The holy grail for growing pains: Spacey Jane at o2 Academy Brixton
Australian indie rock band Spacey Jane took on o2 Academy Brixton for their biggest ever show beyond their home turf. Releasing their third album If That Makes Sense earlier this year, they are adored for providing fans with holy grail music for coming of age and dealing with adulthood. Formed in Fremantle in 2016, the band consists of vocalist and guitarist Caleb Harper, lead guitarist Ashton Harman-Le Cornu, bassist and back vocalist Peppa Lane and drummer Kieran Lama.
Selling out the evening, Londoners keenly awaited Spacey Jane's return to the city for the first time in several years, while Aussie expats welcomed a piece of home. Fellow Australian Mia Wray opened the night, garnering new fans with songs from her debut album. Highlights included title song hi, it's nice to meet me and Not Enough, a hopeful story of queer love and bravery, positioning herself as an artist to look out for as she gains even more momentum.
The lights dipped and Spacey Jane kicked off the show with the first track from their new album, Through My Teeth, an upbeat and immediate favourite about the guilt of growing up and changing as a person.
More new songs followed, including Estimated Delivery, All the Noise and How to Kill Houseplants, among older favourites. Further into the set, Whateverrrr once again signalled the album's success as fans sung back every word, which reflect on a heavier past, accepting you'll "think of [it] forever" as it shapes your present self.
The crowd was electrified by Thrills, one of their oldest songs, with Harper making his way to the barrier with his guitar and setting off even louder cheers. Lama's energetic drums and a catchy guitar riff soundtrack its humorous encapsulation of being young, silly and free. The band's joy was infectious as they playfully chased each other across the stage and Harman-Le Cornu jumped over a crouched Lane whilst both playing on.
The tempo slowed with It's been a Long Day, in preparation for Ily the Most, another new release. Flashlights rose across the near 5,000 person crowd as concert goers embraced for the ballad. The song is a candid expression of love and the fear of losing someone, eloquently voiced in the line "if you ever left, I couldn't bury your ghost." Harper's vocals are punctuated by a beautifully soft piano melody, a new but warmly welcomed element to Spacey Jane's sound.
A streak of classics followed with Head Cold, Good for You and Hardlight. Ending the crowd's eager wait, the first notes of Booster Seat's unmistakable riff set off cheers which morphed into a loud, unified voice singing Spacey Jane's verse back to them, met with smiles from the band. The hit perfectly epitomises the growing pains of adulthood, flaunting the band's powerful storytelling as it explodes into the chorus. Building nostalgic imagery of being in your parents' car in the booster seat, the feeling is mirrored in being in the front seat, as an adult, yet the need for support still lingers in a brave acknowledgement of the vulnerability.
Tempted back on stage by a roaring crowd after the encore which left the crowd wanting more, the night ended with So Much Taller and Lots of Nothing, both messages of self love and acceptance, a sign of growing up. The band thanked their fans for an unforgettable evening and for facilitating this milestone show over undying applause.
Spacey Jane's music grapples with the emotions of leaving behind childhood and finding your feet as an adult, explored through intimately related themes of love and heartbreak, anxiety, making mistakes and coping mechanisms. As they convincingly embark on their next steps, fans await their return to the British stage.
Photography by Ivana Margarita Ignatova