A GROUP of twenty-somethings sitting sharing a few bevvies before a big concert is nothing new.
But lining up post froffies to see a children’s performer is certainly not something you hear about every day.
As the curtain opened at The Corner Hotel in Richmond, 200-plus revellers wearing newspaper hats chanted “Peter Combe, Peter Combe”.
The great man emerged- googly eyed, frizzy haired, wearing a bright green long-sleeve top and an excitable look on his face.
Nothing much had changed.
The old favourites such as Spaghetti Bolognaise, Newspaper Mama, Juicy Juicy Green Grass are not easily forgotten and left us asking “Where’s your Baghdad?”
The resurgence of 18-plus Peter Combe shows to his 1985ish born fans is a beautiful thing, and it’s hardly surprising that it’s taking off around the country. Combe’s hits are timeless, and their repetitive nature ensures no-one feels left out- even if you’re a little too old to be there.
The Christmas themed show, backed by the Crunchy Munchy Very Sticky Xmas Band, certainly was a crowd pleaser.
But everyone was gagging for the classics, and it must be said the crowd went off when they finally hit the stage.
Twenty years on, Combe still has it.
His voice hasn’t changed, nor his demeanour.
He spoke to the crowd like we were five years old all over again – and we loved it.
It’s hard to say whether it’s a piece of us yearning to revisit our childhood or the performer’s true brilliance, maybe a bit of both.
As the curtain closed on Combe, the crowd screamed out for more. He hadn’t even sung Newspaper Mama yet.
He returned to the stage, and a patch of sweat shaped strangely like Australia stood out on his chest.
He really had given it his all – but we wanted more.
“We want Combe, we want Combe.”
His final song, Juicy Juicy Green Grass, sent a buzz through the room and left one satisfied bunch of Gen Ys – or was that Gen X?
A dedicated few stayed behind to catch a glimpse of their hero, Christmas albums were signed, and photos snapped.
The promise of making the show an annual event will help us get through the next year. It was $22 well spent.
– Melissa Meehan and Bridget Brady
