Buckle up, because ‘jet engine city’ has taken off to new heights during The Rions' biggest Australian tour to date.
Fresh off the back of a successful co-headline tour with Pacific Avenue in Europe and the United Kingdom, The Rions released their 6-track EP Happiness In A Place It Shouldn’t Be in September and wasted no time in taking it on the road. The Rions returned to Adelaide/Kaurna on Saturday 30th November, following their sold-out show at The Gov earlier this year, where the city earned the title of ‘jet engine city’ after the crowd proved louder than a jet engine during their hit single “Minivan”. Lead guitarist Harley Wilson set the tone for the night, exclaiming Adelaide was his most anticipated stop of the 22-show tour.
While the venue didn’t sell out, Adelaide sure did turn up with fans lining Hindley Street well before the 8:00pm door time. As soon as those doors were open, it was a race to the barrier for devoted fans eager to secure their spot.
The evening began with local indie-rock band Stormy-Lou, whose lively set quickly warmed up the crowd with their personable interactions and enchanting performance. This performance showcased their emerging talent, particularly with their electric presence that was barely contained to the large stage of Hindley Street Music Hall.
Next up was the ethereal Holly Hebe who has to be one of the most exciting artists coming out of Melbourne/Naarm at the moment. With her dreamy pop music and a celestial light show, she created an enchanting atmosphere that captivated the audience. It’s been a successful year for Holly with the release of her debut EP Ruby and recent release ‘Ultra Love’ featuring the talented US artist Ella Rose.
Between Holly Hebe and The Rions, the interlude took an unexpected turn with a playlist of old-school R&B hits from artists like The Black Eyed Peas and Nelly Furtado. This provided a fun singalong moment for people of all ages, even if the R&B edge of “No Scrubs” felt worlds apart from The Rions’ pop-rock energy.
Exploding onto stage 2 minutes early The Rions started the show with “Sweet Cocoon” the opening track from their EP. The crowd immediately joined in, setting the tone for a high-energy set that blended old favourites like their debut single “Sadie” and fan favourite “Night Light” along with the entirety of their new EP. The band kept the energy alive and there was no shortage of laughs from the crowd, as the band incorporated humorous moments including an impromptu lightsaber battle to introduce “Anakin”.
“Passionfruit” with its youthful energy and introspective lyricism, was by far the best-received track of the night. The performance of “The Part” was a particularly intimate moment, with Holly Hebe returning to the stage for a stunning duet with lead singer Noah Buckley. Their harmonies created a magical atmosphere under the venue’s grand chandelier, prompting couples and friends alike to slow dance. The night closed with the song that crowned Adelaide as ‘jet engine city’, their hit “Minivan”. The crowd didn’t disappoint, breaking their own record of an ear-splitting 121 decibels; the energy was high until the very end.
