After watching their live show, it appears to me that JET has forgotten that they're no longer a group of kids playing in a garage band, and instead are a full-fledged rock 'n' roll band. This is not a complaint, so please don't remind them that they are.
The Aussies rocked Vinoy Park on Friday on RibFest's opening night, and silently entered the stage in T-shirts and jeans. Bassist Mark Wilson (pictured far right) wore a leather jacket, but that was as formal as the evening got. They opened with chart topper "Cold Hard Bitch," pumping up a crowd consisting of both JET fans and spectators just there to enjoy a side of music with their rack of ribs.
After "Bitch," lead singer Nic Cester (third from left) thanked the audience with a boyish grin and said, "Alright, people! How ya doin'?" And we were doin' good, because we knew we were about to be treated to an evening of classic-rock inspired tunes.
That's the thing about JET. While they've never ripped off any classic rock song, their musical influences are apparent with every melody. It's clear on all three of their albums — debut Get Born, follow-up Shine On and their recent Shaka Rock — that they're happy to pay homage to the groups that shaped them as musicians. "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is," the second song of the set, gives me the urge to pull out my parents' vintage AC/DC vinyls. The heart-wrenching ballad "Look What You've Done" gives me a hankering for the Beatles. And everything in between makes me a believer that the rock songs of the good ol' days are alive and well, even when they're brand new.
Maybe their admiration for their predecessors explains the casualness of the band during their performance. Cester — who has one of the hardest working voice boxes in the industry, hitting notes on every end of the scale — thanked the audience after every song. It wasn't even the fact that he thanked the crowd so often for its enthusiasm that was surprising, but rather the manner in which he did. He always sounded shocked and thrilled that the audience liked the song they'd just played, which I found odd because, well, they're JET.
The warmth they shared with the audience was also visible between members onstage. Drummer Chris Cester (second from left) and guitarist Cam Muncey (far left) took lead vocal duties during songs like "Last Chance" and "Come Around Again," respectively. When he wasn't needed in front of the microphone, Nic was mingling with his bandmates, adding to the delusion that what was really being witnessed was a jam session among friends at someone's outdoor house party.
JET was enjoyable to watch not only because they're just damn good musicians, but because they prove that it's OK to put on a show involving no theatrics in what many big bands would probably consider a less-than-desirable setting. They were kicking back and rocking out to a crowd that had spent the day relaxing at a festival, and they were all too happy to cater to the low-key atmosphere.
Well played, JET. Your garage band is welcome to play at my barbecue any time.
Set List
Cold Hard Bitch
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
She's a Genius
K.I.A. (Killed In Action)
Walk
Get What You Need
Holiday
Last Chance
Look What You've Done
Goodbye Hollywood
Kings Horses
Come Around Again
Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Seventeen
Rip It Up
Get Me Outta Here
Encore
Black Hearts (On Fire)
Take It Or Leave It
