Review: Nick Barker and the Reptiles @ Grace Emily Hotel 15/06/26

The legendary Nick Barker and the Reptiles put on one hell of a show when they visited Adelaide in support of their new EP, Loose, Vol. II.

Words & Images Danny Wallace

Nick Barker and the Reptiles @ Grace Emily Hotel 15/06/26

I first came across Nick Barker and the Reptiles as a 15-year-old, supposedly studying for my exams while watching Video Hits as my family was at church on a Sunday morning. ‘Won't Get You Loved’ struck me as a glorious throwback to the 1960s and 1970s rock bands I loved so much at the time. I was hooked, and now, 37 years later, I finally had the chance to see them perform live.

The Grace Emily Hotel, sold out, was warm and welcoming. Despite the torrential rain outside, the venue was already well on its way to capacity when I arrived. Stories were being told of the Reptiles at the Bridgeway Hotel in the 1980s and 1990s - wild nights that feel impossibly distant to me and are now enshrined in legend.

Barker opened the show himself as a solo artist (“Who can afford to pay supports in this economy?”), and it was an inspired choice. There was no setlist, only requests, and nothing was off the table. If it had no relation to the headliner, of course.

Barker is an engaging and generous performer. From the outset, it was clear he was there for the audience connection as much as for the music. Opening with ‘Hearts and Minds’, a folky song Neil Young would be proud to call his own, he immediately set the tone for performances that were at once ragged and powerful. It takes guts to stand in front of an audience and promise to play whatever they request when your back catalogue runs as deep as Barker’s.

And then there were the stories – the banter. Humorous tales of burn-offs and dementia offset the darker subject matter. ‘The Other House’, about Barker's grandmother’s decline, is a touching lament for the missed chances to know a loved one before they are gone. Half the crowd knew every word, and the chorus erupted into a joyful sing-along each time it came around.

‘Thylacine’ and the all-time Barker classic ‘Time Bomb’ followed before someone in the audience requested ‘Lights, Action, Coma’ - a song Barker was certain he had not played in 25 years. As he tried to relearn the chords before our eyes, he explained that jumping in front of a room full of strangers and offering to play songs he can barely remember is a good way to keep the brain active - “I'll be the sharpest brain in the nursing home.” And yes, he found the right chords and delivered a stunningly atmospheric version of the powerful song. After running through ‘The Mission’, ‘Sunny's Song’ and ‘Action Jackson’, it was time for a break before the Reptiles took the stage.

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When they did, the eruption was immediate. ‘Before I Go’ and ‘Live and Die’ launched the assault on our senses, and both songs were a revelation. Played loud and loose in a packed, sweaty pub, they were about as far removed from the original studio recordings as possible. Both songs felt alive and kicking, powering along on some of the most danceable rock and roll grooves I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It’s rare to see audience members lose themselves in the music so completely that they stop caring how anyone else sees them. On Saturday night, that happened a lot.

After celebrating the birthday of uber fan Sharon from Sydney (Happy birthday, Sharon!) and offering a pre-apology for the inane banter and the bopping blonde harmonica player (no, he wasn’t too much), the band settled into a set of classic songs loved by young and old. There was a wider age range on show tonight than I would usually expect from a band like the Reptiles. It just goes to show that great rock 'n' roll really does know no boundaries.

‘Going to Pieces’ - the title track from their debut album - was up next. It was a funky, punky blast that fully loosened the crowd and set the tone for the rest of the evening. ‘Blood Nose’ - a brand-new track from the EP Loose, Vol. II - slotted into the set as though it had always belonged there, a glorious slow-burning tune driven forward by an insistent rhythm and stop/start breakdowns.

‘Living on Daydreams’ slowed things down for a moment of reflection and atmospheric balladry before the double-punch of ‘Follow Me Around’ and ‘Senseless’ landed. These two songs were released more than three decades apart, and yet the chemistry of the band still gives them an instant connection.

‘Bulldozer’ is one of the band’s heaviest songs, but also one of its loosest and funkiest. Tonight, the band let it rip, with chaotic guitar and harmonica solos from Adrian Chynoweth and Hound Dog Harris respectively, sending band and crowd into a frenzy. ‘Miles to Go’, a folk tune from the band’s second album co-written by Barker and Paul Kelly back in the 1980s, was transformed by the full band into a crowd-pleasing, hip-swinging singalong. Audience participation was high all night - these songs are so deeply known by fans that they have become part of their DNA.

‘Another Me’, ‘Make Me Smile’ (Cockney Rebel cover) and ‘Scar’ carried us to the end of the set in a rush of charging rhythms and explosive performances. After minimal arm-twisting, the band returned to the stage and treated us to stellar versions of ‘Won’t Get You Loved’ - the song that started it all for me as a fan - and ‘Gutter’ to close out a brilliant night from start to finish.

Lead guitarist Adrian Chynoweth added colour, melody and bite to the band’s sound, while drummer Dave Pinder and bassist Tony Johanssen held everything together with an irresistible groove. The chemistry within the band is remarkable - as Barker pointed out, this kind of connection between five musicians is harder to find than most people think, so when you find it, you have to make the most of it. Though a humble and self-deprecating man, Barker is a remarkable singer and songwriter, and his compositions were equally responsible for making Saturday night one of the best gigs of 2026.

It wasn’t perfect - mistakes were made here and there - but maybe that was the whole point. What we got on Saturday night at the Grace Emily Hotel was as real as music gets. The shared energy, the interaction with the audience and the brutally raw, impassioned performances from Barker and his band of merry mates made this a show I will never forget.

The love in the room was powerful, and it went both ways between the audience and the band. For four hours on a Saturday night, nothing else existed but what was shared in that room. And for that sense of community, joy and catharsis, I will be forever grateful.

Want more pics of the gig? Check out our full photo gallery here.