Craig ‘Bloxy’ Bloxom leads a revitalised V.Spy V.Spy through a sold-out Melbourne show, with Bob Spencer adding another dimension to a set dominated by the band’s landmark 1986 albums.
V.Spy V.Spy brought their catalogue back to life at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel on Monday night, with founding member Craig ‘Bloxy’ Bloxom leading a revitalised line-up through a sold-out show that drew heavily on the band’s two defining 1986 albums.
The Melbourne performance closed a short Australian run that began in Perth before moving through Adelaide and Sydney. It also marked the first major run of shows for this version of V.Spy V.Spy following Songland Records’ reissues of Harry’s Reasons and A.O. Mod. T.V. Vers.
Joining Bloxom on stage were Bob Spencer on lead guitar, Justin Ngariki on drums and Tekoi ‘TK’ Tarawa on guitar. Together, the four musicians delivered a performance that gave the Corner Hotel the intensity of a much larger concert room.
Much of the audience response centred on the band’s 1986 material. These are songs that have remained part of Australian rock radio and the memories of the generation that first encountered V.Spy V.Spy during the band’s original run. At the Corner Hotel, the connection was immediate.
All Over The World became one of the night’s defining moments, with the audience taking over much of the vocal. Sallie-Anne, Injustice, Credit Cards, Hard Times and Don’t Tear It Down also received strong responses. The songs retain their social commentary, with themes of injustice, inequality and everyday pressures that remain relevant four decades after their release.
Spencer’s addition gives this line-up a particularly interesting dimension. His career includes significant periods with Finch, Skyhooks, The Angels and Rose Tattoo, bringing considerable Australian rock history to the stage.
Bloxom acknowledged that connection by including Don’t Waste My Time, the Angels song written by Spencer. It was a natural fit within the set and provided a reminder of the musical connections running through Australia’s rock history. The two guitarists worked comfortably together, with Spencer adding weight and definition to the arrangements.
Bloxom and Spencer even appeared in matching tartan trousers, prompting a subtle laugh for the night.
V.Spy V.Spy emerged during one of the strongest periods for Australian rock. By the middle of the 1980s, Midnight Oil, INXS, Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, Icehouse, Dragon and The Black Sorrows were all competing for radio attention and major concert audiences. V.Spy V.Spy carved out their own position through a combination of melodic rock, direct songwriting and politically conscious lyrics.
The band’s 1986 releases, Harry’s Reasons and A.O. Mod. T.V. Vers., remain central to that identity. The Corner Hotel set drew extensively from both records, while also reaching forward to Xenophobia (Why?) from 1988 and Trash The Planet from 1989.
Opening with Dangerman, the band maintained its momentum through a 16-song performance that closed with A.O. Mod. The sequencing gave the audience a substantial retrospective without making the evening feel like a catalogue exercise.
The important distinction is Bloxom’s presence. As a founding member and the original voice of V.Spy V.Spy, he provides continuity with the band’s history, while Spencer, Ngariki and Tarawa give the current formation its own musical identity.
The sold-out Corner Hotel show demonstrated that the V.Spy V.Spy catalogue still has a live audience. Forty years on, the songs continue to connect, and this revitalised line-up has the musicianship to take them back onto Australian stages with conviction.
V.Spy V.Spy – Setlist
Corner Hotel, Melbourne – 2 November 2026
Dangerman (Harry’s Reasons, 1986)
Test Of Time (Xenophobia (Why?), 1988)
All Over The World (Harry’s Reasons, 1986)
Have No Fear (Trash The Planet, 1989)
Hard Times (Trash The Planet, 1989)
Sallie-Anne (A.O. Mod. T.V. Vers., 1986)
Clarity Of Mind (Xenophobia (Why?), 1988)
Harry’s Reasons (Harry’s Reasons, 1986)
Injustice (Harry’s Reasons, 1986)
Don’t Waste My Time (The Angels cover)
Credit Cards (A.O. Mod. T.V. Vers., 1986)
The Golden Mile (Xenophobia (Why?), 1988)
Working Week (Xenophobia (Why?), 1988)
Don’t Tear It Down (A.O. Mod. T.V. Vers., 1986)
Snowblind (A.O. Mod. T.V. Vers., 1986)
A.O. Mod (Xenophobia (Why?), 1988)
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