Review: Wheatus Acoustic Tour at Indian Ocean Hotel
Wheatus Acoustic Tour at Indian Ocean Hotel
w/ Josh ‘Pricey’ Price, Savannah Solomon
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Indi Bar came alive on Saturday night as Wheatus frontman Brendan B. Brown and his better half, Gabrielle Sterbenz, brought their 14-date Dirtbags Across Australia tour to Perth.
The evening kicked off with 2024 Emerging Artist of the Year Savanah Solomon, whose powerful country-rock ballads set the tone for an evening of musical magic. With raw and evocative lyrics, her songs brought stories of love, loss, and healing to life, and her voice filled the room with warmth. Tracks like The Train and Rainbow explored deeply personal themes, weaving together tales of personal growth and overcoming life’s challenges, while Where the River Meets the Sea, inspired by small-town life and the desire to break free, resonated with many.
Next up was former Chats guitarist and vocalist Josh ‘Pricey’ Price, whose Aussie pub rock energy was impossible to ignore. The crowd was treated to a mix of humour and gritty rock anthems, with songs like Big Sky and Moving Out channelling the spirit of classic Australian rock. The playful and irreverent nature of his performance kept the audience laughing, particularly when he joked with the crowd about STDs while performing Bastards Never Change. His set was a true throwback to the no-nonsense rock’n’roll of the Aussie pub scene.
After Price’s set, Gabrielle Sterbenz took the stage with her stunning voice, supported by the incredible Carly Bruce on backup vocals. Gabrielle’s solo performance was a highlight, as she effortlessly transitioned from intimate ballads to more upbeat rock tracks. One standout moment was her song You Don’t Think I Love You, written during a time of personal reflection while travelling through 49 of the 50 U.S. states. Her raw and vulnerable songwriting made an immediate connection with the audience, showing her remarkable growth as an artist.
As the night peaked, Wheatus took the stage, delivering a high-energy, fan-request-driven set that delighted long-time fans and newcomers alike. The atmosphere was electric as Brendan B. Brown, flanked by his bandmates, dove into an all-request extravaganza, offering up some of the band’s most iconic songs. Kicking off with the infectious Pretty Girl from their debut album, the crowd erupted in nostalgia. But it wasn’t just the old favourites that kept the energy alive—the band seamlessly blended in a mix of their greatest hits with a few surprises and deep cuts that showed their musical range.
Other highlights included Leroy, a track with a story dating back to the band’s early days. Brendan recalled the making of the music video in Melbourne in December 2000, and the crowd appreciated the personal touch. He also took a moment to reminisce about the band’s rise to fame and the complexities of the music industry, offering a backstory to songs like Sunshine. Written during a particularly tumultuous period when the band had millions stolen from them and their label cut Brendan out of the deal, Sunshine became a cathartic anthem that still resonates today.
Wheatus also delivered an unexpected but thrilling cover of Erasure’s A Little Respect, showcasing their versatility and adding an extra layer of fun to the evening. Brendan’s vocals, paired with Gabrielle’s backup harmonies, added a fresh and unique energy to the classic track.
Truffles, a track Brendan described as ‘a piece of shit’ (written about his experiences at a Catholic high school in the 1980s), had the crowd laughing as much as they were singing along. It was a perfect reminder of the band’s ability to mix humour with serious musicianship.
The performance was also an opportunity for the band to showcase some of their lesser-known gems, including Hey Mr. Brown, a song that Brendan explained was inspired by his desire to join the punk band Quicksand, and Punk Ass Bitch, which they promised to perform in a “Jackie Chan version”—an amusing tease for the crowd.
As the set progressed, the band played Lemonade, a deeply personal track written during their time touring with Eve 6. Brendan shared a funny yet emotional story about how it took him six weeks to learn the song, with the first time he played it live coinciding with his first experience getting high. It was moments like this—the blend of humour, rawness, and real-life stories—that made the concert feel so intimate, as though the audience was getting a backstage pass into the band’s history.
The night reached its climax with Growing on Me, a raucous cover of The Darkness hit, and, of course, Teenage Dirtbag, the song that catapulted them to fame in the early 2000s. Yet, even though it’s their most well-known hit, Wheatus managed to give it a fresh spin, blending it with Weezer’s My Name is Jonas for an unexpected, crowd-pleasing mashup that had everyone singing along.
The band’s commitment to giving their fans what they wanted—without ever sacrificing the integrity of their music—was clear throughout the night. Wheatus didn’t just deliver a concert; they created an experience. With their mix of humour, heartfelt storytelling, and anthemic rock tunes, they reminded everyone why they’ve remained a beloved band for decades.
ALEIGHSHA GLEW
Photos by Muhammad Imran
