18 October 2025 – Sandstone Point Hotel, Bribie Island – words by Cecilia Pattison Levi – pictures by Paul Blackburn
Well, another Wet Soggy Summer Tour 2025 (rather than Red Hot Summer Tour 2025) has delivered an interesting day of fantastic bands and two supercell thunderstorms at Sandstone Point on Bribie Island. It is a lovely venue, but without fail, if you put on a gig there – be prepared for the rain and lightning.
This version of the Red Hot Summer Tour 2025 promised to showcase the heart of Australian singer song writing music highlighting our most distinctive writers and poets and their work. As Neil Finn put it: “the songs that have been touchstones for all of us”. There was also another theme around sibling rivalry and co-operation underpinning the whole day. The songwriters in question were Jae Laffer (The Panics), The Waifs, Mark Seymour with Vika & Linda Bull, The Church, Angus & Julia Stone, and Crowded House. These bands include song writers and musicians that have defined generations of talent here in Australia and internationally with their lyricism and musicianship.
The West Australian-based musician Jae Laffer with his guitarist Ash set the tone of the day with his stripped back guitar melodies and introspective songs. Jae Laffer and Ash commenced the day and their set with ‘Hotel Motel’ that describes the life of a travelling musician. The set was underpinned with the basics of singer songwriter musical delivery – the song itself and performance with voice and guitar.
The duo’s guitar work was hypnotic with strummed acoustic guitar and the chiming electric guitar delivering a huge sound across the venue as the songs ‘Almost Free’ and ‘Don’t Fight It’ were delivered. The piano was also used in the performance of the ballad ‘Carried Away’. Laffer showcased songs from his solo career albums The Long Daydream and Dream Of Life and songs from his band The Panics’ Cruel Guards. He closed out the set with ‘Weatherman’. The day was underway.
Jae Laffer – Red Hot Summer Tour – photos by Paul Blackburn
The next band to grace the stage were The Waifs (sisters Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson with Joshua Cunningham). I seriously lived for The Waifs back in the day and they reminded us that some songs were having their 25th birthdays or even older and I wondered where the time had gone. I was looking forward to seeing how those years had treated them and I knew it was going to be an epic throwback to all those good times and vibes.
The Waifs performance was a total folk-pop vibe as they brought some Americana country, roots and blues sounds into the mix. Their music has always had heartfelt storytelling at its core and the festival set felt like a journey through their career. They started their performance with ‘Highway One’ before ‘How Many Miles’ then the huge song that has touched millions of Australians with that feeling of homesickness in ‘London Still’. The massive crowd singalong had started.
The Waifs songs like ‘Fisherman’s Daughter’, ‘Bridal Train’ and ‘Ironbark’ each offered something fresh while they stayed faithful to their sound as the harmonica, guitars, tambourine underpinned their vocal harmonies. Their drummer was amazing using three drumsticks to deliver a unique rhythm.
The Waifs told stories about meeting the neighbours with the pool and being on Triple Js top 100, the background to their songs especially their grandmother’s story as a war bride with a child. They closed out their set with ‘Lighthouse’ with its sweet harmonies and heartening message. The set did actually ‘set the tone’ with a festival vibe and had the crowd at Sandstone Point buzzing. It was a great mix of upbeat songs and soulful moments. The crowd was left with that warm and fuzzy folk music feeling.
The Waifs – Red Hot Summer Tour – photos by Paul Blackburn
The surprise packet of the day was up next with the powerful set from Mark Seymour with Vika & Linda Bull delivered. It was a remarkable set with songs written by Mark Seymour from his days with Hunters & Collectors to his fabulous solo work and work he writes with other musicians. Vika & Linda Bull were the icing on the cake with their magnificent voices, whether solo or in harmony together, performing their songs or songs written with or for them such as Mark Seymour’s gorgeous song ‘When Will You Fall For Me’.
Mark Seymour (and brother of Nick Seymour from Crowded House) is one of Australia’s most distinctive voices and a truly gifted song writer. He commenced the set with ‘The Boxer’ and ‘Still Be Hangin’ Around’ as the golden voices of Viki & Linda Bull (sisters) lit up the storm filled skies. They, then, performed ‘When You Come To Your Senses’ again a song written by Mark Seymour. Then, the delivery of the set changed as Mark Seymourperformed the classic ‘Do You See What I See’ and Vika Bull’s backing vocals were just perfect. The set had fans requesting songs and a tambourine was given out but instructions were given not to play with it during the affecting performance of ‘Waiting On The Kid’.
Then, there was a new song from Vika & Linda Bull ‘Where Do You Come From’ that will be released early new year. It was fantastic! The focus of the set flipped as the evergreen crowd favourite, was delivered by Mark Seymour, the evocative and commanding ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’ and it was a wonderful moment and heartfelt as the crowd sing-along commenced. The set highlight though was the song ‘West Gate’ about the West Gate Bridge disaster in Melbourne. I have lost a family member to a work place disaster and Mark Seymour has really capture the essence of those types of events.
Mark Seymour – Red Hot Summer Tour – photos by Paul Blackburn
Mark Seymour with Vika & Linda Bull with their band: Stanley, Richard, Ben, Cameron and Dingo on sound were terrific. The band was a well-oiled machine that just blew the crowd away. And then, to make the set even better, the feminist version of ‘You Don’t Make Me Feel Like A Woman Anymore’ song by Vika Bull was just a showstopper – it was powerful and awesome. As the first storm crept closer to Sandstone Point, this song was just perfect to close out the set with an emotional storm.
Then, as Mark Seymour, Vika & Linda Bull and the band left the stage, the stage crew ran out and braced the staged up. It was then that the realisation came we were going to get completely smashed as the rain and lighting started. And, everyone moved to take shelter – the first time of the night. The Church was ready to go but had to wait for nature to do her thing.
