It’s hard to believe next year will mark the 20th anniversary of brother-sister duo Angus & Julia Stone’s initial assault on Aussie hearts and global charts. Angus was just 20 at the time, but he’d already found his groove. His hips haven’t stopped swaying ever since. A prolific songwriter, there’s been no let-up in hits in recent years under the new moniker, Dope Lemon.
The crowd filing in from the frigid rain outside Sydney’s iconic Enmore Theatre for the 2025 Golden Wolf tour reflected the music. Cruisy; diverse; stoned. I was impressed by the stretched-out demographic, with students from the nearby Uni and grey-haired veterans alike. All singing along. I can’t remember the last time I was in a crowd where everyone was just so at peace with the experience. A sold-out gig, with barely a shoulder touching.
I knew little of the back-up act, Pamela. A few listens on Spotify prior to the gig didn’t overly excite me. But the live performance was more enjoyable. Wafty cinematic soundscapes with an indie pop feel. A nice pop-up for the coming alley-oop.
Dope Lemon put on a very good show. Very good, but not quite great. Setting up as a five-piece – with Angus joined by drums, bass, lead and percussion/harmonica – a dazzling and an on-point light show ensured eyes were glued to the stage throughout. The driving bass and groovy rhythms lock you in a trance, with vibes bouncing from psychedelic 70’s rock through stoner indie folk. All sprinkled with surprising soundscapes borrowed from Eastern cultures.
Rock music you can fuck to.
Surprising setlist
Imagine Bob Dylan as a Blues Brother, and you’ll have your mind’s eye vision of Angus on stage. Much of the theatrics were left to his bandmates. Notably the brilliant energy of the percussionist and frequent solos from the lead guitarist, which I hadn’t expected but loved. Only towards the end did Angus come to life. Well, outside of repeatedly reminding the crowd how much he loved his home-town. Love reciprocated.
I thought the 16-song setlist was strong, unfolding over the course of around 90-minutes it didn’t outstay its welcome. Perhaps the biggest surprise being that only four tunes off the new album made the cut. Title track “Golden Wolf”, “John Belushi,” “Electric Green Lambo” and Yamasuki cover “Yama Yama.”
For those seeking to hear the new catalogue live, it was no doubt a disappointment. But as a Dope Lemon virgin, I was happy to be cherry-popped with gems like “Marinade”, “Hey You”, “Rose Pink Cadillac”, “Uptown Folks”, “Coyote” and closer, “Home Soon”.
As mentioned at the top, however, the gig didn’t quite hit its potential thanks to an iffy sound mix. To an extent, Dope Lemon’s wall-of-sound approach to fuzzy indie folk rock isn’t aurally subtle, but the vocals were too often lost in the onslaught. Indeed, even between songs when Angus made attempts to talk to the crowd, it was mostly tough to decipher his words. Something wasn’t quite right.
Yet, I’d still happily see Dope Lemon play again; it was a journey worth taking and it was clear the packed Enmore enjoyed the ride.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended 31/7 at the Enmore Theater in Sydney. The tour continues onto New Zealand – head HERE for tickets
