Review: The Beards at Rosemount Hotel
The Beards at Rosemount Hotel
w/ Adam Page
Friday, October 3, 2025
Who could forget the epic “hipster” fashion movement of the 2000s? Beards, beers and then BBQ became hot topics of interest, and looking like a lumberjack clad in flannel was held in high regard. The essential linchpin of this look was, of course, the beard. Although the beard is as timeless as man, this era sprung new focus on this follicular area as many beard-related products and projects were born.
Out of this movement came The Beards, an Adelaide comedy folk rock band whose sole medium is, of course, beards. The group disbanded in 2016, mirroring the decline of the hipster movement. But flash forward to 2025, and The Beards are back, reuniting for Byron Bay’s Bluesfest and a run of shows for the east coast. Perth was initially being left off the tour, but the band made a special effort to make the journey west to play our beloved Rosemount Hotel, and by the look of the packed-to-the-brim Main Room, it seems that everyone still loves a beard!
Opening the evening was the also-bearded Adam Page. He roused the crowd with his “excellent beard” and explosive charisma. The multi-instrumentalist wowed the audience as he “made shit up on the spot” with his looping system, beatboxing, miniature guitar, sax and poignant vocals of “I Love Beards.” He cleverly crafted and managed the dynamics of his loops to keep punters engaged and even managed to record and incorporate the crowd into his tracks before leading them in a pub-choir-like call-and-response singalong. Then the hits kept coming with I Want a Beard and I’ve Got an Amazing Beard.
“This is a little song about beards!” The Beards took to the stage with Beards are Back, and the bearded crowd went nuts, and there were a lot of beards in the room, with even the ladies in the audience sporting their own accessory beards! The easy-to-digest and regurgitate lyrics made for some great singalongs as seasoned The Beards fans belted out every word.
Crowd adulation was at its peak as beards tilted up and hands raised in the air for I’ve Got Me a Beard. Stroking My Beard incited more sing-alongs, a hilarious track that tackles the societal stereotypes and explores the struggles of having a beard. After every song came shouts of “Beards! Beards! Beards!”
“This next song is about beards!” Beard Accessory Store had rich, dulcet baritone melodies reminiscent of an old sea shanty, mixing with The Beards’ brand of pub humour. Touch Me on the Beard brought the funk and Hall and Oates vibes, complete with a duelling saxophone solo from opener Adam Page and lead beardist Johann Beardraven. A brief lick of George Michael’s Careless Whisper was a subtle nod to the majesty of the instrument.
“Good news for you, the next song is about beards!” Although the subject matter didn’t change, the musical styles that The Beards explored were as varied as the beards in the room. We were taken through a journey of music genres, from folk songs about beards to funk and jazz songs about beards to glam rock songs about beards, the one continuity stringing it all together…beards!
If you like your humour warm, fuzzy and one-faceted, then The Beards could be for you. The Beards are a very engaging and entertaining band with some very cleverly written lyrics and hilarious moments. Who can say what the future holds for The Beards? But just like the beard never goes out of style, The Beards’ fans don’t look like they are going anywhere, so put away that razor—it looks like The Beards might be here to stay!
ANTHONY JACKSON
Photos by Adrian Thomson
