Silversun PickupsThere's always a tangible sense of nervous excitement when a band makes their long-awaited return to Australian shores.
On Tuesday, July 28th, the source of that excitement was none other than Los Angeles quartet Silversun Pickups. A staple of the '00s indie rock scene (and undoubtedly one of the top three bands named after a liquor store), the band were themselves once a staple of Australian stages, having made their local debut in 2007, and performing over two dozen shows across three tours.
However, after last visiting as one of the major international acts for what would be the final edition of the ill-fated Harvest Festival in 2012, there had been radio silence when it came to word of an Australian tour.
They weren't sitting on their hands in the interim, however. Their first three albums – 2006's Carnavas, 2009's Swoon, and 2012's Neck Of The Woods – had all received local tours, but Aussies had to watch 2015's Better Nature, 2019's Widow's Weeds, and 2022's Physical Thrills all come and go without word of a trip down south.
Thankfully, that all changed this year alongside the release of their seventh album – the Butch Vig-produced Tenterhooks – in February, which soon gave way to news of a local return.
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As fans packed into Melbourne's Forum Theatre on a rainy Tuesday night, the excitement of once more rubbing shoulders with the band was preceded by an impressive appearance by New Zealand outfit Coast Arcade.
Though opening for an act like Silversun Pickups might feel like a lofty task, it's an undeniably good sign when even a cursory listen to an opening act immediately draws stylistic and sonic comparisons to the headliner.
Launching with Afterthought from their 2025 self-titled debut, it was instantly clear that the quartet's near-shoegaze vibe was a fitting one for the evening, with their melody-driven sound pairing perfectly with the vocals of singer and guitarist Bella Bavin.
Boasting big choruses and moments of powerful introspection, the eager group (themselves admitting they were "so unbelievably stoked and grateful to be here") wasted none of their neat, 30-minute set.
Obfuscated by melody and rhythm, slow-building crescendos sneaked up on the audience, crashing upon them with intense moments of musical catharsis.
As City Limits offered an opportunity for some head banging, the slick Baited closed out the set, with the expertly-curated opening slot having clearly primed the gathered masses for an evening to remember.
As the sold-out venue reached capacity, a very punctual Silversun Pickups arrived against the backdrop of a haunting ambient melody. Offering little but a casual wave, it felt like no time at all had passed for the four-piece as they jumped directly into Tenterhooks openers New Wave and The Wreckage.
Brian Aubert's stunning, androgynous vocals were crystal clear against the intricacy of his guitar-work, with instrumental breaks almost feeling out of control – as if he were fighting to keep them restrained. Meanwhile, bassist Nikki Monninger was clearly one of the evening's most arresting and impactful players.
No band can ever be singled out to just one person, but the thick, intense pounding of her bass playing was so prominent and resonant that almost everyone in attendance would agree that she's one of the instrument's finest players – that is, once the low-end frequencies finally stop resonating in their chest cavities.
Cuts like Well Thought Out Twinkles, It Doesn't Matter Why, and the iconic Panic Switch left audiences hanging on to each and every note as the beauty of this well-oiled machine came into focus.
Like witnessing Kraftwerk might make you realise how four individuals operating seemingly independently can unite to create a joyous cacophony of impeccable musicianship, so too was the experience of Silversun Pickups.
As Aubert offered wailing textures from his guitar and Monninger kept the groove expertly, keyboardist Joe Lester delivered expert soundscapes while drummer Christopher Guanlao looked like a blur of rhythmic limbs.
The casual, almost effortless nature of it was the most impressive part, however. Fellow Californian Jello Biafra once named an album I Blow Minds For A Living, and that might as well be written on the respective business cards of Silversun Pickups' members.
It would take a solid 28 minutes of non-stop action before Aubert addressed the crowd, offering a casual "long time no see" before Au Revoir Reservoir and the unifying The Royal We washed out over the venue.
It wasn't all serious musicianship, of course. Aubert and Monninger took a quick moment to indulge in a schtick involving time travel before the former offered the audience the chance to reimagine themselves back in 2005 as they first discovered the band, reminding them of what were ostensibly their first thoughts while hearing their first EP.
"You decide, 'I think I want to go check out that band, I really want to see that girl who sings,'" he joked, referring to his intoxicating vocal style.
This, of course, was all pretext to venture back to the earliest days of their discography, offering up a mesmerising performance of Kissing Families, the opening track to their debut Pikul EP. Even with its raw roots (and potential sonic comparisons to that of the '90s emo scene), it fits effortlessly into the band's storied discography.
Heading towards the end of the main set with the impressive harmonisation of Empty Nest, and the refreshing heaviness of Mean Spirits, 2012's Dots And Dashes (Enough Already) closed out one of the most economic and tightly-packed sets the audience will likely see.
Of course, the customary encore break serves only to ignite excitement before the band jumps back in with a three-song exploration of their '00s era. The catchy Little Lover's So Polite is followed by Growing Old Is Getting Old before the band closes out the evening with one of the most anticipated performances in recent memory.
2006 classic Lazy Eye launches to massive applause and a sea of phone screens, with the intro riff soon pairing with that locked-in rhythm that soundtracked so many memories over these past 20 years. As the intricacy of Aubert's guitar-work once again takes centre stage, one can't help but be affected by the crushing power of his vocals as the track reaches that stellar peak.
All and sundry appear spent by this point. That is, all but the band, who continue on until the very last moments, fading out as the stage lights go up and the audience are left to shuffle out, hoping that something may match the high of what they just experienced.
Aubert undoubtedly articulated the feelings of the audience writ large when he launched into Lazy Eye, singing "I've been waiting for this moment." Indeed, fans had been waiting 14 years for that very moment, and the quality of their performance showed that not only has time not wearied this hard-working band, but that every second of that wait was worth it.
Of course, it's the musical quality of Silversun Pickups that is the most impeccable of their performance. It's often a critique of electronic artists by cynical onlookers that you could simply stay at home and play the records. So professional are Silversun Pickups that their live show could easily be confused for that of a studio record.
Sure, you could stay home, but you'd miss out on the electricity in the air, the energy, the vibrant catharsis, and the monumental experience that seeing this band provides.
Ultimately, it's hard not to speak in superlatives when describing a band like Silversun Pickups, but rarely is such high praise warranted. Here's hoping it won't be 14 years before they come back to our shores, because you'd be a fool not to see them should the chance arise again.
