When I saw the then newly reunited Southern Sons perform at 2019’s One Electric Day, I begged for a tour. This iconic Aussie act disbanded when I was 14, so I was too young to catch them in their heyday. Their short set at One Electric Day was well … electric … but it left me wanting more. Last night, more than five years after those shows, my patience was rewarded. With a gig in my local area no less!
This isn’t quite the Southern Sons of old. Phil Buckle never rejoined his bandmates and with Virgil Donati overseas, the uber-talented Pete Drummond has taken over drumming duties. But that core trio of Reggie Bowman, Geoff Cain, and frontman Jack Jones ably steer the ship. Their camaraderie is evident, both with each other and new kid Pete. Even though there’s one less member, the Southern Sons sound has lost nothing. Their sublime harmonies, incredible musicianship, and Jack Jones’ incomparable voice shone through in every number.
As a fan, I relished the opportunity to hear a longer set. While I’ve seen Jack play countless times, it’s always been acoustic. He needed to wait to reunite with his bandmates and be amongst fans to bust out some of my old favourites like “Hold On to the Memory” and “Sometimes”. It’s funny how you can hear songs after so many years and find yourself singing along, even though you haven’t thought about their lyrics for years. Those deeper cuts provided some of my favourite moments, but of course I loved the bigger hits. Being amongst fans who could sing along to smashes like “Lead Me to Water” and “Always and Ever” more confidently than the recent crowd at Avoca Beach Theatre was fabulous. That solo Jack Jones gig was totally stripped back, but in this bigger show Southern Sons used technology to great effect. With screens and audio, we experienced Colin Hay joining the band for “Don’t Tell Me What’s Right” and John Farnham joining Jack for the duet that should have been, “Burn For You.”
I worried that during a full band show, Jack may not have been able to chat as easily with the audience as he did during the Avoca Beach Theatre gig. So I was thrilled to see him take a seat, grab an acoustic guitar, and regale us with some stripped-back songs and stories. He’s such a charismatic storyteller that I hung on his every word, even though I’d heard the tales before.
Jack’s chattiness has always charmed me, but I was less enamoured later in the set when he talked about his surprise that he hasn’t been cancelled, the way he walks that line, before chatting about how “chicks don’t have ding-dongs.” Of course, he’s entitled to voice his beliefs, but the casual transphobia left a sour taste in my mouth. The laughter that erupted from the crowd suggests I was in the minority, but I would have appreciated more music from the early 1990s and less of the era’s opinions. Honestly, it was a bit hard for me to regather my enthusiasm after that and sing along to “Heart in Danger.” I can only imagine how it might have hit any members of the trans community who may have been present.
It’s amazing how just a few sentences can mar a generous set that stretched on well past the promised hour and 45 minutes. Southern Sons didn’t put a foot wrong until they did, and it’s a shame that’s what I’m likely to remember most about this long-anticipated gig.
Southern Sons continue their 35th anniversary tour in Thurrural/Thirroul tonight. Limited tickets are still available for the following shows:
1 March 2025 – Anita’s Theatre, Thurrural/Thirroul
7 March 2025 – Yan Yean Theatre @ PRACC, Wurundjeri Country/South Morang
8 March 2025 – Arts Centre, Monmar/Frankston
14 March 2025 – West Gippsland Arts Centre, Darug Country/Warragul
15 March 2025 – Ulumbarra Theatre, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Bendigo
21 March 2025 – Country Club Showroom, Kanamaluka/Launceston
22 March 2025 – West Point Showroom, Nipaluna/Hobart
12 April 2025 – Astor Theatre, Boorloo/Perth
2 May 2025 – Alpine MDF Theatre @ WPACC, Wangaratta
3 May 2025 – Palms at Crown, Naarm/Melbourne
19-26 October 2025 – Rock the Boat (SOLD OUT)
Photo credit: Stephen Katulka