Live Review: The Rubens @ The Gov 23/10/26

A muggy, warm Friday night is upon us, with a sold-out crowd descending on The Gov. It seems like the perfect venue for a balmy spring evening, with the back doors wide open, blurring the lines between the venue and the beer garden. What better setting to enjoy The Rubens, who are set to take the stage later tonight?

Opening the show were Adelaide's own The Fuss, bringing their dreamy rock vibes to set the mood for the evening ahead. Mixing atmospheric vocals with dreamy, delay-soaked guitar riffs, the band created an upbeat, mood-lifting atmosphere.

One of the highlights of their set was a cover of Kings of Leon's 'Sex on Fire', which came as a much-appreciated surprise to the crowd.

'Glass Houses', the first song the band released, featured a guitar part reminiscent of Bloc Party, dreamy duelling vocals and, of course, more cowbell! A Will Ferrell reference certainly wasn't on my bingo card for tonight. Throw in some guitar jumps and plenty of energy, and The Fuss were making the most of their time on stage.

Keep an ear out for their upcoming song 'Clementine', which resonated well with the early audience at The Gov and is due for release soon.

Before their final song, we were treated to a band introduction, acknowledging Oliver Fuss, Liam Taylor, Callum Turner, Sammy Gilchrist and Donna Holland, all incredibly talented in their respective roles within The Fuss.

Their set struck a great balance between groove-driven rock, dreamy vocals and catchy hooks. A fantastic start to the night from Adelaide's own The Fuss.

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Next up were Selve, who drenched the crowd in their own brand of summery synth-pop rock. Their upbeat, colourful sound was perfectly matched by their energetic stage presence, which went down a treat with the now-packed audience.

Credit must go to the Friday night crowd at The Gov. Around 80% of the venue was already full, with punters arriving early to support the opening acts.

Selve carried themselves like seasoned headliners, and I spent much of their set trying to work out exactly who their sound reminded me of. Their music was packed with influences from every corner of the musical kaleidoscope.

One minute, I was hearing electro-rock in the vein of Art vs. Science; the next, flashes of Jack White, before the sound morphed into something resembling an Australian take on The Dandy Warhols.

Every member looked like they were having an absolute blast, and that enthusiasm was infectious. The whole band had an impressive, natural stage presence, but singer Loki Liddle was particularly captivating.

Liddle owned the stage like a pro, channelling Mick Jagger as he strutted, kicked and jumped his way through the set, supported brilliantly by Creation Saffigna, who also took on lead vocal duties throughout the performance.

Wait a second, now they sound like David Bowie! It was hard to keep up with the ever-changing influences, and I loved every second of it.

The set finished with an all-out party during 'Flaming Star'. Liddle made his way down to the barrier, encouraging the entire room to join in with synchronised clapping.

'80s new-wave grooves, pub-rock guitars and a full-blown house party at The Gov. What more could you want?

Both opening acts felt perfectly curated for this tour, making it a brilliant show from start to finish. Credit to The Fuss and Selve, who had already made the price of admission worthwhile before the headliners had even stepped onto the stage.

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A cool breeze rushed through the venue as we waited for The Rubens to make their entrance, providing some welcome relief from the warmth of the packed room.

A dark, smoky stage set the tone for the smooth, soulful sounds of The Rubens. Kicking things off with 'Love Me America', the opening track from their new album, the song already felt like a setlist staple despite still being in its infancy.

If the crowd was already singing along, 'My Gun' arriving next well and truly opened the floodgates.

The lighting shifted between flashing strobes and moody backlighting, creating an air of mystique around the guys on stage.

The band flew through the opening songs, making it clear they meant business and had no intention of leaving out any crowd favourites. At this point in their career, The Rubens have built a catalogue overflowing with superb tracks to choose from. Nights like this are a reminder of just how consistently strong their releases have been over the years.

The dense crowd didn't have much room to groove inside The Gov, but they certainly made the most of what little space they had.

