The Entertainment Grounds, Gosford
Saturday 10 February 2024
Reviewer : Jo Forster
Photographer : Kevin Bull
The Entertainment Grounds at Gosford on the Central Coast provided the perfect backdrop for punters to enjoy some of the best that the ’90s had to offer. The highly anticipated gig couldn’t come soon enough for fans who were disappointed when the initial 2023 date was cancelled. Luckily for Coasties, the lineup was just as strong as the cancelled show which initially promised the likes of Spiderbait, Eskimo Joe, Ratcat and Bodyjar. The new show saw Regurgitator headlining with Jebediah, New Zealand’s Shihad, Magic Dirt, Frenzal Rhomb, Screamfeeder and Caligula plus Big Music Bandits completing the bill.
Ably compered by Lindsay “The Doctor” McDougall, best known as lead guitarist for Frenzal Rhomb and ABC Illawarra Radio host; “…before you ask, yes, I do introduce Frenzal Rhomb to the stage. It’s weird, awkward, and slightly embarrassing, but that’s kind of my vibe.” Springloaded gig goers were entertained from the moment they entered the gates. First out of the blocks were Big Music Bandits, an outfit put together by Caligula’s lead singer Ash Rothschild and drummer Kyle Barr. An all under 18s group, the teens are coached at Big Music School in Crows Nest and punch out hit after hit warming up the audience.
Quickly followed by Caligula who were joined by original member Sean Fonti on bass having only recently returned from living in China for many years. It was great to see the extra energy onstage with both Fonti brothers (Jamie on keyboards) back performing together again. Frontman Ash never disappoints, his stagecraft honed over many years and regular gigs featuring new Caligula material as well as crowd favourite ‘Tears of a Clown’. The lineup was completed with Mark Tobin on guitar and Kyle Barr on drums.
Screamfeeder took to the stage and only a day after being in Sydney for the showing of The Ending Goes Forever: The Screamfeeder Story, the debut feature length documentary by Director Jacob Schiotz. Kellie Lloyd masterfully commanding her newly acquired black Rickenbacker bass led the four piece. Original member Tim Steward still has his inner punk well intact and Darek Mudge and Phil Usher completed the tight lineup of Brisbane based indie darlings. A dedication to the late Dave Challinor was both moving and slightly uncomfortable to watch, knowing he was taken far too soon just over a year prior, during what was to be the final recording for Sounds Like Sunset which features Phil Usher on drums.
Awkwardly and embarrassingly, Lindsay McDougall then introduced his comrade veteran punks Frenzal Rhomb. Their opening number, a cover of The Everly Brothers ‘When Will I be Loved’, got the crowd singing and swaying along to a ’60s favourite but absolutely nothing like the ’90s punk that followed. With poetry such as ‘When My Baby Smiles at me I go to Rehab’ and ‘Russell Crow’s Band’s a Fucking Pile of Shit’, Springloaded party goers got their mosh on and excitement levels were well and truly raised. The energy of the crowd only outdone by Dal and Lindsay leaping around the stage, with Dal stopping very briefly for a quick sit down and pose for this happy snapper side of stage.
Adalita, resplendent with the grunge/punk stage attitude she is well known for, led the boys of Magic Dirt onstage and had onlookers clambering to get closer, especially once she was at the barrier letting fans touch her fender guitar and join in the action. I was thrilled to be able to capture this band for the first time, always having admired other photographer’s images of this incredible frontwoman, I well and truly got my turn with Adalita putting on one hell of a rocking performance, not to mention co founder and bass player Dean Turner dominating his side of the stage with raw energy. I was surprised to hear that one of their biggest hits ‘Dirty Jeans’ very nearly didn’t make it to our ears as Adalita really didn’t like it when she first penned the lyrics. Thankfully she was convinced by someone with trained ears – the rest is history…..great history.
New Zealand outfit Shihad tore up the stage next. Lead singer Jon Toogood proving his prowess as a frontman to the audience that were well and truly lubricated and warmed up by then. Making headlines with their name change to Pacifier back in 2001 when they were set to tour the US, the band has since changed back to Shihad which was initially a misspelling of Jihad. Funnily enough, their Springloaded counterparts Jay and The Doctor from Frenzal raffled off the band name Pacifier when they were Triple J co hosts and it was won by a little known Tasmanian band Theory of Everything. Enough of the history lesson, Shihad had the crowd begging for more as they ripped through their set. By this point you’d be forgiven for thinking you were at a Big Day Out concert. Having released their 10th studio album produced by Birds of Tokyo’s Adam Spark, they show no signs of slowing down and we are indeed grateful.
Jebediah greeted the eagerly awaiting audience, with singer Kevin Mitchell (alter ego Bob Evans) proclaiming to the crowd that he is a dad now so he didn’t think it would be a good idea to incite any crowd surfing. His older sibling Brett Mitchell on drums rounding out the family affair, the foursome from Perth are indeed a very close bunch and it shows in their performance. Their set featured favourites ‘Leaving Home’ and ‘Harpoon’ and welcomed the night skies over Gosford. They were recently inducted into the WAM Hall of Fame joining huge names such as Bon Scott and the Farris Brothers. Proving they’re not resting on nostalgia, Jebediah released new music in 2023 with ‘Gum Up The Bearings’, their first release since 2011. Having just played the massive Good Things Festival at the end of 2023 with none other than Devo, they were well and truly primed to entertain us at the Coast’s first Springloaded gig.
If the censors attended the headline act at Springloaded Gosford, they would have had their work cut out for them. Dressed head to toe in double white denim, the ever irreverent three piece had ‘upgraded’ their outfits by slapping black graffiti all over them. Penises and swear words featuring heavily on every inch of their matching attire. None of this is out of place when you hear them belt out ‘I’ve Sucked a Lot of Cock to Get Where I Am’ and ‘I Will Lick Your Arsehole’ all the while the enthusiastic crowd crooning along under the summer night skies. The energy onstage was only matched by the energy that had taken over The Entertainment Grounds, showcasinng the venue is much more than a place to watch horses run around a track. The grounds proving themselves as the perfect backdrop to see massive musical acts, and I for one think it’s a much more worthwhile use of the Darkinjung land than watching four legged creatures raced around for the entertainment of two legged ones.
