Finojet: Support Act Review

We’re back in Brisbane and hitting the ground running, with tonight’s The Head and the Heart show at The Princess Theatre not even half a day after stepping off the plane! The American indie folk band is in town to support their fellow American indie folk band, The Lumineers, on their Australian tour! But supporting tonight is Aussie act Finojet, who I’m excited to hear from for the first time in this beautiful venue.

So, this is what happened at Finojet’s set at The Princess Theatre on January 12th, 2026!

FINOJET

Finojet, the solo project of Jet Rudd, entered about an hour after doors. The mood this evening was calm and respectful, while enthusiastic all around. The crowd was welcoming, waiting curiously to see what the young singer-songwriter had in store for us tonight. He began on guitar, with intricate strumming and a steady beat to rely on. His first song, Jasper Jones makes a great first impression, breaking the ice and warming the crowd up, before whipping out the harmonic to a round of anticipatory applause.

By now, Finojet is very familiar with the stage and how to command a crowd, which shows in an endearing way throughout his set. He’s confident in his music (for good reason), and he’s got a charming personality. With a musical family and a rock band on the side, it’s no wonder that this musical energy flows naturally around him. Your Monaco showcases his vivid lyrics, brimming with imagery of oceans and flames, as well as emotional nuance, addressing complexity rather than shying away from it.

At the halfway point of his set, he begins to further raise the energy, this time with the fast and furious Teen Gold Country (Boyfriend). The impassioned address calls for authenticity in oneself, with an inspiring sense of urgency. It’s also here that Finojet begins to bring the audience into the music more fully, with strong rhythm to clap along to and a melodic call that he encourages the audience to sing back to him, cheering us on more the louder we are. The themes of identity – its exploration and its loss – are continued in the softer song, Alice.

Finojet’s returns to the watery motifs with his penultimate song, Head Under Waterfalls, another crowd uniting piece. By this point, he’s become fully acquainted with the crowd, hyping us up for the main act with lyrical references, alluding to his musical journeys abroad, and flattering us into singing along even if we don’t know all the words. For his final song, he hosts a quick rehearsal of the lyrics for us. This extra effort means we’re united in the chorus of Dinner Table, as we all sing “Love won’t take me this far/I’ll hold my head in your heart.” But at the conclusion of the song, Finojet hands it entirely to the crowd, who thank him for the beautiful songs he shared by serenading him with his music while he takes his final bows.

Finojet’s delightful thank you message hidden on the back of his guitar left a sweet impression. We had a bit more of a glimpse at his playful nature when he joined The Head and the Heart during their set, tambourine in hand as he danced around the stage. Finojet’s music perfectly complemented the evening, winning most of us over with his emotional lyrics and strong instrumentals in each song. I’m excited to give his album a deeper listen now, and am eager to see him perform again soon!

Fave song: Teen Gold Country (Boyfriend)