THE WAR ON DRUGS / SPOON
Brisbane Riverstage
Tuesday, 9 December 2023
LET'S GET THIS PERFECTLY CLEAR RIGHT FROM THE START, SHALL WE — Spoon is no support band. As one of this reviewer's all-time favorites, it feels somewhat bewildering to witness one of indie music's greats in a supporting spot, even if their one-hour, fat-free set is utterly bulletproof. Even The War on Drugs’ frontman Adam Granduciel hailed them as "the best band of the last 40 years" during his set. He isn't wrong; the Texan outfit immediately gets to work, twirling this audience around their little finger, satiating fans still bewildered to be witnessing them at twilight while molding the initiated into proper fans one song at a time.
Their outstanding set is nothing short of brilliance—an orchestration of irresistibly catchy tunes executed with precision by a band so cohesive that each note resonates like a finely tuned machine. Frontman Britt Daniel, still in possession of one of rock's great voices—gravelly and with raw authenticity—displays an onstage prowess so genuine that, for a moment, you're forgiven for the awe he inspires, as such performances are rare these days. He captivates entirely from the opening chord strikes of 'The Beast and Dragon, Adored' from 2005's Gimme Fiction. In fact, it's this album that evenly dominates tonight's set with their latest 'Lucifer On The Sofa', each and every song—old or new—triumphantly a classic.
Familiarity reigns as the opening bars of 'The Underdog' take the ignorant by surprise, while 'Do You', 'Rent I Pay', and arguably the band's biggest single 'I Turn My Camera On' unfold one by one. But even the long-converted get a surprise tonight as Daniel reveals a hidden talent—he sounds a LOT like John Lennon. Their cover of the late legend's 'Isolation' probably originated in lockdown and still resonates while shoulder-to-shoulder with a packed Riverstage. Spoon's set tonight is a form of musical perfection that leaves a bedazzled audience lingering in the afterglow, savoring the echoes of a night where the boundaries between performer and observer dissolved into perfect harmony
