At the Enmore Theatre, the room tightens early. Melbourne’s Screensaver set the tone with a controlled, mechanical edge, their synth driven post-punk sound built on repetition and tension rather than release.
When Sleaford Mods walk on, that restraint disappears. Andrew Fearn stands to the side in a T-shirt that loudly denounces golf, the message landing somewhere between joke and manifesto, while he moves constantly, dancing in place, loose and unselfconscious as the beats roll. It’s a counterpoint to the rigidity of the sound, giving the set a strange, off-kilter physicality. Alongside him, Jason Williamson takes control of the space immediately, his delivery clipped and direct, cutting through the room with a rhythm that feels locked to the floor rather than the stage.
The set arrives already at full intensity, driven by Fearn’s stripped-back production and Williamson’s voice, which moves between spoken word and something closer to confrontation. The dynamic is simple but exact. Beats repeat, basslines cycle, and Williamson layers his commentary over the top, turning everyday frustration into something more pointed.
It’s their first time back in Australia since 2023, and there’s a sense of compression to the performance. Nothing lingers. Tracks move quickly, transitions are tight, and the focus stays on momentum. The new single, Megaton (Proceeds from the song are going to War Child, a commitment the band have deepened with this tour by partnering with PLUS1 to give $1 from every ticket sold to the charity,) arrives early in the set and slots in without disrupting it, carrying the same blunt force as the rest of the set.
What defines the show isn’t scale or spectacle. It’s precision. Every element is reduced to its function, loops, voice, space, and the interaction between them. Williamson moves constantly, pacing, gesturing, pushing against the limits of the stage, while Fearn keeps dancing, anchoring the sound while undercutting it visually with irreverent energy. What lingers is the consistency of it. No excess, no deviation, just a set that holds its line from start to finish. It’s controlled, direct and fully committed to its own terms.
Sleaford Mods will visit Adelaide, Brisbane and New Zealand next, tickets HERE.
Images Deb Pelser
