Photos by Emily Waugh
Anticipation filled the Fonda Theatre before Spacey Jane’s Tuesday night performance. As the band took the stage, the suspenseful atmosphere broke into edgy acoustics. Opening with “Through My Teeth” from their latest album If That Makes Sense, the band set the tone with sharp and emotionally strung lyrics that teased the talent soon to be heard throughout the night. As the set continued, Spacey Jane fell deeper into themes of guilt, vulnerability, and self-expression. Tracks “Estimated Delivery” and “All the Noise” from the new record built on this momentum with brutally honest confessionals delivered through striking vocals. These early songs felt like lingering questions, drawing the crowd into a communal search for self-understanding and introspective clarity.
The band initially formed when Caleb Harper and Kieran Lama were in their high school years in Geraldton, Western Australia. In these early years, Harper sang and played guitar with Lama on drums, establishing the collective sound that would evolve into Spacey Jane. Harper and Lama moved to Perth for university, where they met Amelia Murray (bass) and Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu (guitar). In 2016, the group was officially formed under the title “Spacey Jane,” and began playing smaller backyard shows that followed a much more informal structure. These house shows developed into local gigs that solidified their name in the Perth music scene. Notorious for its live music, Perth was the ideal space to refine their sounds together. In 2017, Spacey Jane independently released their first EP, No Way to Treat an Animal. Their song “Feeding the Family” launched them into success, reaching tens of millions of fans. In 2019, Amelia Murray left the band and was succeeded by Peppa Lane (bass, backing vocals). The group signed a global deal in 2019 with AWAL and began playing festivals like Splendour in the Grass, propelling them toward international recognition.
About halfway through the show, Spacey Jane took a moment to revisit some of their earlier releases, including “Skin,” “Good for You,” and “Booster Seat.” These fan favorites from 2020’s Sunlight stirred quieter crowd members to sing along in blissful nostalgia. The lyrics of these songs, once unknown and broadcast on only a few local Australian radio stations, echoed through the voices of hundreds of Californians. Thousands of miles from Perth, Spacey Jane’s lyrical vulnerability still resonated with an audience united by a shared love of their energetic and sentimental music.
The group then moved into a selection of songs from their 2023 release Here Comes Everybody. These included “Lunchtime,” “Yet,” and “Hardlight,” each of which reflected the more pensive nature of the end of the set. The melancholic lyrics showcased how dynamic the group is in their ability to bounce between rock songs and softer ballads. Spacey Jane is proof that pop music does not need to sacrifice emotional elements to maintain an upbeat and catchy rhythm. In fact, the vulnerability held in their lyrics emphasizes the powerful sound they have created.
The range of music performed throughout the night reflected the ever-evolving nature of Spacey Jane’s sound. Their earlier albums captured a restless search for meaning, purpose, and connection, while their latest release feels more grounded and intentional. This latest album finds contentment in the imperfections of relationships, both with others and with oneself. The band maintains sincerity through an unpolished sound that channels raw and authentic emotion.
When the crowd joined together for “Feeding the Family” before quieting for “It’s Been a Long Day,” a sense of reflection filled the room. These quieter songs, often less known by the crowd, drew focus to the lyrics and reminded listeners of live music’s power to bring people together through shared reflection and sonic observation. Spacey Jane’s music is notably human, and their lyrics and instrumentals are strikingly honest and unfiltered.
When the lights came on to indicate the evening’s end, ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” filled the Fonda Theatre. Unlike the more usual, quiet end to a concert, the night ended on an upbeat note. Despite the curtain closing on stage, the crowd danced together, demonstrating the true power of live music. Spacey Jane’s live music, both energizing and thought-provoking, has undoubtedly propelled them from their modest beginnings in Perth to sold-out shows in Los Angeles.
