Twenty years on, and Black Fingernails, Red Wine still hits like a freight train live

Twenty years on, and Black Fingernails, Red Wine still hits like a freight train live. Eskimo Joe’s sold-out show at The Triffid last night felt less like a nostalgia tour and more like a reminder of why the album became one of Australia’s defining rock records in the first place.

From the moment the band walked onstage, the room was electric. Kav Temperley’s vocals were raw and powerful, Stu MacLeod’s guitar tone cut through perfectly, and Joel Quartermain drove the whole set with relentless energy behind the kit. The Triffid’s intimate warehouse atmosphere suited the performance perfectly — loud, sweaty, emotional and packed wall-to-wall with fans screaming every lyric back at the band.

Playing the album in full gave the night a real sense of momentum and storytelling. Tracks like New York, Sarah, Black Fingernails, Red Wine and Comfort You sounded enormous live, but it was some of the deeper album cuts that really surprised the crowd. You could feel the connection between the band and the audience; every chorus turned into a singalong, and the nostalgia in the room was genuine rather than forced.

What stood out most was how tight Eskimo Joe still are as a live act. There was no coasting on memories here — the band sounded polished, passionate and completely locked in. Kav in particular seemed genuinely moved by the response from the Brisbane crowd, taking moments between songs to reflect on the album’s legacy and the fact people are still showing up in huge numbers two decades later.

The second half of the set, packed with classic hits, turned the venue into a full-blown celebration. Fans bounced through favourites spanning the band’s entire career, proving Eskimo Joe’s catalogue runs much deeper than just one iconic record.

For longtime fans, it was a chance to relive a soundtrack that defined a generation. For younger concertgoers, it was proof that great Australian rock music still has real power when performed live by a band that genuinely cares about the songs.

With one final Brisbane show still to come tonight at The Triffid, fans who missed out on the first night still have one last chance to experience the Black Fingernails, Red Wine 20th anniversary celebration live. If last night’s performance was anything to go by, the final show is set to be another unforgettable night of Australian rock nostalgia, massive singalongs and a reminder of just how timeless these songs have become.

Eskimo Joe’s Black Fingernails, Red Wine anniversary tour has been promoted as a celebration of one of Australia’s landmark albums — and after last night at The Triffid, that description feels completely deserved.