British singer-songwriter-rapper Jamie T was at the peak of his career, taking the charts by storm and receiving numerous accolades. It seemed as though he was set to conquer the world, but shortly after releasing his sophomore album, Kings and Queens, he vanished from the eyes of the public. In late 2014, Jamie T returned to the music scene with a vengeance. He resurfaced with a new album titled Carry on the Grudge, exploring a grittier and grimier sound with twice as much swagger. In conjunction with the release of his new album, he announced his first Australian tour in almost five years. It poured the entire day. However, the damp weather didn’t seem to bother die-hard fans, who'd been eagerly anticipating the return of their idol, Jamie T, since 2010. I hopped in line thrilled for some sweet tunes, as well as for the shelter. Nestled under the comforting roof of the Hi-Fi, it was not long until the opening act, High-tails, graced us with their presence. Kudos to the Hi-Fi for notifying their patrons regarding the changes made to the set times, allowing us to avoid a ghastly wait. I was rather uncertain of what to expect from this Sydney band, but moments after their first song, I was hooked. A mid-tempo set of mellow pop-rock on solid rhythmic foundations, which coincided with the current climate. The only thing missing was the pot of Chamomile tea that I had left at home. This soothing session sets the perfect mood for what was about to come. After briefly expressing their gratitude, High-tails exited the stage. The crew emerged to prepare the equipment for the main act. The setup was minimalistic, but the backdrop was plastered with the attention-grabbing cover art of Jamie T’s latest album. As the lights dimmed around the hall, the rowdy crowd called out with glee for the act they had long awaited. Members of the band entered, rallying the crowd as their lead singer follow suit, approaching the mic in a nonchalant manner. Casually draped in a denim jacket poured into skin tight jeans, Jamie T is the personification of an indie rock star. A charming smile stretched across his face, as he eased into the set with his most recent and thought provoking tracks from his new album, Limits Lie and Don’t You Find. The crowd was entranced by the soulful delivery of his vocals and the psychedelic undertones of the melody. Despite taking a long sabbatical, it was apparent that his talents are undiminished. The set was carefully thought out, comprised of materials from his extensive repertoire. Angsty tracks such as Operation and 368 from his earlier albums immediately caused a commotion among the crowd. Reminiscing about the good ol’ days, these sweat-drenched punters were engaged in an aggressive shoving match in the mosh pit. They trampled over one another, ripping each other’s shirts, in attempt to get closer to the stage. One could say that this scene was a true embodiment of the spirit of Jamie’s earlier music, anarchy and youth rebellion. The droopy microphone stand was a consistent problem which interfered with the set. One of the stage crew attempted to fix the issue, unfortunately the problem persisted. Jamie just couldn’t be bothered. He crouched over the mic with one foot on the speaker, tapping to the beat of his songs. Empty plastic cups were flung across the hall, several of them managed to crash on to the stage. As a form of retort, after having a sip of water, Jamie splashed the rest of the water in his bottle at the crowd with a sly grin on his face. In spite of all the chaos in front of him, Jamie kept his cool and remained animated behind the mic throughout the gig. Heads bopping, fists pumping and crowd surfing, the fans were fully immersed in the performance. They clung onto every moment they had with the band as they performed the final tracks of their set, British Intelligence and If You Got The Money. Shortly after the band left the stage, the crowd began chanting Jamie T’s name while stomping on the ground forcefully. Unwilling to disappoint his fans, Jamie T and co. returned to stage for one last hurrah. Performance of fan favourites such as Sheila and Zombie saw a surge of new energy among the audience. He waved his hand in encouragement for audience participation. The audience reciprocated by bopping and jumping around, while mimicking his every word. Alas, the night came to a glorious end with the enjoyable and punchy lyrics of Sticks ‘n’ Stones, a Jamie T classic. The crowd went wild as the band took their final bow. Sparing a few moments on stage, Jamie T basked in the joy of yet another successful show. It was obvious that he had truly treasured the time he had spent with his fans, and so did they.

- Zen Lim.