Sometimes, a band can inspire a following from early in their career but might not have the means to tour in Australia. Unfortunately, this was the case for Peach Pit, who had been unable to tour Australia throughout their career until now.
With a substantial Australian fanbase, there had been long waits and some uncertainty about when they would manage to perform there. Fortunately, an announcement for the Yours & Owls festival marked the Canadian band’s first-ever performance in Australia, which took place at Northcote Theatre in Melbourne on Wednesday night.
Eliza and the Delusionals
Upon arrival, you were greeted by a line stretching around the corner well before the doors opened, with Northcote Theatre fans knowing they were in for something special. The evening started with the Gold Coast indie rock outfit Eliza and the Delusionals, giving the impression of a fun night of music.
No one could have expected the Peach Pit set to open with the recognisable drum beats of ‘Raining Blood’ by Slayer, expertly performed by Mikey Pascuzzi. Many in the crowd might have wondered, “Did I come to the right show?”
As part of their metal charade, lead vocalist Neil Smith dove into the pit, crowd-surfing his way to the middle of the enthusiastic fans before returning to the stage. Quickly, the mood shifted from heavy metal to the familiar indie pop energy that Peach Pit is known for as the band began playing ‘Being So Normal.’
Not having been to Australia before, the setlist included many fan favourites and newer tracks from their 2022 album, From 2 to 3.
The band didn’t disappoint, delivering all the major favourites such as ‘Alrighty Aphrodite’, ‘Tommy’s Party’, ‘Give Up Baby Go’ (with a Hotel California lead-out),’ and ‘Drop the Guillotine’ all before the encore break. Every time the opening notes of one of these tracks rang out, the crowd went wild, especially when lead guitarist Christopher Vanderkooy was given space to solo.
For new Peach Pit fans, the band shared many of their more recent album, including ‘Vickie’ ‘Pepsi on the House’ ‘Look Out!’ and ‘Up Grantville’ in their setlist.
Chris’s skills as a guitarist were evident, as he seamlessly switched between complementing the band’s rhythm section and accentuating the solos of other band members before taking centre stage himself and delivering incredible guitar lines. Meanwhile, Neil, the lead vocalist, connected quickly with Peach Pit’s fans, bringing them into the fun of the evening by jumping, dancing, and head-banging through their set.
The encore was an exciting mix of older classics, featuring tracks like ‘Hot Knifer’ and ‘Chagu’s Sideturn’ from the 2018 release Being So Normal, followed by the closing song, ‘Shampoo Bottles’.
Their first performance in Australia was incredibly memorable and well worth the wait for Peach Pit’s many fans.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The band will be at Yours & Owls over the weekend before heading to Brisbane on the 16th and Auckland on the 18th. Head HERE for ticketing information.
You can see more photos from Dan HERE.
