Killing Heidi ‘Wild Turkey 101 Best Australian Songs Tour’ @ Ettamogah Hotel, Kellyville 28/08/2025
Why not 100 best Australian songs like Triple J’s hottest 100 Australian songs countdown? Because one-more song is always better! That’s the mindset of Aussie 2000’s favourite Killing Heidi, and they’re treating fans to something a bit different and special, for in celebration of the recent Hottest 100 Australian songs countdown, the band are hitting the road for a tour, where fans will of course get to hear all their KH fave’s, including ‘Weir’ which was itself featured in the countdown, PLUS some covers also featured in the countdown. And what better settings for this true-blue Aussie tour, than at some intimate Aussie pub venues like Kellyville’s Ettamogah Hotel.
This will undoubtedly be a real treat for fans, me included!
Okie dokie then, it seems we’re all being given the bird on the way into the cordoned-off section for the show tonight. The bird in question of course, is a free Wild Turkey (which was honestly accounted for in the ticket sale price, but let’s not focus on that) which I guess is fitting seeing as Wild Turkey are presenting this tour. No, I wish I were getting paid to promote Wild Turkey. A free drink is always well received at a gig, especially at a pub venue like this, however the charitability doesn’t extend to diabetics, as there’re no diet/zero-sugar options for the “free” pre-mixed drink upon entry. Good thing I have a reviewer pass, not a paid ticket I guess.
First off, rather than the venues designated band room, to really hone-in the pub atmosphere, the stage/dance-floors have been set up in the venue proper, apparently so my companion tells me, which is really cool yes, but does make navigating around high-tables to get to the front barrier a bit tricky for accessibility purposes. All good though on my part, as my companion and the venue staff do well assisting me.
During the supporting artist, I ascertain that my position at the front barrier, which is only a metre if that, from the stage, is off to the right, as the light that is on the artist is to my ten-o’clock, awesome, I have my bearings now. Killing Heidi comes out to raucous applause, then opens with fan favourite ‘Mascara’. This song starts the performance off strong, both musically, with Ella cracking through the edgy chorus vocals brilliantly from the get-go, as well as the vibe around me in the audience.
After ‘Mascara’ we’re treated to other fan fave’s ‘Calm Down’ my personal favourite, ‘I Am’, ‘Superman/Supergirl’ plus ‘Live Without It’ along with a couple of covers which I personally don’t recognize, but still sound great.
Between these songs, Ella and Jesse chat casually to their audience in a way only possible in an intimate, laid back venue like this, it really is like going to your local pub to see a local band mixed with the treat of experiencing a show from a band you already know and love!
Is someone gonna tell that blind guy at the front, that he is facing/rocking out in the wrong direction? Nah, so much more entertaining to let him come to the realization himself! I do love asking artists in my interviews what the most hilarious, priceless What The Fu** moment of their career is, I reckon this would be up there for my hilarious priceless WTF moments if I were asked.
You see (unlike me), I was wondering why very foreign to all the other KH gigs I’ve experienced, it seemed as though the on-stage energy was lacking, as I wasn’t making out any movement in front of me, plus the audience to my left weren’t rocking out very enthusiastically. It’s only when I notice light to my two-oclock and think, “noooo, surely not!” as I try to focus on that light, do I detect movement coming from that area of the stage and realise “ohhhhhh….. For fu** sake”. Yes, very much like a normal KH set, the band are rocking out, getting the audience TO MY RIGHT, into the action. What the actual fu**? Turns out that it seems the stage has been split into two, with the support artist having played on the left half, and Killing Heidi on the right which I haven’t experienced prior. I mean, two stages side-by-side at festivals as to keep the continuity of the music throughout the day, with one band performing on one stage while the next sets up on the adjacent stage sure, but not one stage split into two, and there was still the typical 30 minute or so wait between support and headliner.
No matter, even though I’m really wishing there were zero-sugar pre-mixes upon entry right about now, I face the right way and rock out to the rest of the bands set, which features a cover of Jet’s ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’ which I thought Ella and the band pulled off really well! Plus INXS’s ‘Never Tear Us Apart’, which placed at #1 in the countdown and Killing Heidi’s banger of a hit, ‘Weir’.
The show actually only went for one hour, rather than the expected 90 minute set, but I’m quite happy with how it went personally, well, other than my WTF moment of course, for we got to hear all of the Killing Heidi hard-hitters, plus some covers wrapped-up nicely in a good length of time which to keep the energy level charged consistently! The only thing that could’ve made this better, maybe one or two more pub-anthem covers, maybe The Living End’s ‘Prisoner Of Society’ or John Farnham’s ‘Your The Voice’? But that’s neither here nor there, still a ripper of a gig!
Thank you to the wonderful staff at The Ettamogah Hotel, to Killing Heidi and to Wild Turkey for tonight! ….do I get a pay-cheque now?