Review: Eagles Of Death Metal @ Enmore Theatre
Review by Natasha Christian & photos by Nathan Goldsworthy.
HIGH-VOLTAGE DESERT ROCK AND ROLL.
Ed’s note: While I reviewed the Sydney show, Nathan’s photos are from the Melbourne show at the Forum on July 25.
I had the pleasure of watching the Eagles Of Death Metal live show at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Thursday night.
The night began with Perth’s Southern River Band, who have been getting some cracker support spots lately. They were the right pick for The Darkness late last year, and it made perfect sense for them to welcome EODM too.
Frontman Cal Kramer took the stage in eye-catching skin-tight shimmery pants adorned with a big SRB on the ass. They reminded me of that shimmery children’s book The Rainbow Fish, about the most beautiful fish in the sea. Kramer’s banter was top-notch and he successfully got a few laughs from the crowd.
SRB put on a great Aussie rock show. They mix the glam of Motley Crue and The Darkness with the iconic sound of 80s Cold Chisel, with songs about jail, workmates doing meth and smoking cigarettes. Barnsey must’ve noticed them too as they got to support Chisel a few years back.
There was a lot of gyrating during this set, admittedly it’s hard not to during songs like Watch Yourself (You’re Gonna Hurt Somebody). The standout performance for me was Vice City II with its Iron Maiden-esque guitar intro and powerful lyrics that elevate it above the rest of the setlist.
I’ve added it to the Outsiders Journal playlist if you want to give it a listen.
One thing that caught my attention was one of EODM’s touring members tuning his gear on stage while SRB was playing. It seemed a bit rude and his eye-catching hat made it distracting. I think it would’ve been better to wait a few minutes for the band to finish their set. SRB didn’t seem overly bothered by it, but from an audience perspective, it wasn’t the greatest look.
As the crowd slowly filled the Enmore, EODM finally took the stage. It may have taken a bit longer to get inside due to the increased security measures. This was likely due to the tragic Paris concert at the Bataclan Theatre in November 2015, where 90 people, including the band’s crew and fans, lost their lives.
As a news journalist who was working on that terrifying day, the memories still haunt me, and I can only imagine the long-term psychological impact it may have had on EODM frontman, Jesse Hughes. Nevertheless, Hughes has found a way to persist and push on, and as he defiantly quoted Ozzy Osbourne during the recent trial, “You can’t kill rock n roll”.
As Hughes would say now - Amen!
When Hughes arrived on stage it was clear to see why Australians love him. The crowd was immediately captivated from the minute he walked out in a striking red cape and started dancing to Rocky Horror’s Time Warp. The band quickly kicked off with electrifying versions of Got A Woman and I Only Want You.
While there was no Josh Homme in sight, EODM’s touring band well and truly make up for his absence. Guitarist Scott Shiflett - a punk stalwart from Face To Face & Me First & The Gimme Gimmes - provided some great support, and drummer Leah Bluestein delivered a standout performance.
All adorned in black, the band is a powerful presence on stage, but it’s hard to look away from the mesmerising Hughes, who stands out in all white. Not to be outshone, bass goddess Jennie Vee’s dazzled with her studded Western look, adding to the visual spectacle.
During the show, there were a lot of references to Hughes’ faith, and he seemed genuinely joyful and grateful to be on stage, openly expressing it throughout the night. It was heartwarming when he noticed a young boy who had been trying to get his attention for most of the show. Throughout the night the boy would try to get a wave from Hughes and I saw his face sink each time he failed. When Hughes finally noticed, he quickly invited him on stage, a one-in-a-lifetime act of kindness that the kid will never forget.
I wasn’t sure how a fan throwing their Socceroos scarf at Hughes would be received - it happened ironically as the Matilda’s lost to Nigeria - but he handled it gracefully by draping it around his neck during Heart On. He was also pretty chuffed when another fan offered a bra. An EODM show wouldn’t be complete without some cheeky Southern sleaze which we got during Cherry Cola, a song Hughes dedicated to “the ladies”.
Having been a fan since Peace Love Death Metal, this was the first time I experienced EODM live, and it was an unforgettable experience. Hughes’ has a rare energy, reminiscent of Dave Grohl and Brad Pitt (who isn’t a rockstar but may as well be), it’s chaotic yet somehow feels chill, and you know he’s in complete control.
The set finished up with I Want You So Hard and an emotional version of I Love You All The Time that gave me chills. After the attack, the band asked dozens of musicians to cover it to raise money for the victims, and artists including Elton John, Chelsea Wolfe, Nada Surf and Imagine Dragons responded. You can hear these versions here.
The band left us with a cover of David Bowie’s Moonage Daydream, unfortunately, Hughes had some microphone issues but he managed to keep his cool right til the very end.
The encore saw Hughes appear at the back of the crowd to play a guitar solo. This was followed by Jennie Vee’s bass cover of Motorhead’s Ace of Spades and a very silly version of Speaking In Tongues - with two giant wacky inflatable men adding to the fun.
Overall this simple rock n roll show was nothing short of phenomenal and one that will stay with me for a long time. Amen!
Eagles Of Death Metal are touring Australia and New Zealand presented by Frontier Touring.