Wolfmother @ Jailbreak 2023

2023-08-14

Howling at the sun with a new pack of cubs

I wouldn't say the story of Wolfmother is a sad one, far from it. Hell, when someone gets to travel the world and make a living in the name of rock'n'roll, they're a success for all I'm concerned.

But Wolfmother is one of those groups that not only revolve around one member – in this case guitarist and singer Andrew Stockdale – but also whose existence is virtually only justified by their debut album. So much so that when Stockdale was the only guy left and then released the largely boring eponymous "Cosmic Egg" with a couple other guys in 2007, I stopped caring.

But I never got to see them live, so here's the chance. And fortunately, the afro'ed Aussie isn't too much of a primadonna to accept that his setlists should consist primarily of songs from that aforementioned self-titled debut. Nor does he seem to mind playing them again for, supposedly, more times than some audience members have gotten their bone on.

Indeed, debut album opener "Dimension" also gets to act as the show opener here, boding that we're in for one of those trip-down-Memory Lane kinda gigs. And we are, and how lovely it is. Shit, I honestly don't recognize ONE single tune other than those classics – the high-octane shuffle stomp of "Woman", the Jimmy Page-esque cadence of "White Unicorn", the folksy singalong of "Vagabond", and near-manic uptempo "Apple Tree", not shockingly reminiscent of "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" by Wolfmother's contemporary colleagues and countrymen Jet.

This is, in and by itself, a flawlessly rocking hour – on a nice, sunny afternoon, even; and in the hands of a group executing their material with as much energy and professionalism as could be expected.

And yes, I know it might seem a bit cheap and less than qualified to only talk about that one goddamn album here. But to reiterate, it not only remains the band's overshadowing magnum opus; it also does so for many a good reason. Because that IS one helluva record. And also, it's not like none of those other songs rock, either.

On the contrary, this is, in and by itself, a flawlessly rocking hour – on a nice, sunny afternoon, even; and in the hands of a group executing their material with as much energy and professionalism as could be expected. Virtually saying nothing between songs – Hell, not even having a damn backdrop – Stockdale & co. are letting the music do that proverbial talking. And it can, old as new.

And sure, we're all expecting that mandatory "Joker & the Thief" toward the end. But hey, it'd be weird if it weren't there. And after Sabbath-esque concrete slab show closer "Colossal", we couldn't ask for more, really. Wouldn't mind doing it again, and maybe wouldn't even mind checking out some of those later records.

Rating: 4.5 out of 6

Genre: Hard rock
Venue: Jailbreak, outside stage
Date: Fri., 11/8/2023

Setlist:

  1. Dimension
  2. Rock Out
  3. Woman
  4. White Unicorn
  5. Apple Tree
  6. Pyramid
  7. Vagabond
  8. Midnight Train
  9. Victorious
  10. Feelin Love
  11. New Moon Rising
  12. Joker & the Thief
  13. Colossal

Photo by Magnus Jørgensen. No copyright or anything, but probably a few rights reserved. I honestly don't know.

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