LIVE REVIEW: SPIDERBAIT + CUSTARD + THE GNOMES + VIPERSNATCH @ THE TIVOLI 05/07/26

Words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi Photos Tahni Davis

Can it be 30 years ago that Spiderbait released ‘Ivy & the Big Apples’? I feel old and the crowd surfers looked so young. Were they even alive when this seminal third album was delivered by Spiderbait into Australian music history? No!

However, the sold-out crowds at the Tivoli told the story. They were here to mark this 30th anniversary of this vital and important album. Spiderbait put on two massive back-to-back shows that drew a generational mixed bag of fans and music lovers. And, what was really lovely and insightful about Spiderbait’s self-awareness as a band and their place in cracking that music glass ceiling was that they put together a concert that reflected that generational mixture.

The openers like Vipersnatch brought the feminine punk rage and future of punk: The Gnomes were truly outstanding with their obvious love of pure rock fundamentals and what a joy that was to hear the next generation taking the old and making it fresh again; Custard reached back to Generation X’s DIY charm and inventive nature, as Spiderbait closed out with a masterclass in a sound that defined the 1990s generation. The band’s huge bassline thrums and melodies in lockstep with those incendiary drumming skills and a solitary melodic lead guitar and voices from a whole band either in harmony or in the spotlight, were a gift!

And, we shall start unwrapping that present, as Rockhampton based band Vipersnatch kicked off the evening with a short but dynamic set of original punk anthems reflecting 2026. The band is a trio (Lily Chellingsworth, Riley Doherty and Kailee Butcher) and their weapons were a singing drummer (familiar), big basslines (also familiar) and melodic lead guitar and vocalist. They delivered an emotionally driven, high-energy blend of riot grrrl punk, grunge and pop sounds.

Vipersnatch got their ‘Bitch Bite’ on and played ‘Sweet Melodies’ to the crowd. They admitted that this opening set had them “shit scared” and excited as they thanked Spiderbait for the opportunity to play. Vipersnatch’s music is a visceral expression of empowerment, ‘Therapy’, identity and defiance, ‘Ninaa’ (No Is Not An Answer) and open unapologetic sarcasm, ‘How Bout That’. The band rocked so hard that part of the drum kit fell over.

Vipersnatch’s set was all over in a flash but they had burned brightly. And when the band asked to take a selfie with “the largest crowd we have ever played in front of”, the crowd could see their defining moment.

The stage was then quickly cleared in a ten-minute changeover for The Gnomes. What was extraordinary all night was the bands being their own roadies and stage techs. There were a few professionals around but the need for speed was obvious in the tight timings of four bands playing on a Sunday night in Brisbane. Curfew anyone??

Well, it really was ‘Good Golly Miss Molly’ as the spirit of Little Richard and The Beatles was channelled straight out of Frankston’s “fab four”: The Gnomes. And what a holy and glorious sound this band made. The Gnomes consist of Jay Miller (lead vocals/guitar), Ned Capp (guitar), Olly Katsianis (bass) and Ethan Robins (drums) and they were on their first ever visit to Brisbane to play their fabulous songs.

The Gnomes music: for context, think of a cake of The Beatles crossed with The Ramones with an added layer of Jet and a sprinkling of The Jam – and you are there. This four-piece garage rock band based in Melbourne delivered a familiar sound that really stood up and with an energy that instantly captured the crowd and refused to be anything but joyful – and all without the slightest hint of irony.

The Gnomes dressed like a pub-rock band from the 1980s and had a sound straight out of the early 1960s. But their songs were so 2026 with the ‘Price Of Smoke Blues’. Then, the strange Easybeats fever dream hit ‘With A Gnome’, then the crowd was transported into the blues rock vibe with ‘Don’t Worry’ and some punchy tracks from their debut album ‘Introducing…The Gnomes’ with the outstanding ‘Magic Man’ and ‘I’m Not The One’. The band was rocking so hard the drum sticks shattered. The Gnomes are a band to watch. Just superb!

Custard were their own roadies. They placed the whiskey and Great Northern beer in strategic locations with hand written setlists on the stage. Then, after a short break, the lights went down. The tones of Daft Punk’s ‘One More Time’ bopped around the venue and put us squarely back in the 1997 time zone as Custard came out onto the stage.

Custard’s original line-up of David McCormack (lead vocals/guitar), Paul Medew (bass), Matthew Strong (guitar) and Glenn Thompson (drums) added the bells and whistles, with flashing laser lights and a megaphone to the party atmosphere in the Tivoli. They were “loosey-gooseys” as they brought their laconic and laid-back style of music to the crowd in the role of the opening band that they played so well.

Custard began their reign of Brisbane awesomeness in the early 1990s. And tonight, they delivered a set that reflected their career as they commenced with the sardonic ‘Hit Song’ and they had the crowd instantly singing and laughing along. The warm-up had begun. Custard's performance was a masterclass in nostalgia, expertly blending familiar classics with fresh material. The awesome breakdown was performed in ‘Lucky Star’ and a discussion about breakdowns in the wrong part of the set was had: “I learned a lot on the road … no breakdown in the second song but I said ‘Forget it’ and here we are”.

