The Living End constantly amaze me. Every show I have ever seen by this band is switched to 11. They are one of Australia’s last great rock bands.
I guess The Living End are now well and truly a classic rock band. 2024 marks 30 years since Chris Cheney and Scott Owen formed the band when they were at school. Scott’s distinctive double bass has been a constant fourth member of the band. I’m pretty sure I have never seen an electric bass in this band. The double bass has been there as long as Scott and Chris.
The debut album came along in 1998. It is remarkable that 26 years on it is still the foundation of a Living End setlist. When that album was released, The Living End were so Indie commercials stations didn’t touch them. They were all over Triple J back then. Triple M was a late comer to The Living End party but now The Living End is part of Australian rock culture.
That was obvious at Red Hot Summer in Mornington on the weekend. ‘Prisoner of Society’ was the singalong song of the day. A lot of the audience weren’t even born when it came out but everyone knows and sings along to the words.
Likewise ‘Second Solution’, ‘West End Riot’, ‘Roll On’ and ‘All Torn Down’ are now Oz Rock anthems (and for those late-comers Triple M) an essential part of the daily programming.
The Living End’s Red Hot Summer setlist was framed around the classics. Everything was pre-2008. There was nothing from the last three albums at all. That makes sense. A festival crowd is a party crowd and this show was a good time had by all.
The Living End have now earned “legendary status”. With those first five albums now hammered into the Aussie psyche I would class them alongside the Chisels, Angels, Crawl era of bands.
The Living End Red Hot Summer Mornington setlist 13 January 2024
Til the End (from State of Emergency, 2006)
Second Solution (from The Living End, 1998)
Hey Hey Disbeliever (from White Noise, 2008)
Pictures in the Mirror (from Roll On, 2000)
Roll On (from Roll On, 2000)
All Torn Down (from The Living End, 1998)
West End Riot (from The Living End, 1998)
Uncle Harry (from Roll On, 2000)
Waltzing Matilda (Banjo Pattison cover)
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (AC/DC cover)
White Noise (from White Noise, 2008)
Prisoner of Society (from The Living End, 1998)
The next Red Hot Summer show is January 20 2024 Mannum, SA. The last three shows have been moved to April for the return of Jimmy Barnes.
Get tickets here https://facetofacetouring.com.au/current-tours/red-hot-summer-2024
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