The Chats kicked off their nationwide Bargain Bin Tour and it was all bands, beers, and a bloody good time!

Frontman Eamon Sandwith is a native Sunshine Coast lad, bringing his band to Ocean Street’s iconic Solbar on Friday.

He’s shared the stage with big names such as Guns ‘n’ Roses, The Strokes, Iggy Pop, and the Foo Fighters.

But it was all about the homegrown fans tonight with a full punk line-up of Aussie acts: GHOULIES, Boondall Boys, The Unknowns, and The Prize.

US band Mean Jeans (from the Chats’ 2022 Get F*ked Tour) were also on the bill, meaning this was going to be one big night.

And I was right.

Fangin’ down the Bruce Highway, with my “Chats 2024 Tour” playlist blaring through my car sound system, I made my way to one of my all-time fave local live music venues.

Arriving a little later than expected, I was just able to catch a bit of GHOULIES in action, and man, did they not disappoint!

Hyper-speed enthusiasm with a sprinkle of synth magic

Playing their songs at a hyper-speed with a sprinkle of synthesiser magic, the audience were being lured towards this band. Their energy was infectious!

Melbourne-based band The Prize were up next, building on the energy left by GHOULIES.

They launched into raw guitar riffs and pleasant harmonies with several tunes from their 2022 EP “Wrong Side of Town”.

During the show, The Prize announced a collaboration with Joshua Hardy’s (The Chats guitarist) band The Unknowns. The collab is a 7” inch vinyl featuring two songs from each band.

I may not have been unable to resist buying one later that night!

After The Prize’s set, fans were met with familiar faces that joining the stage.

Josh Hardy and Eamon Sandwith from The Chats entered the stage with their second band (from another mother) The Unknowns.

Switching rolls from guitarist to frontman, Josh’s vocals offered an authentic punk-rock band sensibility. And indicated high influences by the Ramones, Misfits and The Stooges eras.

Playing simple but passionate melodies it brought big expectations from fans who were dying to see their mainstays, The Chats.

Boys from Boondall agitate the crowd with punk anthems

As the Solbar’s 450-capacity room began to fill, The Boondall Boys agitated the crowd.

Featuring Mad Macka from Cosmic Psychos on vocals, their high-energy saw mosh pits erupt in the crowd’s centre. Drinks were starting to be thrown around, and the energy was well-underway to being at pure punk-rock level.

The charm of the harmonica – featured in many of their solos – was definitely a crowd-pleaser.

US band Mean Jeans plays same day as airport-arrival

Flying all the way from Portland, Oregon, Mean Jeans arrived on the night of their performance.

This loud and humorous three-piece band belted out their latest single “I Don’t Give a Sht No More” like jet-lag wasn’t even a thing.

Seeing the boys in 2022, I knew they would put on a great performance and enhance the already hyped-up crowd.

Being up-close and personal to the boys on stage brought the rawness and carelessness of their stage personas to life (in the best way possible).

With the combination of guitarist/frontman Billy Jeans’ vulgar vocals and comical replies, it complemented bassist, Junior Jeans’, high energy in which he OWNED that stage.

His boyish charm came out a few times throughout the performance as he pulled Billy’s guitar lead causing a stir.

Mean Jeans drummer Jean Wilder exuded plenty of passion behind the kit which brought the whole atmosphere together.

The crowd even convinced him to indulge in the classic Aussie tradition of the “shoey”. With a couple of technical difficulties, Mean Jeans still continued the show with full energy and passion.

The boys have definitely been welcomed well into the Australian culture with Mean Jeans themselves travelling around Australia for their very own tour to promote their debut album, “BLASTERED”.

So, if you didn’t snag tickets to their tour with The Chats, you better get some for theirs! If you don’t, you’re seriously missing out.

The lights dim for The Chats

As the stage lights dimmed, the crowd started to get pushier, and the ringing in my ears started to get louder.

I knew we were in for a good set when the roadies tapped the setlist to
the stage and I snatched a glimpse.

A variety of songs from their albums; “Get This In Ya”, “High Risk Behaviour”, “Get F**ked”. And their self-titled album.

The boys walked on stage and struck right into the first song “Nambored”, playing twice the speed of the original – I didn’t think that was possible.

This was my fifth time seeing The Chats from small shows to stadium shows in support of Foo Fighters. So I kinda knew what to expect, but the energy they brought to their Solbar show was incomparable. I think being a smaller show, they were able to connect with their fans more intimately.

Stadium shows can’t portray realness like this

I reckon the stadium tours have ruined the authenticity and realness that guys like this bring to the stage.

The faster they played, the more the crowd moved, with fans jumping out of the pit with bloody noses and crowd surfers jumping straight into the waiting arms of security.

It felt like everyone was in the moment, and were here for the music, the connection, and the good time. Strumming into what seemed to be the crowds’ favourite, “6 Litre GTR”, they were singing word for word, pointing their fingers and shouting the lyrics straight back into the boys’ faces.

As Eamon’s alter-ego built they finished the set with one of their most popular songs, “Pub Feed”.

Doing his signature jump to finish, showing his concise appreciation in his harsh Australian accent…. he spoke just two words, “THANK YOU”.

My lowdown on The Chats

If you haven’t experienced a shed/punk-rock show before you need to go to a Chats gig.

They are, like several other Aussie bands, reviving the lost punk scene that originated in DC and downtown LA. And I can’t wait to see what other bands these guys will influence.

I hope to see more people support our Australian music scene and the venues that bring them to you.

Photos by Dameeka Middleton (stills on a 2013 Handycam). Follow her Instagram here.