Eskimo Joe ‘Black Fingernails Red Wine’ 20th Anniversary Tour @ Manning Bar Sydney 22/05/2026.

It’s time to put my Eye To The Telescope because… oh wait, no that’s tomorrow nights’ 20th anniversary concert (KT Tunstall). This weekend Sydney’s feeling very nostalgic it seems. Tonight however, Sarah all the way from New York is dawning her Black Fingernails, Red Wine dress for the 20th anniversary of Aussie rock favourites Eskimo Joe. All the way From The Sea in a Foreign Land in WA, these seasoned rock veterans bring the celebration to a sold out crowd at Sydney’s Manning Bar, which is the second Sydney show to be added to the tour after tomorrow nights’ performance at Factory Theatre sold out early with many more fans wanting in on the action. So the fans’ excitement and demand for these guys is still clearly strong despite the rising cost of living and putting on a show.

The vibe in the venue is buzzing with fans heading down early to both catch the commanding and soulful voice of Alex Lloyd opening the night, plus sample a glass or two or three of the red wine that Eskimo Joe collaborated with a wine maker on. This blend of wine is apparently on offer at the bar tonight which is cool. I do remember lead singer Kav telling me he loved to relax with a fine red wine, when I interviews him for his solo record.

As is the way with almost all anniversary tours, the band will be playing the album in question in full in order, plus a handful of other fan favourites, typically as an “encore”. Some albums become famous because of two maybe three hits and the rest of the album just feels like extra stuffing to fill it out. But luckily ‘Black Fingernails Red Wine’ is an album full of hits, and even songs that didn’t become singles or necessarily hits are certainly hit worthy and have stayed memorable over the years.

Hearing this album played start to finish like it was intended, before peoples’ attention span shrunk to single songs on Spotify, with the people who wrote and created it performing it live with banter, quirks and all is truly something to behold, like a rare red wine vintage.

Like the good album-lord intended, the show starts with pulsating lights to the emotionally charged minor-toned piano melody and beating bass rhythm followed by thumping drums of opening track ‘Comfort You’.This is followed by wait for it, ‘New York’ and album title track ‘Black Fingernails Red Wine’. (shocking I know!) Even though two of the bands’ biggest hits (‘New York’ and ‘Black Fingernails Red Wine’) are played early, there’s no drop in energy or excitement thanks to the band having fun, chatting to us like mates at the pub reminiscing on good times, having a laugh with us plus there’s still heaps of quality hits like ‘Breaking Up’, the somber tribute to a tragedy ‘London Bombs’, ‘Sarah’ and of course hits from other albums.

Speaking of the hit ‘Sarah’, when I saw Eskimo Joe at an intimate acoustic show at Paddington Uniting Church in 2012 (Thursday June 27 to be exact) Kav told us that once at a show, when the band played ‘Sarah’ and Kav sung the opening line “Sarah, won’t you tell me your name?” someone in the audience shouted out “it’s f**king Sarah!”. Kav then told us the line is about meeting a woman and not actually knowing her name so you just give her any name in your mind until you actually find it out. So tonight, when the band play ‘Sarah’ and Kav sings “Sarah, won’t you tell me your name?” I shout out “it’s f**king Sarah!” with a cheeky grin on my face. There you go guys, for good times sake.

I also remember Kav telling me in our interview a few years ago, that he wanted to release a solo record because Eskimo Joe has always been an outlet for these more serious, somber, at times depressing songs, but he had these happier songs shining through that just didn’t seem to fit in an Eskimo Joe album. Tonight we here all these more serious somber hits, but the band deliver them in such high spirits and the way they carry on having fun and a good ol’ laugh between songs balances out the mood perfectly.

As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews from at this venue, the area has lots of soft carpeted area’s accept for the dance floor of course, including what seems like carpet on the walls to absorb the sound. As a result this small pub venue doesn’t need the sound to be ear-bleedingly loud for the sound to travel and fill every corner of the venue, and if the sound mixer isn’t careful, the mix can sound unbalanced and harsh. I think part of that is probably because the sound that the drums and vocalists and any other applicable instruments make without amplification projects nicely, but then add massive amplification to it is at times too much. Luckily tonight, the sound mixer has done a good job, I wouldn’t say it’s absolutely ace, but its pretty damn close to it. I absolutely love how the piano sits comfortably atop the mix and resonates beautifully without drowning out Kav’s warm seductive vocals, or the rhythm or lead guitars.

As I thought, in the “encore” we’re treated to other hits from the bands vast catalogue like ‘Love Is A Drug’, ‘Foreign Land’ and the grand finale ‘From The Sea’ to close out the night beautifully!

I love special shows like this, and as much as I love hearing memorable hits time and time again, I do really hope the band continues to write and release new material too. I appreciate how hard it is to put on a tour these days with the cost of everything, and it seems a lot of great bands put all their time and energy into making tours happen and can’t find any time, money or energy to release new music. I just hope Eskimo Joe can pull off doing a bit of both, because these guys are a real Aussie music treasure in my opinion!

Until next time, keep a Keen Eye 4 Concerts…