Long Jetty Hotel, Central Coast
Sunday March 25, 2018 :
The Smith Street Band embarked on a massive 32 date tour for 2018 in March, April and May covering all states and territories playing venues and cities rarely touched by acts of their calibre. From Warrnambool and Mount Gambier in the South to Rockhampton and Airlie Beach in the North. The announcement of a gig at my local Long Jetty on the 25th of March was surprising but exciting and other locals clearly felt the same way as it sold out within a very short time of going on sale. Before the main act, we were treated to the four-piece Press Club playing a range of their indie-rock rhythms as well as Bec Sandridge with their indie-pop tunes.
Then the chanting started within the crowd before eventually Wil Wagner and the rest of the band graced the tiny stage at the Long Jetty Hotel for their set. One of my mates with me mentioned that Wil had posted on social media saying he was hungover (not surprising given the sold out Enmore Theatre gig the night before) and you could initially see immediately that if it weren’t for the few hundred strong crowd in front of him that he’d rather be relaxing on the actual jetty by the lake instead of at the hotel up the road where we stood waiting. Any worry anyone had initially about the upcoming performance waned when the band opened with their latest Birthdays and then proceeded to progress through their catalogue of top rated songs mixed with more recent tracks from their newest album More Scared of You Than You Are of Me.
The band was energetic and enthusiastic, the audience the same. It’s always great to see bands with such a profile play at regional venues like the Long Jetty Hotel and if this sold out show is anything to go by, we may see more of them.
Reviewer : Andrew Scott
Photographer : Kevin Bull
THE SMITH STREET BAND
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BEC SANDRIDGE
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