Touring after the release of their latest album Natural Born Chillers, The Bennies well and truly proved their status as party kings on Sunday night. The band, best known for their stoner rock sound, were bound to bring a euphoric atmosphere to Jive before wrapping up the last leg of their tour.
The energy from the crowd swelled when The Bennies came on stage to start performing. Surprisingly, they smugly walked out grooving to Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance with Somebody, which the audience belted out alongside the five-piece band. The people in the mosh got a major work-out when The Bennies self-proclaimed style consisting of ‘psychedelic reggae’ with tones of ‘doom metal punk rock’ filled the scene.
The venue suited their vibe perfectly, giving enough room for a serious mosh at the front, but also space at the back for people to groove at their own pace. This was particularly important when they played crowd favourite and absolute synthesiser, Heavy Disco, which front man Anty Horgan says he didn’t make it to the night before after falling asleep mid-set.
The diversity of the crowd was also truly a site to behold, making it clear from the get-go just how significant their reach is. Every stoner stereotype imaginable was in Jive, but the crowd was friendly, a bit wild, and inclusive of each other. The energy, mate-ship and genuine positivity from the crowd was utterly infectious, and a testament to the chilled brand they have built.
Met with disappointment, Anty told the crowd that they wouldn’t be performing in Adelaide for a while. He then tried to hush the crowd, telling them that their lack of presence is due to guitarist and vocalist, Jules, having a baby girl soon. The crowds tone reversed and a collective ‘aw’ poured out from the audience.
After telling the crowd how genuinely happy they were to be here and gushing over their love for Adelaide, they finished with an old classic, Party Machine.
Of course, this was a track that the majority of the crowd were amped to hear. The Bennies were in total awe of the audiences’ tenacity as they jumped up on stage to sing a few lines and then throw themselves into the audience when the beat dropped.
I think I’ve discovered the real merchants of joy throughout this show. 10/10 (or maybe 420/10) for The Bennies.
Review by Annabelle McKinnon
Photo by Kay Call
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