Review: Del Water Gap @ Lion Arts Factory 23/09/25
New York indie artist Del Water Gap brought a night of chaotic genius to Lion Arts Factory that delivered everything his adoring crowd wanted.
Words & Images Satine Richmond
Del Water Gap w/Lucy Sugerman @ Lion Arts Factory 23/09/25
Del Water Gap is the indie-pop project of songwriter and producer Holden Jaffe. Returning to our shores for a national tour that included supporting The Wombats and joining the SummerSalt Festival lineup, Del Water Gap played a handful of headline shows, including a stop at Adelaide’s Lion Arts Factory.
Playing in the City of Churches on a crisp Tuesday night, the line of fans curled around the block, fans excited that the American artist had made the rare stop in a city often skipped by international acts.
When the crowd had trickled in and filled the room with chatter and anticipation, Lucy Sugerman stepped out beneath a haze of amber light, joined by her ever-enthusiastic drummer and steady guitarist.
Sugerman’s clear, commanding vocals held the audience while each of her bandmates found their own way to amplify her talent. Sugerman’s drummer bounced in his seat like the kit was an extension of his body. Every snare landed with precision, perfectly on time, but it was his enthusiasm that stole the spotlight. He mouthed every lyric, throwing in flourishes every chance he got.
On the other side of the stage, Sugerman’s guitarist stayed steady and focused as he layered his vocals underneath her to create well-blended backing harmonies. His voice added depth while never overpowering, grounding each song with quiet intensity. The standout track was the trio’s performance of ‘I’d Do It All Again’, which built slowly to a soaring finish, rich and unwavering as the room collectively held its breath in awe at the sheer control and emotion packed into that song. After a moment of stunned silence, the crowd erupted with cheers and whistles as Sugerman humbly bowed her head, then laughed.
Half an hour later, Del Water Gap sauntered on stage, dressed in a loose brown jacket and white jeans, silhouetted against his neon pink logo on the wall behind him. He launched into ‘Coping on Employment’, immediately bringing the energy by bouncing on his toes to the beat.
From the first note, it was clear that this was a crowd that would know every lyric, pause and breath. Jaffe moved with ease, gripping the mic stand then releasing it to dance across the stage. Next came ‘Better Than I Know Myself’ and ‘Doll House’, two fan favourites with layered production that translated beautifully live. ‘How To Live’, the lead single from Jaffe’s upcoming album Chasing the Chimera, only added to the hype around his next release.
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Older, long-time favourites ‘Hurting Kind’ and ‘Theory of Emotion’ were met with instant recognition by fans who had clearly carried these songs with them from the start of Jaffe’s career, showing the depth of connection with his songwriting.
The set contained a well-balanced mix of older and newer songs; however, I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet is packed with standout tracks that deserved more stage time, as their polished production would have translated well live. Still, the balance worked, and Jaffe made sure to keep the night unpredictable.
Halfway through the set, Jaffe paid homage to Australian culture and decided it was time for a shoey. Without hesitation, he poured, announcing, “This shoey has accidentally been timed for a really slow, emotional song,” with a grin. But this didn’t deter him, sipping beer casually from the boot as the crowd sang his latest release ‘Marigolds’ back at him. At completion, Jaffe held up the dripping boot like a trophy, met with an enthusiastic cheer.
His banter threaded the entire set together, choosing moments in between songs to crack jokes, keeping up a back-and-forth with the crowd. He kept the energy loose and conversational, chatting with fans like they were old friends. He even took a phone from a fan to call their friend who couldn’t make it. “I just have to sing a song now, but I wanted to say ‘Hey, I miss you,’” he said, crouching to hand the phone back over to outstretched hands before launching into the next song.
The drums of ‘Glitter and Honey’ and ‘Beach House’ really stood out, giving both songs a strong, driving beat that made them feel full and exciting live. After ‘Beach House’, Del Water Gap left the stage to cheers and applause, but the crowd wasn’t ready to let the night end.
Chants and whistles filled the room, and after a short pause, the band trickled back on stage. Jaffe followed, grinning like he’d been waiting for the invitation. Instead of a single encore track, Del Water Gap gave Adelaide the full package.
Jaffe and co launched into ‘All We Ever Do Is Talk’, then came ‘Perfume’, and finally his 2020 breakthrough single ‘Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat’. Each song heightened the energy from the one before as the crowd screamed the lyrics word-for-word.
Cracking jokes, taking calls and timing comedic shoeys mid-ballad, the set was chaotic, and the crowd loved every second. Stepping off stage, Jaffe left Adelaide buzzing, the night a reminder of why Del Water Gap has become one of indie pop’s most magnetic live acts.
