By Luke Voogt
Hotter the Hell is reigniting the “primal energy” of the ’90s with crowds moshing, crowd-surfing and throwing knickers onstage, according to Super Jesus front woman Sarah McLeod.
“It’s like I’ve become Tom Jones,” said McLeod, who was bemused by her female fans flinging undies.
“Maybe it’s because they I know I’m on tour and they’re trying to help me with my laundry. Maybe it’s unbridled sex appeal – it’s not for me to say.”
The iconic rockers join Grinspoon, Regurgitator, Dallas Frasca and IV League in Geelong next weekend for the last stop of Hotter Than Hell.
“It’s the funnest (sic) tour I’ve been on my life,” McLeod said.
“Suddenly everyone is having flashbacks because of the memories and all.
“Back in the 90s people used to mosh and crowd surf – I haven’t seen this for years.”
The Geelong show would be Super Jesus’s first time alongside Regurgitator since the Big Day Out in 1997, McLeod said.
But the band has a long history of playing with Grinspoon, and McLeod stars alongside the band’s lead singer Phil Jamieson in the play American Idiot.
“We’re always mentally sparring,” she said. “We love grilling each other into the pavement for fun.”
She looked forward to again playing alongside Dallas Frasca, her favourite person in the “whole music industry”.
“She’s the most real person you’ll ever meet,” she said.
Frasca returned the love for her fellow front woman, describing McLeod as “absolute legend”.
“We met a few years back,” she said. “She’s non-stop – she’s always writing and involved in the scene.”
She was thrilled to play alongside three female-led acts at the Gateway Hotel on 3 March.
“It’s not that the promoters programmed it this way – it’s just that there are some really strong acts with women fronting them,” she said.
The band had been busy recording but Frasca said a confidentiality agreement stopped her from saying anymore.
“All I can say is we’ve got something big brewing,” she said.
“I’ve sort of lost track of time – god I would love to grow a vegie garden and just be home for a bit!”
The band is planning a rock and roll bus “adventure“ to ten locations in regional Victoria, with “celebrity hitchhikers”.
“We’ve also got a residency in the Art Box – which is basically a shipping container in Footscray,” she said.
“Anyone coming past is welcome to knock on the window and say hello.”
Frasca, a distant relative to Dame Nellie Melba , urged Geelong locals to get to the show.
“They’ll be missing out if they’re at home drinking beer and watching TV,” she said.
“Who knows if this is going to be the last one?”
