Review: In Clearwater debut, Hoodoo Gurus reminds fans its a vital and mighty force

“Is there a song you want to hear? Any suggestions?” Dave Faulkner playfully asked the audience on Thursday night from the stage of Clearwater’s Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre. As the founding member and lead singer of Australia’s longstanding pop/rock band Hoodoo Gurus, Faulkner and his three bandmates did plenty to make their Clearwater debut show a truly jovial and memorable occasion for those in attendance. In response to this request, he was handed a sheet of paper, with text on both sides, that listed a slew of requests from a faithful fan up at the front of the stage. “That’s a lot of songs!” the singer laughed. But that’s exactly what he and the band cranked out for the better part of two hours: a lot of songs.

Coming out blazing right at the advertised start time of 8 p.m., the band instantly kicked into gear with “(Let’s All) Turn On,” one of the many standout tracks from their stellar debut album, 1984’s Stoneage Romeos. In seconds, those who crammed in at the front of the venue (who benefitted from the theatre’s decision to remove the first few rows of seats to create a “dance pit”) as well as those who opted for the more conventional chairs throughout the hall, were instantly reminded of why they fell in love with this quirky, quasi-garage rock, power pop outfit in the first place. A staple on college rock radio playlists since the mid- ‘80s and a band that most of its fans have grown up with, this group holds a special place in the hearts of its devout followers and that was pretty evident throughout this two-hour extravaganza of music.

Faulkner and longtime lead guitarist Brad Shepherd perfectly recreated the sound and the buzz that always set the Gurus apart from their contemporaries: the duo’s perfect melding of its individual guitar parts translated to a melodic, ringing twin attack that resonated throughout the venue and filled it with a loud crunch that added plenty of firepower to their delivery. The sometimes overwhelming, strobe-like array of bright, multi-colored lights from the stage added to the frenzy and effectively added another layer of intensity and excitement to the sounds the band was cranking out from the stage.

Perfectly representing each phase and plenty of individual albums from its long tenure, Hoodoo Gurus, true to form, played plenty of recognizable songs from its repertoire but didn’t shy away from lesser-knows album cuts either. At one point, after it was clear that the band wasn’t sticking to a regimented set list and after playing one of those less recognizable tunes, “Zanzibar,” Faulkner teased the audience and said, “We love the deep cuts, but we’re gonna go even deeper” before launching into an exquisite version of “She,” a track from the group’s classic 1985 sophomore release, Mars Needs Guitars!

It was evident that this wouldn’t be an ordinary, run of the mill example of a longstanding band getting back out on the road after a long absence as a blatant cash grab opportunity. After grappling with the decision to reschedule a tour that had suffered the perils of being potentially derailed thanks to COVID, the band instead decided to forge ahead with its first jaunt through the U.S. in a very long time and based on this fiery performance, it’s clear that they are damn glad to still be doing what they do best.

Purposely asking for the guitars to be turned up even louder from the volume level they were already set at in the already perfect mix, Shepherd’s level of fuzztone rose to earsplitting proportion for the band’s most well-known and recognizable song, the perfect power pop gem, “I Want You Back.” Coming mid-set, the bouncy, rocking song served as a shot of adrenaline and an outright singalong for those who were already on their feet, dancing and enjoying the music as well as for those holdouts who were still making use of their chairs.

Continuing to play on and seeming like they were in no rush to bring the night to an end, the band plowed through a 26-song set that included two encores. Making sure to include selections from their most recent album (and the one that this tour is supporting) 2022’s Chariot of the Gods, the band perfectly blended old favorites with newer material and the quality and consistency of its ability to create finely crafted, melodic based rockers never waned.

While it often feels like a crapshoot when opting to attend a live show from a favorite band from one’s youth or adolescence, Hoodoo Gurus proved in full force that a once powerful, mighty, and energetic band can certainly retain its guts and its firepower and remain a vital and mighty force. This, their first appearance in the local area since the 1980s, was certainly worth the long wait.

Setlist:
(Let's All) Turn On
Answered Prayers
Waking Up Tired
Crackin' Up
In the Middle of the Land
Zanzibar
She
Out That Door
The Right Time
Chariot of the Gods
I Want You Back
Cover
Dressed in Black
1000 Miles Away
Come Anytime
Tojo
Poison Pen
Bittersweet
I Was a Kamikaze Pilot
First Encore:
Another World
Hang With the Girls
What's My Scene
Like Wow - Wipeout
Second Encore:
Come On
Good Times
Where Nowhere Is