While Simpsons-themed metal band Dr Colossus are ostensibly Melbourne-based, Geelong is their home turf.
It comes as little surprise, then, that Colossus frontman Jono Colliver considers the Barwon Club Hotel’s Negative Waves 2025 rockfest one of their most important sets of the year.
“We’re second from the headline spot, right before Cosmic Psychos and right after Hoss – both bands that were majorly influential on me as a kid,” Colliver said.
“So I’ve personally got nerves, because I want to be able to put on a show that’s going to stand up. We’re going to treat it like a big show, because it is a big show for us.”
Colliver is no stranger to big shows. When he’s not fronting Dr Colossus or crooning as his washed-out lounge singer persona Casino Stepdad, he tours with international superstar Vance Joy as the singer-songwriter’s bass player.
But Colliver said gigs like Negative Waves were special in a way stadium shows simply couldn’t be.
“I’m real pumped; this lineup is the quintessential Geelong scene mix of bands,” Colliver said.
“There’s classic older bands we grew up listening to, like Cosmic Psychos and the Meanies, and there’s some younger crew I’ve been getting around.
“The best thing about these kinds of days is that when those two worlds are brought together… the older gig heads and younger gig goers, and everyone’s united by the same sort of stuff.
“Older crew get turned onto new bands, and older bands like Psychos get to play in front of a bunch of new people they haven’t converted yet. I think it’s really good for the scene.”
Dr Colossus will mix classic Springfieldian anthems with new material they have been working on for their forthcoming album, due in early 2026.
“We’ll probably road test a couple of newies that are ready to go, and personally, I’ll be trying to lean into the fact that we’re not an established old legendary band,” he said.
“We’re a Simpsons-themed metal outfit, so we’ll be leaning into the stupid very heavily. It’ll be a nice palate cleanser right near the end of the night.”
Colliver might not consider Dr Colossus a legendary band, but Geelong knows better.
Negative Waves 2025 is on Sunday, June 8. Visit barwonclub.com.au/whats-on for tickets and more information.