I loved seeing the broad range of ages and personalities throughout the audience. Along the front barrier were kids, millennials and more experienced fans, possibly even the grandparents of some of those younger punters, all enjoying every moment.

The band paused briefly to thank the Adelaide faithful, with singer Sam Margin proudly proclaiming that Adelaide was "the first show on the tour to sell out".

He also reminisced about playing The Gov 15 years earlier and spoke about what a special place the venue had become for the band.

New songs were woven throughout the set, and all were welcomed with open arms. 'Goanna' and 'The Cannonball' stood out during the first half of the performance.

The live setting really highlighted the nuanced songwriting that makes The Rubens such a special act in the Australian music scene.

I've always appreciated the space they leave within their songs. They never overplay or overcrowd the arrangements. Every note, groove and moment of restraint feels considered and purposeful, creating an effect that is beautifully executed.

The opening piano riff of 'Pets and Drugs' drew cheers, whistles and an extra buzz of excitement from the audience. Its R&B grooves brooded through the shadows and smoke, adding another layer to the atmosphere.

'Cornerstore' opened with a grungy, Dandy Warhols-style guitar riff before stripping back into a soulful verse, eventually delivering the musical payoff of its feel-good chorus.

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The band departed for a short breather before Margin and bassist William Zeglis returned to the stage, this time armed with acoustic guitars and chairs positioned beneath a spotlight.

This calm acoustic interlude was another highlight of the night, giving the crowd an intimate moment that felt more like sitting in the corner of a kick-ons house party than attending a sold-out national tour show.

The crowd took over vocal duties during the chorus of 'Never Ever', creating a heartwarming moment for Margin, who then admitted, "I just realised I was singing the wrong lyrics, and you were singing the right one," clearly appreciating the audience's assistance.

We were then treated to a timely and topical cover of Powderfinger's iconic 'My Happiness'.

Whether intentional or not, it felt particularly fitting, given that 'My Happiness' topped triple j's Hottest 100 for 1999, years before The Rubens claimed the same honour in 2015 with 'Hoops'. More on that song later.

It was also a lovely nod to Powderfinger, who have recently announced their reunion for an upcoming tour. The response inside The Gov demonstrated just how powerful Powderfinger's music, and 'My Happiness' in particular, remains to this day.

'Hallelujah', with its distinctive, textured and hard-hitting chorus, was another personal highlight of the set.

'Lay It Down' brought the gospel vibes before 'Muddy Evil Plan' arrived to round out the main set.

I particularly love the groove change during the bridge of 'Muddy Evil Plan', which had the crowd moving from side to side. The audience participation felt like a church singalong straight out of The Blues Brothers, with the entire room getting swept up in the moment.

There was also time for a birthday celebration, with the whole room joining together to sing 'Happy Birthday' to drummer Scotty.

Margin once again showed his appreciation for the support acts before thanking the Adelaide crowd for their continued love and support. He also pointed out the heartwarming sight of multiple generations filling the room and sharing the experience.

It mirrored something I had been thinking about throughout the night. The Rubens' music genuinely transcends eras, decades and generations.

Parts of their set would have fitted perfectly into the '70s, '80s or '90s, yet somehow still sound fresh and relevant in 2026. Their music is littered with influences from the past, but it never feels like a copy of anything that came before it. Instead, those influences have been carefully woven together to create something distinctly their own.

The encore kicked off with The Rubens sliding into their trademark anthem 'Hoops', prompting another round of deafening karaoke from every corner of the room before they wrapped up the evening with 'Black Balloon'.

Even though the band had already worked through all their trademark hits, pockets of the audience continued chanting "One more song!"

Unfortunately, their wish wasn't granted this time, but it was a fitting reflection of just how enjoyable the evening had been from start to finish. When a sold-out audience is still asking for more after a set packed with crowd favourites, you know the band has done something right.

With Adelaide being only the second stop on the tour, there's still plenty of time to jump aboard The Rubens' Group Therapy tour. If it's passing through your town, do yourself a favour and check it out.

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