Superjesus lead singer Sarah McLeod rocked the house at Her Majesty’s Theatre Friday night, as support for Noiseworks. McLeod was joined solely by drummer Johnny Salerno, for a bit of an impromptu performance given the two hadn’t played together prior to the gig. You wouldn’t know it though, as they bounced off each other brilliantly, trading guitar and drum licks with a great vibe, culminating in a fantastic cover of Springsteen’s Born To Run, great stuff. Never Enough and new track Muse were also set highlights.
I’m not sure Her Majesty’s Theatre is the perfect venue for a rock band, as being seated feels a little formal at times, however it’s absolutely stunning and was a pretty nice setting to relax and witness Noiseworks kick off their new run of shows in Adelaide. Touring as a bit of a precursor to their upcoming support gig with Simple Minds, there didn’t seem to be too much of a need to shake off the cobwebs, as the guys were in top form for the entire set. Hard to believe frontman Jon Stevens has lost almost none of his vocal chops over his lengthy career, as he’s still belting out songs as though they were a band just starting out.
All the staples of a traditional Noiseworks set were present through a career-spanning, fan’s dream setlist. Touch, Burning Feeling, Take Me Back, Freedom, Miles & Miles, Hot Chilli Woman and more were all backed up by some fantastic newer tracks, Heart & Soul, Sunshine and Amerika, all from the band’s 2022 album, Evolution and all slotting in perfectly alongside their classic cuts.
One of the more poignant moments throughout the set, was an observation made by Stevens as he discussed the track In My Youth and the how different it is to perform it with now the life experience and perspective of a grandfather, as opposed to when they recorded it back in the day.
Alongside Stevens as always were founding members, bassist Steve Balbi and drummer Kevin Nicol. Initially I was a little disappointed to find Southern Sons frontman Jack Jones wasn’t available to handle guitar duties for this current run of dates, as he had previously been stepping in for the late Stuart “Chet” Fraser. However, we were blown away with Palace Of The King frontman Tim Henwood, as he took on lead guitar. An incredible guitarist in his own rite, he nailed Fraser’s style perfectly, an amazing talent and really hope to catch his playing again soon. Rounding out the band on keys in place of Justin Stanley, was musical journeyman Tony Featherstone.
Noiseworks have lost none of their energy live whatsoever, a testament to a great group of musos and some incredible songs. Looking forward to whatever comes next, but whether it be new music or another tour, let’s hope it continues soon.
Peter Lanyon
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