Then, Custard got stuck into their ode to workers in retail, especially at Toowong Kmart, as they delivered ‘Pack Yr Suitcases’. Then, ‘Alone’, ‘Ringo (I Feel Like)’ and ‘The New Matthew’ followed. There was a switch in personnel as Dave McCormack left the stage, Glenn Thompson got out from behind the drums and took up the guitar, and a guest drummer Nick, helped the band perform two amazing songs: the affecting ‘Molecules Colliding’ and the funny ‘Music Is Crap’.

Custard returned to their normal setting – as whiskey was sipped – and they performed an unhinged version of Split Enz’s ‘I See Red’ in Gen X style. It was funny and fun: “nan nan na na”. Then the phone was pulled out as Siri was consulted about: “How much time does Custard have left to perform?” The answer, yelled by Kram off stage to the band, was “15 minutes”. Dave McCormack was so lackadaisical: “We have heaps of time”. Another drink?! As an agitated guy in the crowd yelled out, “Stop wasting minutes and get going”. The band ignored him!

The band did, however, get around to delivering a tight section of songs in ‘Anatomically Correct’, ‘Funky Again’ and then a very strange version of ‘Pinball Lez’. The crowd was taken on a distortion time warp journey into the future – stardate 2036 – which “is scarily like 2026 but we are all older” and “it’s sparse” and there was talk about “crypto” that got lost in the noise. It was a set highlight!

But Custard pulled it back and performed their two most popular hit songs for everyone in ‘Girls Like That (Don't Go for Guys Like Us)’ and ‘Apartment’. The crowd were in raptures of happiness. Custard’s supporting role showed the crowd that they’re just a damn fine pop band and still full of surprises. The set was gold!

Then, another stage clearance and the real professionals dressed the stage for Spiderbait. Someone’s awesome playlist came over the PA as we all sang and bopped along to The Bangles, The GoGos, Blondie, Madonna as we ‘Pumped Up The Jam’. In solidarity with the other bands, Spiderbait (Mark Anthony Maher (Kram), Damien Whitty (Whitt) and Janet English) all came out, set up and soundchecked their instruments as well.

Then, to the strains of ‘Fanfare For The Common Man’, Spiderbait came out onto the stage to deliver the full authentic performance run-through of their breakthrough album ‘Ivy & the Big Apples’: in order and in full, right to the secret tracks at the end.

Kram positioned himself into the drumkit drivers seat as Whitt and Janet English took their places and without much chat – the set started and ‘Chest Hair’, the fabulous ‘Hot Water & Milk’ and ‘Buy Me A Pony’ were delivered. It was so fast! Then, the photographers were gone and it was a “Hello Brisbane” as the music started for ‘When Fusion Ruled The Earth’ and then ‘Calypso’ was played.

Janet English stopped and let everyone know, “We are at song 6” and ‘Goin' Off’ was performed. The band just played. Spiderbait always put 100% of themselves into their performance as they drove on through the tracks – like they were on a mission. The mosh got bouncing as ‘Don't Kill Nipper’, ‘Horschack Army’, ‘Conjunctivitis’ and ‘Joyce's Hut’ followed. It was fascinating to hear the album tracks in order and the vocal backing support that was more obvious live than on the recording as the band’s voices melded together.

There was a sigh and ‘puffing out’ from Janet English as they got to ‘Jasper’ and ‘Goosh’. I guess the playing of the album had an emotional resonance for the band that was different from what the crowd was experiencing. Then, they found their fun switch as ‘Should Have Done What My Mum Always Told Me To’ and there was some chuckling going on from band members at the end of the song.

Spiderbait were almost at the end of the album as they performed ‘Hey’ and ‘Hawaiian Nights’ and then they left the stage in darkness and a swirl of distortion for a minute of silence before returning to the stage to perform the last song – a tucked-away secret song on the album - ‘Driving Up the Ceiling’.

Spiderbait, then, performed the other secret song from ‘Ivy & the Big Apples’, the fantastic ‘Big Furry Green Monster’. The crowd really started to boil in this last part of the set as the band focused on a very disciplined finish as they delivered: ‘Straight Through the Sun’, ‘Shazam!’, ‘Outta My Head’, ‘Monty’ and ‘Tonite’. Was there a clock ticking?

Spiderbait were tight all night. There really was not much chat. This was unusual as they have lots to say normally, but tonight the music did the talking. Kram did loosen up with lots of statements and thanks to the crowd and the venue as he drummed away, demonstrating his amazing skills – and with those thrumming basslines - it was a masterclass in how a rhythm section should work as the younger bands watched.

Janet English took the lead with ‘Fucken Awesome’ as Whitt and his guitar brought in ‘Old Man Sam’ before the odyssey that is “our last song tonight, Brisbane”, the traditional blues cover ‘Black Betty’, was commenced. Kram took the song ‘over hill and dale’ as the crowd chanted along, headbanged in time and the crowd surfers crashed over the barriers and into the arms of security.

It was a great way to end the gig! Spiderbait took a bow and left to the cheers of the crowd. It had been a wonderful and joy - filled night of music that had spanned time and space. It was a fitting birthday celebration for ‘Ivy & the Big Apples’.

I just wanted to thank all the bands for their amazing performances, and the Tivoli staff for being so awesome and organised – and problem fixers. And, real appreciation to Frontier Touring for their generosity and ability to stage such a fantastic event. Cheers!