The sun was certainly shining at Whitford Nodes Park, Hillarys, on Saturday, as the final day of Lookout Festival kicked off in all its glory. As I walked through the gates, I was surprised at just how packed out the crowd already was. The event had only just started and already 8,500 people were filling the venue, with more to come. Such an indication to the number of people who love the bands on the line-up – The Superjesus, Eskimo Joe, Birds of Tokyo, Incubus and Live. For a big festival touring around Australia, the fact that this one had almost sold out at every city is a testament to whatever it is that they are doing well!
The Superjesus
Iconic South Australian rock group The Superjesus started the day with a bang, following their previous nights’ headline show at the Ravenswood Hotel. For an opening act, Sarah McLeod, singer and lead guitar, commented how stoked she was that so many people had come down early just to see them play. Drummer Murray Sheridan’s powerful and dynamic drums kicked into gear, followed by Stuart Rudd’s bouncing bass notes and Cam Blokland’s wicked guitar riffs, as McLeod’s beautiful vocals all melted together and rang out across the crowd, a delightful nostalgic melody. The crowd were singing along, dancing along and waving their arms and clapping along to the rock queen as they played their way through a solid set, including Shut My Eyes, Money (We’re Only In It For Love), and my personal favourite, Gravity.
I first saw The Superjesus play at Capitol in 2018, and their song Gravity sent me into orbit! Seeing it again live was like seeing it for the first time all over again. The crowd engagement was next level with everyone split in two, one half singing the low ‘more than any other’ and the other half singing the higher ‘day its only’, with it all coming together in one ear frenzy soup of crowd singalong fun. The set ended with a bang as McLeod leapt off the drum kit to end their show. Phenomenal.
Not only are they incredible musicians on stage, but they are also supremely lovely human beings off stage. I was lucky enough to meet Murray and Sarah in the crowd and Sarah graciously shook my hand and introduced herself (a fangirl moment for me, having loved the Superjesus for 10+ years!). Murray was also happy to chat about how the tour has been and what he has enjoyed along the way. Proof that musicians are people too, and these people are nice, down to earth, warm-hearted humans of the loveliest kind!
If you used to love TV shows like Roswell or Buffy, or if you enjoy listening to Regurgitator, Jebediah or Grinspoon, you will really dig The Superjesus.
Setlist: Down Again, Saturation, Now & Then, Something Good, We Won’t Let Go Until Its Over, Shut My Eyes, Money, Gravity, Dancing With Myself.
Eskimo Joe
Following on from The Superjesus were local Fremantle rockers, Eskimo Joe, coming out onstage to the iconic Star Wars theme. The band, comprising of Stuart MacLeod and Joel Quartermain on guitars, drummer Paul Keenan and joined by Timothy Nelson on keys and acoustic guitar, looked ready to make some noise, as Kavyen Temperley, in rockstar blacks, slicked back hair and bolero tie, shouted ‘lets play some rock and roll!’ They kicked their set off with Sarah, and keeping the tempo high, New York came next, to the delight and cheers and singalongs of the frenzied crowd.
Temperley shared with the crowd their excitement when their song, Setting Sun, was used in the 2010 feature film, The Last Song, as the song that played out as Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth kissed under the setting sun at the end of the movie. The crowd collectively cheered and awed through the song, which was followed by their hit, Foreign Land. Eskimo Joe were still pulling shapes and doing jump kicks as they launched into their brand new song The First Time, playing it for Perth crowds for the first time. Following a song they were playing for the first time with a song that was once one of their first ever hits, they played Wake Up next, and everyone was definitely awake and rocking out!
Temperley shouted ‘everyone yell YAZZA to show your love for the band that you’re listening to!’ to the screams of YAAAAZZZZZAAAAA! Straight back to Eskimo Joe on stage as they launched into Love Is A Drug. The hits kept coming as they played Black Fingernails, Red Wine and shared an anecdote about their early days. Temperley told how the first thing they ever did as a band was jam in a little room in Freo and learnt 4 chords that they kept playing and jamming over the top of. This turned out to be Sweater, one of the funnest songs I have ever heard a band play, and very much a cherished favourite of the crowd who sang it word for word back to the band. Just when you thought that their set couldn’t get any better (it was already fricken’ awesome) they ended it with From The Sea. Absolutely awesome!
