Festival Hall was alive last night, and The Wombats proved once again why they’re one of the tightest indie-rock acts around.

Openers set the tone perfectly: Ra Ra Vipers tore through their set with some mad guitars, while Bea and her Business showed off a beautiful voice that hushed the crowd in all the right ways. A fun Wednesday night was already brewing before The Wombats even walked out.

They kicked things off with I’m Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come. A sharp nod to the new album, but it was the run of hits that turned the place into chaos. Moving to New York and Kill the Director had the floor heaving, Cheetah Tongue and Techno Fanwere pure singalongs, and Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves) just about lifted the roof. The surprise of the night? A stripped back acoustic of Lethal Combination, showing just how much range these guys have.

By the time the encore hit with Let’s Dance to Joy Division, the nostalgia was real. Thousands of voices shouting every word, beers in the air. The kind of moment you don’t forget.

The band’s banter was loose, their stage presence commanding, and the vocals absolutely nailed. With so many hits flying back to back, you forget just how deep their catalogue runs.

The Wombats – Oh! The Ocean Australian Tour

Sat 20 September – SummerSalt Series, Torquay Common, Torquay
Sun 21 September – AEC Theatre, Adelaide
Wed 24 September – Festival Hall, Melbourne
Fri 26 September – Riverstage, Brisbane
Sat 27 September – The Station, Sunshine Coast
Sun 28 September – UOW UniHall, Wollongong
Wed 01 October – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Sat 04 October – SummerSalt Series, Fremantle Prison, Fremantle

Tickets for all Australian shows are available at secretsounds.com.

REVIEW: The Wombats - Festival Hall, Melbourne