EP, “some pretty fucking old ones”, before bringing things back down with Feet Touch The Ground and Monument. Here’s to another 20 years of Jebediah.