It is a Friday evening in Hobart, and Boy & Bear are bringing their Tripping Over Time Regional Tour to town. Steeped in songs not only from 2025’s Tripping Over Time, Boy & Bear pull out many favourites from across their storied 6 album catalogue and EP, With Emperor Antarctica.
Boy & Bear have been thrilling fans for more than 15 years with their signature brand of melodic folk-rock proving hugely popular ever since the release of the Moonfire album, which made double-platinum sales (remember those days?) to take the band into Australian music folklore.
It would seem that audiences have not forgotten the band either, with them having recently played to some of the largest crowds of their careers to date when playing Brisbane’s Riverstage and on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. The Odeon in Hobart quickly fills, and the band are met with a rousing cheer when they step out onto the stage, kicking off with Where Does Life Begin from the latest album.
It has been ten years since I last saw Boy & Bear live when I went to see them play in Toowoomba, Queensland at The Spotted Cow back in 2016. That was indeed a great night, and this Odeon gig was similarly fabulous, albeit with a considerably larger crowd filling the Hobart venue.
Boy & Bear’s newer material sits well in the live arena, stacking up nicely beside their classic tunes from those halcyon days when they were seemingly taking over the world, such was their meteoric rise.
The opening song is quickly followed up by songs from across the breadth of their catalogue (see the setlist below). Dave Hosking’s unique vocal has lost none of its’ ability to convey emotion and draw listeners in to the messages contained therein – his presence onstage is such that it draws every eye to him as he sings.
This is not to belie the rest of the band, however. The music is genuinely beautifully played (with the sound engineers also fully deserving of praise). Killian Gavin’s guitar work is precise and, along with Jon Hart’s keys, punctuates the music with a vibrancy that at times soars into one’s very soul.
Tim Hart on drums and David Symes on bass could be twins such is their synergy, and that is patently palpable as they interact on stage. It is interesting to see the stage set-up, with drums at the forefront on the left hand side, making this rhythm section more involved in the action than you would normally see.
As the night begins to draw to its’ ultimate end, the band push out a three song encore, much to the delight of the crowd. It culminates with Southern Sun, the song with one of the most recognisable, and classic Australian guitar riffs ever written. Such a terrific way to set the sun on a perfect evening.
Setlist:
Where Does Life Begin
Old Town Blues
Suck On Light
Part Time Believer
Harlequin Dream
Lordy May
Vertigo
State Of Flight
Feeding Line
Thunder
Moments Grace
Ancestors
Rabbit Song
Just Dumb
Fall At Your Feet
Encore:
Hold Your Nerve
Walk The Wire
Southern Sun
Boy & Bear Gallery (click photo to see in full):
Supporting Boy & Bear were young Tasmanian indie pop-rockers, Middle Palms. A bright and breezy set full of reggae-infused, swirling guitar-driven songs was the perfect warm-up for the quickly-growing crowd, many of whom had arrived early
Middle Palms Gallery:
All images: ©fullonrockphotography/Andrew Fuller