If you enjoy listening to Birds of Tokyo, Something For Kate or Powderfinger, then check out Eskimo Joe.
Setlist: Sarah, New York, Setting Sun, Foreign Land, The First Time, Wake Up, Love Is A Drug, Black Fingernails Red Wine, Sweater, From The Sea.
Birds of Tokyo
It’s no easy feat for the bands in this line-up to follow each other, as each band is awesome in their own right. Perth alternative rockers, Birds of Tokyo, were next to hit the stage. Singer Ian Kenny, drummer Adam Weston, bass player Ian Berney, guitarist Adam Spark and Glenn Sarangapany on keys came out to the roars and cheers of the crowds that were loud enough to rival an AFL derby game. The first hit to be played was Smith St, an ode to the beloved Melbourne street by the same name. This was followed by Plans and Hold On. Drummer Weston never missed a beat as he slid seamlessly between the songs, one after the other. The crowd were eating up every bite, singing ‘I’d go with you anywhere’ right back to the band on stage. I could totally relate; I would go with them anywhere too if they sang their beautiful tunes all day!
Silhouettic, a very classic Birds of Tokyo song, was the next hit to be played and as Kenny danced across the stage, before firing into the heartfelt number that Kenny wrote for his wife on their wedding day, Two of Us. There were tears in the crowd (well, my tears) as his beautiful heart poured out through the music. Next up was Lion, a song that Birds of Tokyo dedicated to ‘all the strong women we know’. This was a rockier song, a powerful track about powerful women breaking free of cages. Adequately following Lion was Wild At Heart, which the crowd loved, again screaming back the chorus word for word.
Birds of Tokyo continued to shroud the crowd in empowering hit after hit, with Brace, The Greatest Mistakes, Unbreakable, Good Lord, and This Fire hitting the mark with the crowd, with every note that was played. There was even a surprising few bars of Eye Of The Tiger thrown in for good measure! Birds of Tokyo finished the set with Lanterns, which saw everyone pulling their phones out with their torches on, singing along with them as the sun set. It was a beautiful and spectacular sight to see, and an incredible moment to be a part of.
I happened to bump into drummer Adam Weston shortly after their set, getting the chance to tell him how energetic and dynamic his drum licks were. Growing up with two brothers who are drummers, I appreciate good his kicks and trills sounded awesome. He was so kind, talking about the importance of reviewers (but there would be nothing to review without musicians to play gigs!). Further evidencing that the lineup is full of kind-hearted and wonderful humans who are also extremely talented musicians!
If you dig Gyroscope, Karnivool or Dead Letter Circus, you’ll enjoy Birds of Tokyo.
Setlist: Smith St, Plans, Hold On, Silhouettic, Two Of Us, Lion, Wild At Heart, Brace, The Greatest Mistakes, Eye Of The Tiger (cover), Unbreakable, Good Lord, This Fire, Lanterns.
Incubus
American alternative experimental rock gods Incubus were next to hit the stage in front of the 10,000 strong crowd, the co-headliner with Live. It was an absolute delight to see that Incubus had welcomed Nicole Row from Panic! At The Disco to play bass, a perfectly fitting addition to the band. Incubus is made up of singer Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger on lead guitar, drummer José Pasillas and DJ Chris Kilmore as well as Row. This is a band that has been around for a long time, forming back in their high school days of the early 90s. Incubus was birthed in a grungey alternative rock era, differentiating themselves by adding funk and hip hop elements to their tracks to give them that experimental fusion edge.