After about half an hour, the wet and soggy crowd went back to their positions, and The Church took to the stage. Steve Kilby was his witty self with his usual insightful comments made about the weather and being “wet and soggy” as the band kicked off their set with the wonderful ‘Metropolis’ and followed it with arguably one of the best songs written in the 1980s ‘Almost With You’.
Steve Kilby is a distinctive singer songwriter voice whose influence runs through the arteries and veins of Australian music. The band (Tim Powles, Ian Haug, Jeffrey Cain and Ash Naylor) delivered his singular song writing vision in ‘The Hypnogogue’, and then the other truly magnificent best song of the early 1980s ‘Unguarded Moment’ that referenced The Angels with the classic crowd response of “No Way. Get F**K, F**k Off’ sung by him and it was funny and pointed.
The band’s music was sweet with the rhythm section in total control and it allowed the melodies from the guitars to just sing especially in the important song ‘Under The Milky Way’. It is one of the most sampled and referenced song in Australian music. Before The Church delivered the new song ‘Scared Echoes Part 2’ that will be released soon.
The Church – Red Hot Summer Tour – photos by Paul Blackburn
Steve Kilby apologised about the weather. Not his fault! The Church closed out their fabulous set with ‘Reptile’ and it was fantastic and they left the stage just as the lightning sent flashes across the sky.
It was another supercell of lightning, with rain and small hail. Stage crew rushed to secure the stage and protect instruments, as the crowd down the front moved into the grassed area away from all things metal.
We gathered in circles like Emperor Penguins as we waited out the storm. Some of the younger people started singing Angus & Julia (brother and sister) songs like ‘Big Jet Plane’ but they only knew the chorus. Then, Paul Taylor yelled from the stage: “Is that the only the words you know?” then they started singing Dragon’s ‘April Sun In Cuba’. I would have though ‘Rain’ would have been a better choice.
After the deluge, Angus & Julia Stone with their band (Aaron, Lee, Ben and Jasper) took to the damp stage to commence their set and they started with a cover of The Go-Between’s ‘Streets Of Your Town’ and the crowd burst into song as the venue rang to the words and melody of the classic song. Angus & Julia Stone brought the younger generations perspective to the night with their folk-pop meets shoegaze style in songs like ‘Just The Way You Are’ and the song written in their Dad’s garage ‘Private Lawns’ with its banjo melody.
The musicianship on display was amazing with chiming guitars, banjo, tambourines, percussion and Julia Stone lighting it up with playing electric or acoustic guitar and the trumpet at the same time. She was impressive. Julia Stone was like a lightning rod for the crowd as she dazzled with her singing and ability to play so many instruments.
Angus & Julia Stone’s set was short as the weather had impacted it. But they delivered ‘Can’t Take You Home’ where ‘In The Air Tonight’ by Phil Collins was spliced into it. Before they finished with ‘Big Jet Plane’. Musically, the duo didn’t miss a beat as the crowd enjoyed their fun set and there was a greater appreciation of their music.
Then, the crowd waited with stoicism in the rain for Crowded House to take to the stage to perform their headline set. The rain came down, the “see through ponchos that Nick Seymour wanted to wear but decide on his orange suit instead” were on” and the crowd waited.
But it was worth the wait. Crowded House (Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom, Liam Finn, Elroy Finn and Paul Taylor) came out and the started their dynamic set with ‘Mean To Me’. Neil Finn then spoke to crowd and thanked them for their perseverance in the face of the weather as they delivered ‘World Where You Live’ and then ‘Teenage Summer’.
Crowded House through Neil Finn told the crowd that they were honoured to be here at Sandstone Point as the songs came thick and fast with the beautiful love song ‘Fall At Your Feet’ performed and then, ‘To The Island’ followed. Then, the comments about siblings and jokes were made about the Seymour brothers’ like: “Who was the most famous?” and then Neil Finn said “Nick…then he said I am only saying this because I know Mark isn’t here and he is back in his hotel room. But this will get back to him…”. It was a funny comment to make when he himself has a famous songwriter brother whose song ‘Message To My Girl’ he performed later with grace and style.
Crowded House, then, moved into hit song territory as every song had hit the top of the charts: ‘’When You Come’ and ‘Four Seasons In One Day’. Then, the band got distracted by the drone. It was christened ‘Jasper – The drone’ and Neil Finn encouraged the crowd to give it the middle finger. And, everybody did! Then, Crowded House played ‘Something So Strong’, ‘Distant Sun’ and ‘Don’t Dream Its Over’ came in rapid succession. Then, the divine song ‘Chocolate Cake’ was played with its witty and insightful lyrics that has stood the test of time. Spilt Enz (and that other brother) were remembered with ‘Message To My Girl’ played on the piano.
Then, the curfew was looming. The storms had eaten into the day. But Crowded House just kept moving. The band brought Vika & Linda Bull out onto the stage with them to sing the chorus of a new song. They moved quickly into the encore section of the set with the slightly ironic given the day ‘Weather With You’ and the group ended and closed out the night with ‘Better Be Home Soon’.
The synergy between Neil Finn and his bandmates, including his very capable sons Liam and Elroy, and the fabulous Vika & Linda Bull brought a fresh energy to their classic songs. It reminded fans why Crowded House and their music remains so important, and why they are a global household name.
The Red Hot Summer 2025 line-up was more than just a festival concert: it was a celebration of music’s power to bring people together, to unite and transcend generations through the power of insightful song writing. The songs delivered are reflections of Australia’s story and their impact on the people. Each band delivered an authentic and engaging performance showcasing their contribution to Australian and global music. It was a festival that was all about those gold standard songs that these bands have written and their ability to play them with emotion, compassion and skill. It was a set of masterclass performances.
