11 June 2025 – The Tivoli, Brisbane – words by Bec Lee – pictures by Clea-marie Thorne
It was a chilly winter Wednesday evening even by Brisbane standards, but the body heat of the almost full Tivoli warmed us up, as did (for some) a few drinks at the well-attended bars. It was great to see the venue full and vibing in anticipation for a band that is still obviously close to people’s hearts.
How can it be 30 years since a trio from Oxford still in their teens burst on to the indie music scene with their debut album I Should Coco? It always baffles me how much time has passed when I go to these gigs. Surely most of us are too old to sing along to ‘Alright’ in 2025, with the chorus “We are young, we are free” – oh, the irony!
Support is provided by Melbourne’s Rocket Science, who have been kicking around the alternative scene down there since 1998. Singer Roman Tucker is super tall with a slightly menacing (but charismatic) stage presence. They are very loud and their sound I find hard to describe, sort if like art punk with an organ. The organ sound really makes them. Rocket Science are quirky and they are an interesting listen. I love that a band has been chosen to support that doesn’t sound like 90s Britpop, because Supergrass got lumped into that category and they don’t even fit into it anyway.
Rocket Science – Tivoli – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
After a short break, Gaz, Danny and Mick bound onto the stage, and I am struck by the youthfulness of Gaz and Danny especially, 30 years has certainly been kind to them. Joined (as they often are) by Gaz’s brother Rob on keyboards, they don’t waste to time to get straight into I Should Coco in exact order as the album track listing.
I’d forgotten how many singles were on this album, and what was obvious at the time (and still is), is that most of the other album tracks could have also been singles. It’s also worth noting that this album was no.1 in the charts in the UK in 1995/96. In 1995, I recall being blown away by the songwriting and musicianship of these 19-year-old lads and could not pinpoint their influences, perhaps because I was only 22 myself and was yet to be fully educated about music from previous decades.
Supergrass – Tivoli – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
Now I hear Buzzcocks, The Jam, and can appreciate the punkiness of ‘Caught By The Fuzz’. Punchy but not basic, the lyrics and music are clever, especially the faster 3-minute tracks. But I do love the slow, melodic ‘Sofa of my Lethargy’ and marvel at how a 19-year-old can write such meaningful lyrics. I wonder now whether Arctic Monkeys took a leaf out of the Supergrass book. I hear similarities in the clever, witty lyrics, the guitar hooks, and the drumming.
As predicted, everyone goes mad for ‘Alright’ and yes, it is amusing to watch a bunch of 50 somethings sing along to the lyrics. Gaz Combs can still hit all the notes and his lead guitar playing has always been impressive, I just can’t fault them, they sound amazing, and Mick Quinn is a bass player that definitely deserves more credit.
Sometimes listening to an entire album in one set is not as enjoyable as a greatest hits set, but because I Should Coco is such a great album, there is not one dud track and therefore the performance doesn’t suffer. I must admit though, I’m waiting for the album to finish so I can hear the singles from the 2nd and 3rd albums, my favourite Supergrass albums.
Supergrass – Tivoli – photos by Clea-marie Thorne
Thanks to Scenestr for sharing their photographer and gallery.
I’m not disappointed, because ‘Richard III’ and Late in the Day are next and I am beside myself with feelings of warm nostalgia, I just love 1997’s In It For The Money. And those two tracks are notable examples of their faster, heavier sound vs the softer ballads that highlight the band’s versality that I always admired.
We all sing along to ‘Mary’ and ‘Moving’ from 1999’s self-titled album, one of my favourite Supergrass releases. Hearing these makes me reminisce about working at Virgin Megastore in Cardiff in 1999 and getting myself a free staff copy of the album on CD, a treasured possession for years, until it was stolen from my house in Melbourne in 2012. But, I digress…
The encore is perfect way to end the evening with a track each from the 2nd and 3rd albums, ‘Sun Hits The Sky’ (I LOVE THIS SONG) and ‘Pumping On Your Stereo’, a crowd favourite. My only disappointment is that the red T Shirts sold out at the merch desk, and I really wanted one!
A greatest hits tour in the future would surely sell out venues across Australia given the reception Supergrass received from the Brisbane audience, so here’s hoping.
