There are few things better than a room full of people forgetting their age, letting loose and singing along to every word, and that’s exactly what Sweet managed to achieve at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre on Saturday night.
As part of their Final Blitz Tour, the legendary British glam rockers delivered a night packed with nostalgia, infectious energy and the kind of larger-than-life rock anthems that have stood the test of time.
Led by founding guitarist Andy Scott, Sweet showed that there is still plenty of life left in their catalogue. From the opening riffs to the final encore, the band wasted little time reminding everyone why they became one of the defining acts of the glam rock era. With decades of music behind them, their performance was a celebration of a catalogue that has soundtracked generations.
The setlist was a greatest-hits journey through the band’s impressive back catalogue, with tracks like ‘Action’, ‘Hell Raiser’, ‘Teenage Rampage’ and ‘Fox on the Run’ bringing plenty of excitement. Each song was met with enthusiastic cheers, familiar lyrics and plenty of movement throughout the theatre.
But it was the band’s ability to turn a seated theatre into a full-blown rock party that really stole the show. What started as an evening of people enjoying the music from their seats quickly became something else entirely, with Sweet managing to get the whole Palais up standing and joining in. Suddenly, the grand old theatre felt less like a concert hall and more like one enormous rock ‘n’ roll celebration.
Of course, no Sweet show would be complete without ‘Ballroom Blitz’. Its unmistakable opening and explosive chorus provided one of the night’s biggest moments, sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy.
There was something wonderfully infectious about seeing generations of fans come together over songs that have remained just as enjoyable decades after their release.
Sweet’s Final Blitz Tour may be a farewell to Australian audiences, but if Saturday night was anything to go by, their music certainly isn’t going anywhere. A night of unapologetic rock ‘n’ roll, and a reminder that some songs never lose their magic.
Words and images by Monique Pizzica
