Crowded House is one of Australia’s most loved bands, with Aussies hailing them as our own (even if frontman Neil Finn is a New Zealander). After a huge tour last year, the band are back playing some of the more intimate venues around the country, treating their audiences to a three-hour extravaganza of hits, both old and new. 

The band started with an acoustic set, joking that they were the opening act (and dubbing themselves Strangely Hot after an unseasonal scorcher in Sydney earlier in the day). This set was an opportunity for the band to play some of their newer work with the unreleased “At the Station” being a particularly interesting jaunt alongside another unreleased track “In My Own Shell”. This set took a little while to get going, with some less familiar songs although it finished strong with “Four Seasons in One Day”, which was a crowd favourite. 

As the band left the stage after 40 minutes, parts of the audience were quite confused, wondering if that was the whole show. As the break stretched to 30 minutes, confusion only increased but once the band was back on stage, all worries faded away as everyone truly began to hit their stride. 

Quite early in the main set, the band played “Fall at Your Feet” which really allowed the voice of Neil Finn to shine. It is incredible how strong Finn’s voice still is, maintaining the beautiful timbre of the original records as well as all the power and precision. The acoustics of the State Theatre were perfect for the song as the whisper of the crowd singing along did not overpower the band but yet added to the ambiance. It was a beautiful moment. 

The band continued through the lengthy set, with “Private Universe” being one of the highlights of the set at the show’s midpoint. It was clear to all that this was a band that still took its musicality very seriously, with technical excellence and flamboyance on display by all. Nick Seymour was in fine form, cracking jokes through the night and delivering on the bass while Neil’s son Liam was superb on guitar, ensuring that even in brother Tim’s absence, this still felt very much like a family affair. 

At one point, Neil Finn opined to the audience that “no-one reviewed concerts anymore” (thinking there were no reviewers in attendance) and acknowledged the influencers in the crowd. Indeed, the timelessness of Crowded House’s music meant that multiple generations were in the audience, all of whom were having an absolute blast. 

The night was going swimmingly but really went up a notch when one audience member politely inquired as to why there was no dancing. This was the cue for Finn to invite everyone up to the front of the stage to form a mosh pit which lifted the energy in the room. From then on, it was hit after hit as the band launched into a crazy end to the set. 

It started off with a chaotic performance of “Chocolate Cake”, with Finn inviting an unsuspecting security guard onto the keys while he bounced aimlessly around the stage. This was followed by the self-labelled “slightly obscure” “Don’t Dream It’s Over” before the show ended with “Something So Strong”, “Weather with You” and “Better Be Home Soon.” Quite the line-up. 

By this point, the audience were completely losing themselves in joy and nostalgia, with Finn’s voice standing up perfectly against the classic songs. There were no embellishments, no change-ups, just the beauty of legendary songs, performed the way that they were always intended to be. A beautiful end to a wonderful night of music. 

Overall, this was a sublime concert, showing off the breadth and depth of Crowded House’s discography. After a slightly rocky start, the band went from strength to strength, with beautiful performances of their classics and more than a bit of fun for everyone involved. While I wasn’t around to see Crowded House in their initial heyday, I am reliably informed that they sound as good, if not better, than ever before. Fortunately, for those that did not secure tickets for this tour, this did not feel like a farewell gig so it is safe to say that this will not be the last we see of Crowded House. Thankfully for us all. 

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Crowded House – State Theatre – 22^nd October 2025

All photo credits: Brad Newton