Blogpost: Spiderbait @ Enmore Theatre

Posted by T • March 21, 2017

Posted by T • March 21, 2017

Spiderbait

Enmore Theatre

Sydney, AU

March 18,2017

In case you are burdened with the mercy of late birth and hence unfamiliar, Spiderbait are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Finley, a small rural town in New South Wales. What made them special and made them the face of Australian rock in the late 1990s was their own brand of heaviness mixing in with experimental and weirder off the beaten track moments, while not lacking the knack for writing a good pop tune.

The show tonight was In celebration of their20th anniversary of their third and most celebrated album, Ivy and the Big Apples, which in 1997 was combining an eclectic mix of sounds and subsequently won the “Best Alternative Release” ARIA Music Award”.

Spiderbait held court in front of an enthusiastic crowd in Sydney's Enmore Theatre, with an audience ready to go on a nostalgia trip to relive their youth and the rite of passage the album represents for them. It can be argued if their oeuvre is comprised of any nuances, yet the crowd lapped it up with gusto, with sing-alongs galore and smiles all around.

Bassist Janet English, Damian Whitty on guitar and the bearded backbone and rudder Kram (aka Mark Maher) blasted through their seminal album and got everyone moving in the process, culminating with their most well known songs –“Calypso” from Heath Ledger’s cult classic flic 10 Things I Hate About You invaded.

All sixteen tracks of the album were renditioned from start to finish including songs that were performed in a live environment for the first time. It was interesting to see the extensive instrumentals of the album performed for the first time, some of which became epic battles of bass vs. guitar vs. drums. Plus a few off their other classics thrown in for good measure.

Spiderbait proved that they are in league with the greats of Australian rock music generation such as Silverchair, Grinspoon, Regurgitator, and Powderfinger, an accomplishment emphasized by the fact that despite hiatuses and side projects, the band has always retained its original line-up.

---

Photos by KAVV

T • March 21, 2017

More recent blogposts

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday and Foxing

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 27, 2025

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, Foxing Budweiser Stage Toronto, Canada August 24, 2025 What a treat catching two great bands Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria co-headlining on their 2025 North American tour. Special guest Foxing, from St. Louis, Missouri, opened the night with a 30 minute set, weaving delicate melodies into explosive waves of emotion that filled … Read more

Chevelle – Bright as Blasphemy tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 23, 2025

Chevelle @ Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Canada August 20, 2025 That feeling, when you’re having the best experience ever, and you don’t want it to end! Chevelle delivered a powerful headlining performance marking a high-energy stop on their 38-date North American Bright as Blasphemy tour, with supporting acts Dead Poet Society and Asking Alexandria setting the stage. A wall … Read more

Less Than Jake Summer Circus @ RMA 8/1/25

Posted by Aaron H • August 6, 2025

Less Than Jake - Credit: AMH The circus is in town. Less Than Jake are currently on their Summer Circus Tour promoting their latest EP, Uncharted. They've brought along ska and punk legends Fishbone and The Suicide Machines and ska newcomers, Catbite. Together, they've melded a perfect mish-mash of bands suitable for all ages. Riverside was in for a good … Read more

The Hives @ Enmore Theatre

Posted by T • July 26, 2025

The Hives Enmore Theatre Sydney, Australia July 23, 2025 Let’s be clear: The Hives didn’t play a show. They detonated one. On a cool Sydney night at the Enmore Theatre, the Swedish kings of garage rock stormed the stage like tuxedoed insurgents, staging a velvet-clad coup d’état against anything remotely resembling restraint. It wasn’t a concert. It was controlled chaos … Read more

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 22, 2025

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival Peterborough, Ontario, Canada July 19, 2025 Gob nailed their set, energizing both die‑hard and casual fans alike. The band’s punchy hooks and raw performance had the crowd bouncing throughout the 90‑minute set, delivering both nostalgia and vitality. A perfect addition to a summer night in Peterborough! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Murder City Devils/Animal Self @ GHCH 7/12/25

Posted by Aaron H • July 17, 2025

Murder City Devils - Credit: AMH The Murder City Devils don't get out much anymore, so when the opportunity presented itself, I made my way down to Pomona to catch one of the 2 shows they had lined up in California. They brought along Animal Self, which features Kareem Karam and Coady Willis from Murder City Devils as well as … Read more

Daryl Gussin - A Year In Submission

Posted by Jiffy Marx • July 16, 2025

Can't say my review of it will be as well written or entertaining as this book of 50 poems by Daryl Gussin. Daryl is the managing editor of Razorcake. Daryl was in an awesome punk band called God Equals Genocide. Daryl is my friend but also possibly my spirit animal. Part of me wonders if the leather jacket that Daryl … Read more

Tripping Daisy North American Tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 13, 2025

Tripping Daisy @ Lee's Palace Toronto, Canada July 11, 2025 Tripping Daisy brought us back to 1995 and sounded better than ever! When the crowd sings along 30 years later there’s no better feeling! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Death from Above 1979

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 6, 2025

Death from Above 1979 @ SummerStage New York, USA July 2, 2025 Death from Above 1979 tore through SummerStage with pure, unfiltered energy. The Toronto duo delivered a thunderous set packed with fuzzed-out bass, pounding drums, and raw vocals that had the crowd thrashing from the first note. From classics like “Romantic Rights” to newer bangers, the band was tight, … Read more

Sum 41 @ Scotiabank Arena

Posted by Mirela Z. • June 19, 2025

Sum 41 final shows - day 1 of 2 Scotiabank Arena Toronto Canada Jan. 28, 2025 All photos by @front.row.fans   Read more