The crowd were in an absolute frenzy as the first notes of Quicksand washed over them, matched by an equally awesome light show and Boyd’s elaborate dance moves on stage. ‘What a perfect night to make music’ he said to the cheers and whoops of all in the crowd. This is a man who knows how to work a crowd and use his stage presence as he swanned across it, gliding from front to back and side to side almost like a weightless ghost. The stage was filled with additional percussion instruments to add the extra elements to their tracks that are iconic to Incubus – the didgeridoo, djembe, sitar and bongo drums. Boyd and indeed the whole band including DJ Kilmore mixing on the fly, moved so seamlessly between tracks, from Quicksand, Nice to Know You, Anna Molly, Stellar through to Sick Sad Little World, Circles, The Warmth, Pardon Me and Karma Come Back. They never stopped moving to the music and neither did the crowd, feeding off each other’s energy.
Boyd’s energy never faltered once, as he moved energetically with the music, the crowd entranced by the display. It was absolutely unreal! The whole band were super energetic, throwing hands around when they had hands spare from their instruments and going hard, dancing with the music and the crowd! It was a surreal and almost spiritual experience as never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be this close to Incubus, a band I have loved ever since I first heard their music as a teenager! Incubus included a few hit covers, from The Beatles Come Together, Portishead Glory Box and Lets Dance by David Bowie, that had the crowd dancing and singing along and waving their arms, all the way from the front of the mosh through to the punters at the very back of the venue, it was amazing to witness!
It was a wicked mix of the lights and sounds, including the visuals on the screens to the use of smoke machines to create the effects in time with the tracks being mixed live by DJ Kilmore and was truly a delight to the visual and auditory senses. Tracks stared with a didgeridoo, an almost spiritual vibe before bouncing back into the electronic hip-hop infused sultry Incubus tunes. Row was dropping fat juicy bass lines and these were overlaid with striking guitar cutting through, like a sharp cheese. It sounded just like you would hear on a record, just as good live as when mixed in a studio, a truly impressive feat to master but Incubus have done it! Incubus ended their set with Drive and Wish You Were Here. I am so glad that Incubus were here. I could not have wished for a more amazing set. Incubus came, they played and they god damn delivered!
If you like Deftones, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Beastie Boys or Soundgarden, you will really like Incubus.
Setlist: Quicksand, Nice to Know You, Anna Molly, Stellar, Sick Sad Little World, Circles, The Warmth, Pardon Me, Karma Come Back, Come Together (Beatles cover), Are You In?, Vitamin, Glory Box (Portishead cover), Warning, Lets Dance (David Bowie cover), Drive, Wish You Were Here.
+Live+
Co-headliner 1980s American rockers Live were closing out the night of the Lookout Festival and what an absolute epic finale it was! Ed Kowalczyk’s vocals were like a nostalgic trip down memory lane with every song that he sang. The sound was perfectly balanced as Live played through their set and the crowd adored every track, surging closer to be closer to the musicians on stage.
Live played hit after hit, from the smooth vocal melodies of Hold Me Up through to the tear-inducing The Dolphin’s Cry, the cheers and applause that erupted from the enormous crowd was just so unreal! The crowd sang every song word for word back to them, as though Live were old friends having beers together singing a bit of karaoke in the car. It was friendly, it was familiar, it was nostalgic, it was all round good vibes.
Having been through multiple line ups and changes over the years, it was heart warming to see that the songs of Live still hit the same notes in the chests of the musicians on stage as they were hitting in the crowd. Kowalczyk and Live have still got it after all these years. Even causing the crowd to burst into laughter as he sang an F bomb in Freaks. An incredible rock-god performance by Live, and an incredible end to the Lookout Festival tour.
If you like Bush, Fuel or Collective Soul, you will enjoy Live.
Setlist: Hold Me Up, All Over You, Selling The Drama, Freaks, Shit Town, Run To The Water, The Dolphin’s Cry, Leave The Radio On, Turn My Head, White Discussion, Lakini’s Juice, I Alone, Lightning Crashes
Overall
I have so much respect, appreciation and gratitude to Lookout Festival for bringing such awesome musicians to the West Coast. They clearly chose well, saving the best city, Perth for last, with our warm weather and sunny beaches. This festival was an absolute treat and I look forward to Lookout Festival next year!
Thank you to Face to Face Touring, Lookout Festival, The Rockpit and Leanne at Menard PR for arranging the access, and eternal gratitude to the musicians that played for their time and bringing us their music.
Photos by Hunter Brothers Media
