Artist: Eskimo Joe with Adalita
Date: September 29th 2022
Venue: The Tivoli, Brisbane
Reviewer: Hear2Zen Magazine
Photographer: Andrew Treadwell Photography

Any time a band does retrospective or “Album Shows” they can often tread into dangerous waters. They are truly meant for the hard core fans rather than the fair weather hits only fans. While you can give your key fanbase something they have been wishing for, but then you can also have the punter who knows the radio hits screaming “Play (insert song)” for 90 minutes solid as they chug beers.

Thankfully the die-hards were out in force at Brisbane’s The Tivoli as Eskimo Joe took on the task of playing their albums “A Song Is A City” and “Black Fingernails, Red Wine” in their entirety. It was nice to see, especially on a Wednesday night, as sometimes those mid week shows don’t get a lot of love.

In support tonight was Adalita from Magic Dirt. I personally don’t feel she was the correct choice, and while her talents do not need to be pushed by me, I just felt she had absolutely no connection with the crowd, and people’s attention seemed to wander towards the bar

After a short break Eskimo Joe hit the stage with front man Kav Temperly looking like he could have come straight off the set of the recent Elvis movie. Most bands even when playing album shows tend to come out of the gate with a rocker but Eskimo Joe stayed true to the Song Is A City sequence opening with “Come Down”. The band are super tight and the overall presentation of the songs and show is flawless, and before you knew it all 12 tracks were played to a thunderous ovation

Moving on to Black Fingernails, Red Wine, it’s really hard to find a bad thing about this album on record or live. The bands first Aria Number 1 which has achieved quadruple platinum status and to be honest once you hear the tracks in a live setting you realize how well the album has aged.Add the visuals of the film clips for songs playing behind the band, was a nice touch, andmade for a trip down memory lane, but with the band remaining present in front of you

Back for the encore and a special version of a 20 year old song “Sweater”, the band donned matching sweaters, which added some comedy but also reinforced the comradery of this band, before finishing off with Love Is A Drug and Foreign Land. The band might be 25 years into their career but this show proved they don’t rest on their laurels and want to present the band as a current and solid unit. Fans for the upcoming shows are in for a real treat

Setlist
Come Down
From The Sea
Life Is Better With You
Older Than You
A Song Is A City
Don’t Let It Fly
I’m So Tired
Seven Veils
Smoke
Carousel
This Room
Car Crash
Comfort You
New York
Black Fingernails, Red Wine
Breaking Up
Setting Sun
London Bombs
Sarah
This Is Pressure
Beating Like A Drum
Suicide Girl
How Does It Feel

Encore
Sweater
Love Is A Drug
Foreign Land