After an electrifying, intimate performance at Mohawk Austin on Thursday night, and following their Weekend One performance, Australian indie-rock band Spacey Jane came back Saturday ready for their Weekend Two set. After touring a full set of United States dates in September on their “If That Makes Sense” tour, Spacey Jane stopped by Austin City Limits Festival before heading to Europe to complete their tour.
“We’re Spacey Jane,” lead vocalist Caleb Harper said. “We’re back for Weekend Two. It feels good.”
Wearing an “I <3 TX” shirt, Harper, alongside Peppa Lane on bass, Ashton Le Cornu on lead guitar and Kieran Lama on drums, excited the crowd with their group antics. Cornu’s kicks, impressively high jumps and embraces with Harper stepped their stage presence up to the next level.
Their hit “Booster Seat” blew up on TikTok in 2020, landed on the Australian triple J’s Hottest 100 and was voted the second hottest song of Australia that year. Ocean Alley, the psychedelic rock band from Sydney whose “Confidence” blew up around the same time, a groovy, feel-good tune, also performed the past two weekends at ACL. Their set overlapped Spacey Jane, a hard decision for anyone who’s a fan of both. Australia represented themselves well at ACL this year, with Ocean Alley, Spacey Jane and Confidence Man performing, and Friday headliner Empire of the Sun.
The band opened with two songs off their May release, If That Makes Sense, an upbeat, yet intimate “Through My Teeth,” followed by “Estimated Delivery,” a catchy alternative ballad. With a set of old bangers and newer melodies, Spacey Jane united fans while introducing them to their new releases. Running straight into “Skin” and looking straight into the Texas sun, Harper sang, “And if you don’t like your skin pink in the summer / Then wear long sleeves.”
“This song’s called ‘Whateverrrr,’” Harper said, emphasizing the American pronunciation of the word.
The band relocated to Los Angeles to make the record, wanting to make a product they felt they couldn’t make in Australia. “Whateverrrr”reflects hardships of family life and young love through lyrical images of memories, and the live performance elevated the song with its personal, but catchy nature.
With Harper shaking his hips, Lane jumping up and down and Cornu leaping across the stage and playing his guitar in the air, the band cemented their legacy as rockstars. A crochet cactus on Harper’s mic, and Lane’s crochet hair ribbons, they maintained a soft look while rocking out hard on stage.
A perfect combination of fan favorites and lesser known tunes, Spacey Jane “fed the family” of fans and casual festival listeners through their set. Though not as intimate as their show at Mohawk Austin, they still managed to curate the same vibe in a festival setting. The crowd livened up when they played the viral “Booster Seat,” and their closer, “Lots of Nothing.”
“I’ve never felt like this before,” Harper sang, closing the show.
