When Killing Heidi's breakout album, Reflector launched in the late 90s, I was an impressionable high school (or perhaps primary school?) kid who probably didn't really realise that they like the heavier side of music.
As an adult, I can now comfortably trace my finger back through a collection of CDs, digital audio files, and memorabilia that points back to my love of female fronted music.
That band, no doubt is Killing Heidi. An Australian rock band helmed by Ella Hooper and her sibling-brother Jesse, the album Reflector featured breakout hits like Mascara, Weir and Live Without It.
They also broke out a little bit internationally, having a song featured on a Spiderman soundtrack. Not bad for a band that came from some quiet country town in regional Victoria, Australia.
Late last year, there was an announcement that it would be approaching twenty five years since the album was originally released, and following the "band" getting back together, there'd be an anniversary tour celebrating the debut album.
An album, might I add, that had never been played track to track, line by line, in its entirety, live; in front of an ageing crowd (myself included) who hold significant nostalgia for the soundtrack of their youth.
To stand among a group of people who know all the words to every song; and to have performers genuinely enjoy delivering their relatively ancient audio is a communal experience. A few days ago, I wrote about grief raves - but there was no grief in this show.
Captured on my phone, from somewhere in the second row
Opened by a few other female acts, the concert began when the first artist walked out onto the stage, Hassal. It was her first time performing at Adelaide's venerable "Gov", one of our most loved musical venues, and while the crowd struggled to warm to her songs, I appreciated that they were filled with self-deprecation, humour, and enough profound writing to ensure that my applause was always the last to end.
Next up, was Siobahn Cotchin, from the other side of the country, Perth. She and her band played with an untouchable attitude and precision, and many people tried to steal her hat. That's probably the hallmark of the country style she played in. Not particularly my style, but I could certainly appreciate their skill.
Captured on my phone
Then finally, once the stage was cleared of additional drumkits, performers, and the set lists were stuck down to the stage, out came a powerful, confident woman named Ella Hooper and her band.
Donning a tshirt with an iconic lyric from one of their songs, "Boring and Old" (are the things you're told about the outside world) - the crowd greeted her and her instrumental accompaniment with a wall of noise.
I'm glad I use ear plugs when I go to concerts, because I reckon that is where the damage comes from - the people screaming right in your ear.
They began to play, and everyone, and I mean - pretty much everyone - sang along to every song. Some were moved down-tempo a little bit, as the band acknowledged their age and inability to keep up with their younger selves, but justice was served on every single track.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Hooper (Jesse) - talks about how the performance and dynamic of the band has changed over time.
There’s also a new dynamic within the band. “Me and Pedro [drummer Adam Pedretti] are now in the minority — there’s a strong female energy onstage these days,” Hooper jokes. “Phoebe Neilson on bass is killer. We’ve added keys and more backing vocals to flesh out the sound of Reflector in a way we never could before. We’re in a much better position to recreate that album live.”
Captured on my phone
Throughout the gig, Ella was speaking very highly about the large number of chicks in rock in the current era, and she was thrilled to give her opening acts the opportunity to gain additional exposure through the coat tails of her success.
Acoustics worked well in the environment; though my friend said that she could not hear the lyrics very well, with them being a little bit too far back in the mix. With it being the first night of the tour, I am sure all of these things will improve as they no doubt refined this over the small number of tour dates.
Fiercely proud and energetic, she was a true frontwoman - but gave plenty of credit to all the others joining her on stage.
Once the album was performed in full, the band left the stage, before returning for a brief encore, including Heavensent, which Ella joked about being the closest thing she had ever written to a love song.
It was a love song to everyone in the crowd, and the 25 years that had been between the release of the album and the coming together of a group of strangers to celebrate the music of their youth.
