If Frenzal Rhomb are reading this, I promise this is not another bad review. Let me set the scene… it’s a Thursday night at one of Adelaide’s most iconic gig venues. Rain drizzles over patrons eagerly waiting for Frenzal Rhomb to take the stage and kick off their Sans Souci 23rd anniversary tour at The Gov. As I walk into the venues outdoor area, I observe everyone sporting freshly purchased merch, sinking beers and getting some fresh air before they turn into a heap of sweat in the mosh pit. Never have I entered a smoker’s area before and smelt such a strong scent of cannabis.
To kick the night off, little local legends handouts played what is probably their biggest show to date. Forming around a year ago the 14-year-old punk duo have already got two single releases under their belt and were “absolutely stoked” to be opening for Frenzal Rhomb this fine evening.
handouts, looking similar to early performances of Silverchair, when the band were still in their early teenage years, claimed the stage and won over the audience with their grateful sincerity and angsty tunes. Singer Tanu was clearly comfortable on stage, running around, jumping off the drum set and shredding it up on the fold back speakers, while drummer Zak thrashed away humbly in the background, keeping time while his long blonde hair covering his face completely.
They played their two released songs “Rittalyn” and “Forgive & Forget/Favourite child”, a song about “shit people they fucking hate”, one for anyone who “thinks their band is shit”, and heaps more punk riff-driven tunes to fill their 30-minute slot.
With the crowd all warmed up, Frenzal Rhomb took over the stage, bursting straight into the beginning of Sans Souci with “Stand Up And Be Cunted”. They proceeded to smash out a whopping 26 songs (see setlist below), playing Sans Souci in its entirety, while weaving in some extra goodies from their other albums, A Man’s Not A Camel, The Cup of Pestilence, Smoko At The Pet Factory, and more.
“One time someone left us a bad review for not playing the songs on A Man’s Not A Camel in order”, Jay shared with a chuckle, “one time we had a bad review posted before we even got home from the gig! We’re playing the songs in order this time so don’t leave a bad TripAdvisor review”, he said as he sipped on his beer. I took that into consideration.
The whole night was basically a sing-along, the crowd screaming their hearts out with their fists in the air to every. Single. Song. Frenzal played each track with the same rowdy energy that they packed into the album 23 years ago when it was recorded, delivering iconic Australian punk with a tongue in their cheek. Prancing around the stage, the band was just as happy to be there as the crowd was and weren’t phased at all when patrons jumped up with them. Lots of stage divers tried their luck, some successful, some not so, some with sore heads today, I am sure. Alongside that were heaps of sweaty crowd surfers, a diverse crowd, huge mosh pit, kids on shoulders and even some special guests on stage, when the band invited Tanu up to play a song, and another young local guitarist later in their set.
One thing to beware of in a Frenzal Rhomb mosh is the whip of a man’s metre long dread locks. Swinging in all different directions, wicked with sweat, lashing like a rope, rising like snakes out of medusas head, these things are lethal.
Sprinkled in between songs was special commentary from Jay and the other members of the band. There are too jokes many to recount, but they did ask if the anyone in the audience was getting married, because they would be keen to play at the wedding and maybe even “piss off racist Auntie Bettie”.
One of my favourite parts was between almost every song Jay would check the setlist, and every time he would say “hm, what song is next, oh that one, that one’s a banger”, if he doesn’t say so himself.
As we neared the end of the show the crowd became lethargic, only to find the energy to become the rowdiest they had been all night, for the final song “Never Had So Much Fun”. Jay let the audience sing the introduction themselves, while he downed his Budweiser. When that thrashy, distorted guitar came in everyone lost their minds in the mosh.
After the gig, we were standing out the front, dissecting the performance, and all our favourite parts. Some friends stated that Frenzal’s music is the perfect thing to see live when your on MDMA. I then saw someone I’d met earlier at the bar and asked him if he enjoyed the show.
He just exhaled and responded with, “in a world full of misery and hate… we need more of that”.
Frenzal Rhomb’s 23rd anniversary of Sans Souci tour has only just begun! With a total of 17 shows left to go, the iconic Australian punk band will be playing 6 concerts in Queensland, 4 in New South Wales and Western Australia, 2 in Tasmania, and 1 Canberra, so grab a ticket here to experience it live.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Photos by John Goodridge – see the whole photo gallery here.
Reviewer attended 13.08.26
Frenzal Rhomb Tour Details:
Fri 11 Sep – Barwon Heads Hotel, Wadawurrung / Barwon Heads
Sat 12 Sep – The Croxton, Naarm / Melbourne
Thu 17 Sep Leichhardt Hotel, Darumbal / Rockhampton
Fri 18 Sep – McGuires Hotel, Yuwibara / Mackay
Sat 19 Sep – The Warehouse, Gurambilbarra / Townsville
Sun 20 Sep – The Jack, Gimuy / Cairns
Wed 21 Oct – Rosemount Hotel, Boorloo / Perth
Thu 22 Oct – Prince of Wales, Goomburrup / Bunbury
Fri 23 Oct – The River, Wooditjup / Margaret River
Sat 24 Oct – Carine Tavern, Whadjuk / Duncraig
Fri 6 Nov – Metro, Gadigal / Sydney
Sat 7 Nov – Hamilton Station, Mulubinba / Newcastle
Thu 12 Nov – The Northern, Cavanbah / Byron Bay
Fri 13 Nov – Princess Theatre, Turrbal / Woolloongabba
Sat 14 Nov – Kings Beach Tavern, Gubbi Gubbi / Caloundra
Thu 19 Nov – Altar, Nipaluna / Hobart
Fri 20 Nov – Forth Pub, Wuwinilili / Forth
Frenzal Rhomb setlist:
Stand Up And Be Cunted
Russell Crowe’s Band
Punisher
Ballchef
5000 cigs
Mr Charisma
Bucket Bong
Looking Good
Greyhound
I Miss my Lung
Where Drug Dealers Take Their Kids
Bird attack
Lead Poisoned Jean
Who’d be a Cop?
White World
When My Baby Smiles At Me I Go To Rehab
Gone to the Dogs
Instant Coffee
Cocksucker
World’s Fuckedest Cunt
60, Beautiful & Mine
You Are Not My friend
Punch In The Face
I Went Out With A Hippy & Now I Love Everyone Except For Her
All the Kids Are Having Kids
You’ll Go To Jail
Never Had So Much Fun
