Was Pandemonium Rocks Any Good in the End?

It’s here. Despite the baptism of fire and all sorts of chaos in its build up, Pandemonium Rocks has made it to the starting line.

The sounds of the Cosmic Pyschos are drifting out, and groups of punters from the shuttle buses are making their way down Caribbean Drive towards the entry gates.

In some ways, Pandemonium Rocks has been the unlucky whipping boy for the Australian festival industry’s current malaise. We all know there’s one less stage, about half the original lineup got axed three weeks ago, and organisers have tried to make those who forked out over $800 for VIP tickets still want to come with pizza buffets and free (and otherwise overpriced) hoodies.

But as Wolfmother’s Andrew Stockdale quickly reminds us, “Rock ‘n’ roll ain’t dead yet.” He and his 2024 version of his rent-a-band provide some enjoyable flashbacks to their breakout self-titled debut from about 20 years ago, with tracks like “Dimension”, “Woman”, and “Apple Tree”. They also indulge in a handful of newer songs that no one really knows or moves along to.

But all Stockdale needs to do is fire up “Joker and the Thief” to predictably close the set and everyone’s happy. At least one old bloke not far in front of me boogies, and a girl in the pit gets on someone’s shoulders. Many probably relive memories of seeing their favourite sport team run onto the field, or of watching episodes of Jackass, or get a flashback to an old betting company ad. Job done.

Stockdale and co. are followed by another one-man band with a history of revolving members – Brendan B. Brown and Wheatus. He risks sending everyone to the bar early by belting out a good chunk of their 24-year-old one-hit wonder “Teenage Dirtbag” during their soundcheck.

But many stay, and the set takes on a local flavour with a cover of AC/DC’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation”, an excerpt of “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree” during “Leroy”, and whatever else they’ve done over the last two decades. Noting they have seven minutes left, Brown prepares us for “a seven minute version of ‘Teenage Dirtbag’” to finish off – and we all get out our phones and lap it up.

UK alternative rock veterans The Psychedelic Furs are next and look like they’re enjoying themselves – particularly lead singer Richard Butler and his brother Tim on bass. They threaten to be a surprise favourite on the day, until they play their only memorable hit, “Love My Way”, just two songs in. From there, it’s pretty much a roll call of tracks only hardcore fans would know, and many (including myself) decide it’s time to grab dinner or more beers.

The sun is down and thankfully, due to the lack of lighting around the site, the production values soar as Blondie take to the stage with pop-art themed visuals in opener “X Offender”. They’re almost channelling The Wiggles in their designated coloured outfits, but the iconic Deborah Harry bucks the trend with her all-green attire.

She’s sassy, sharp and effortlessly cool as she and her comrades pile out a hit-filled set featuring  “One Way or Another”, “Call Me”, “Atomic”, ‘The Tide Is High”, and closer “Heart of Glass”, all filled with nostalgia, tightness, and plenty of singalongs.

As an eastern suburbs boy, seeing Alice Cooper in Scoresby is not something I expected to tick off the bingo list. The novelty of getting such a big name so close to home is the main drawcard for me (and probably most other Pandemonium Rocks punters who kept their tickets), and man, did he and his band reward us.

Not skimping on the stage setup and performance, Cooper proves why he is still a must-see act even in his mid-70s. He hurls a leg crutch around during “I’m Eighteen”, puts a live snake on his neck during “Snakebite”, and gets a giant Frankenstein puppet out for a cameo during “Feed My Frankenstein”. The full guillotine experience during “Ballad of Dwight Fry” gives him an apt chance for a break while guitarist Nita Strauss shreds away on a staircase.

The masterclass is rounded out with a massive campaign stage with steamers for “Elected”, and big balloons and an excerpt of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” during closer “School’s Out”. It would be hard to find anyone who doesn’t think Cooper and his crew made it worth coming to Pandemonium Rocks.

There are a couple of things Pandemonium Rocks’ organisers could definitely work on if it returns, but after all the chaos that went before it, the festival delivered an enjoyable day out with what it had.

It felt similar to Red Hot Summer, the new Lookout Festival, or even A Day on the Green but with more old-school rock thrown in. With a bit of work, there’s no reason why Pandemonium Rocks can’t stand alongside those other festivals on Australia’s live music circuit in the years to come. Time will tell.

Pandemonium Rocks 2024 heads to Sydney, Gold Coast, and Brisbane this week. More information can be found here.

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