Jet celebrate Get Born’s 15th anniversary at the Forum

It’s 15 years since the release of Get Born and Jet have filled the Kentish Town Forum for the iconic album’s birthday party. Following a breakup, the Australian rockers have truly been brought back to life, as is clear from the title of their tour, Get Re-born.

The four-piece walk on stage casually like they never left it, and the crowd reflects that in deafening screams. It is as if their last London show wasn’t eight years ago but just eight days. Last Chance is short, sweet and straight to the point, providing a perfect introduction to the ensemble’s sound: it packs heavy guitar riffs – reminiscent of classic rock acts – accompanied by aggressive vocals and a pulsating drumbeat.

Get What You Need shows how the whole band work together as one unit, with vocalist Nic Cester and guitarist Cameron Muncey sharing a microphone to deliver flawless harmonies, and guitar solos so in synch that the cheers grow louder. Jet don’t give anyone time to cool down, going straight into Rollover DJ. The viewers jump in time with the drums, effectively joining the performance.

The piano starts and the headliners slow down the tempo for the fans’ sake; the frontman makes the spectators take over and sing a verse of Look What You’ve Done. No one complains, especially not when the music slows again for Move On, which is sung by drummer Chris Cester. It seems like an intimate family gathering. The percussionist belts out the notes with so much raw emotion that the venue certainly feels it.

The tambourine sound of the group’s biggest hit Are You Gonna Be My Girl ignites the crowd. There should be an epilepsy warning, as blaring strobe lights shock people into action. Barely anyone is left sitting, although the seated dance more gracefully than the people throwing themselves around the circle pit.

Cries for more make the whole of the Forum vibrate, and they get one-fourth of their wish as the lead singer returns to the stage with an acoustic guitar to sing Shine On. The rest of the band come back with a vengeance. Each of them gets a final chance to shine: Muncey on vocals in Radio Song and Chris Cester in the fast-paced drum beats of Bring It on Back and Rip It Up. Like their name, Jet are truly a machine, a cohesive act that join forces to deliver the best sound possible – and they definitely achieve it.

Regan Harle
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

For further information and future events visit Jet’s website here.

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