On Saturday, I attended my first Red Hot Summer festival since 2020. I used to be a regular at these events, catching one every year between 2017 and 2020. While the pandemic stole a few years, the ones after just haven’t grabbed me. Lineups featuring the usual Aussie suspects and international acts past their prime couldn’t convince me to part with my cash, but the current run is different. And so, my parents and I ventured to Wonnarua Country/Pokolbin to catch the show headlined by Men at Work and Australian Crawl.
It’s worth noting that this was my parents’ first Red Hot Summer show. Those classic headliners proved irresistible to them, even though they don’t normally attend general admission gigs. People of their vintage were well represented, but so were the millennials and zoomers. Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such a diverse lineup of music lovers. And the younger punters weren’t just there with their parents. They were turning up with friends, proudly wearing their Crawl singlets and ready for the music.
Ella Hooper kicked us off with a set that celebrated her new album Overnight Success and current country leanings. It must be a little daunting to play music that’s unfamiliar to many punters during a show that leans so heavily into nostalgia, but if Ella had any nerves, she hid them well. She chatted easily, sharing stories and charming us all. I love Ella’s new material, so I relished the opportunity to hear so much of it. Acoustic reworkings of her classic Killing Heidi tracks “Mascara” and “Weir” gave the crowd the opportunity to sing along.
After Ella had eased us into the afternoon, we were ready to rock out with Boom Crash Opera. They’re such a class act, with Dale Ryder oozing as much charisma as he did in the ‘80s and the band as tight as ever. They tour relentlessly, and it shows. You always know you’re in capable hands when they take the stage. The general admission area swelled, especially when they broke out those big hits like “Onion Skin,” “The Best Thing,” and “Dancing in the Storm.”
National treasures Vika and Linda gave us all the opportunity to catch our breath with their beautiful set. They truly have some of the best voices in the nation, and when they combine, it’s sublime. While I’ve seen Vika and Linda performing with the Black Sorrows, this was my first time seeing them as a duo, backed by their Bullettes. It gave them the opportunity to chat more and play a really varied set with new music from their 2026 album Where Do You Come From? (the title track was especially powerful) and old favourites like “When Will You Fall For Me” and “Never Let Me Go.” Their take on Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” was another highlight. They were superb.
Eskimo Joe were one of my most anticipated bands and they did not let me down. While I’ve seen Kav Temperley live promoting his solo material, the stars never quite aligned for me to catch a full-band set. Thankfully, they’ve lost absolutely nothing over the years. They came out loud, ready to rock, with “Sarah.” Hit after hit followed, along with a surprising cover of Icehouse’s “We Can Get Together.” Kav is such a magnetic frontman. He had so many of us in the palm of his hand. Except for my dad. He insisted that they were just making a lot of noise. Which maybe means that they were doing something right!
While my dad didn’t appreciate the young whippersnappers in Eskimo Joe, he loved Birds of Tokyo. They have a lot more strings to their bow, he says. There’s no denying that they do what they do very well. They sound exactly like they do on the radio, except for those little moments when the super talented band members cut loose. Ian Kenny is a fine vocalist. They have the ability to capture an audience. Most of them probably only knew “Plans” and “Lanterns,” but they were captivated by the rest. For me, the music is a little too safe, a little too polished. But I sat near someone who sang every word passionately, who was so connected to what they do that it nearly brought her to tears. And when an act can do that, even if it’s not quite to my taste, I can see that they’ve done their job well. They might have even won me over when they busted out a cover of Traveling Wilburys’ “Handle With Care.”
I was really looking forward to catching the much-hyped co-headliner, Men at Work. Colin Hay was a standout at the Good Times show a few years back, and I remember loving a free set they played at Tumbalong Park in 2000. But much of this set sadly fell a little flat for me. I couldn’t fault the sound. Colin has assembled a quality team of stand-ins for his original bandmates, and his distinctive voice is always superb. But for a casual fan, as most of us in the seated area were, the unfamiliar tracks didn’t hook us. We showed through the other performers that we don’t always need to sing along to feel invested, but one mellow track after another without any interaction with the audience saw people leaving the general admission area and many around me turning to their own conversations or scrolling their socials. I perked up a little at “Dr. Heckle & Mr. Jive,” but that came halfway through the set. Why not throw us a bone a little earlier? Even when the hits did come, they weren’t always delivered with the energy I hoped for. “Overkill” has long been my favourite Men at Work number, but I think I sang it with more passion than Colin. Things took a turn for the better near the end with a string of hits and more enthusiasm all round. By the time they played “Down Under,” we were all on our feet, and we stayed there for “Be Good Johnny.” Was it a little too late? Maybe. But at least we got there.
And then there was Australian Crawl. A band that might have actually come back stronger. The anticipation was at fever pitch. Those young blokes I mentioned earlier were absolutely frothing. It reminded me a lot of the hysteria around Darryl Braithwaite a few years back. Their enthusiastic cheers punctuated the hush that fell over the crowd as James Reynes took to the stage and delivered a stirring rendition of “Hoochie Gucci Fiorucci Mama” in tribute to their late members Guy McDonough and Brad Robinson. It was such a poignant moment before the party began. And what a party it was. My 73-year-old mum wound back the clock, refusing to sit down as the band delivered hit after hit after hit. They sounded so good, like a well-oiled machine despite their absence from the scene. All the remaining original members were there, along with Josh Owen and Sean Johnson who’ve played with James for so many years that they feel like family. Men at Work might have had international acclaim and performers with international profiles among their ranks, but our 100% homegrown talent blew them off the stage. What a way to close this amazing show.
The Red Hot Summer party continues through summer at the following venues. Many shows have sold out, but if you can manage to get your hands on some tickets, I suggest snapping them up!
7 November 2026 – Victoria Park, Ballaarat/Ballarat
8 November 2026 – Mornington Racecourse, Bunurong Country/Mornington (SOLD OUT – check for resale tickets)
14 November 2026 – Sandalford Wines, Whadjuk Noongar Country/Swan Valley
15 November 2026 – Glenelg Beach, Pattawilya/Glenelg
20 November 2026 – Riverstage, Meeanjin/Brisbane (Ella Hooper, Eskimo Joe, and Birds of Tokyo not appearing)
22 November 2026 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Naarm/Melbourne (Ella Hooper, Eskimo Joe, and Birds of Tokyo not appearing)
Photo credit: Lauren Katulka