Hold My Hand: Concert Review

At the end of January, The Jungle Giants released Hold My Hand, their first new song in over a year! With this came confirmation of both a new album and an upcoming tour. Three months later, the line to The Tivoli extends down the street half an hour before doors open. Any fan of the band knows that to get that sweeeeet front row spot you need to be at the gig nice and early and the fans have come out in full force tonight to see The Jungle Giants’ second last Australian show of the tour.

This is what happened at The Jungle Giants’ Hold My Hand show at The Tivoli on April 25th, 2025.

SYCCO

Sycco’s family DJ sets have extended past her own tour and she appears tonight as The Jungle Giants’ support act, hitting the decks alongside Sissy! I was amazed at this killer set, starting at 8PM and over an hour! The tracks selected for the set were perfect for the crowd - mix of cult classics ranging from the turn of the millennium up to today. Calvin Harris’ Feel You Close appeared early on and amped up the party vibe to 11 as the crowd began to sing along. It was hard not to dance and we definitely got our steps in, especially when the extended family joined Sycco and Sissy on-stage for the Macarena. Their stamina was insane, as was the crowd’s energy during Becky G’s Shower and The Spins by Empire of the Sun and Mac Miller, an epically nostalgic track that it’s hard not to feel good to. Ending with one of her own tracks was the perfect move!

THE JUNGLE GIANTS

As the lights began to dance around the stage, our band members took their places while the intro to On Your Way Down rung out from the speakers. Keelan, on drums at the very back, was flanked by Cesira and Andrew, playing guitar and bass respectively. Although lead singer Sam had most of the stage to run around on up front, it didn’t stop Andrew from running up front too and sharing his endless enthusiasm with the crowd. Trippin Up, a lighter hit, was next up.

With only one new song to debut live, the audience was treated to some of the Giants’ hits over the last few years with half of Quiet Ferocity’s and most of Love Sign’s track listings appearing. These crowd favourites all have a similar groove, sometimes with an exciting edginess, and always with lyrics perfectly written to be sung back by a crowd. Think Sending Me Ur Loving and Used To Be In Love. Still, Sam constantly adds gorgeous vocal flairs to distinguish himself from the crowd, ensuring you know you’re living through an experience with the band rather than listening to a recording.

This concert tour feels like a triumphant return in more than a few ways. The Jungle Giants’ presence in the cities has been sorely missed since last year, but really we’re just jealous of the UK and regional Australian towns they did get to on tour last year. There’s also been a gap since their last release with Rakata (which I was a little sad didn’t appear in tonight’s set!), so fans are craving new releases like Hold My Hand. But finally, we’re all very grateful that the tour was able to go ahead following Sam’s injuries in a motor accident with less than a month to go before the first night! Luckily, Sam was doing amazing and shouted out some of the team from Princess Alexandra Hospital who were able to make it to the show after helping with his recovery!

Bad Dream sent the crowd into a frenzy – this is one of my favourite songs to see live when the lighting goes so hard that it needs its own epilepsy warning! The nostalgic She’s A Riot and the upbeat, romantic Monstertruck created a chance for some light, chill breaks in a set of a lot of heavy energy dance songs. It gave crowds the chance to build up their momentum for the last section of the night, where the namesake song of the tour got its chance to shine!

I met some lovely girls in the crowd who were excited to see Heavy Hearted, and just when it seemed like they might miss out they got their wish in the final song of the night! Whether it was your first time seeing The Jungle Giants live or your third, tonight was a crowdpleaser event. It was another show that seemed too quick, because we were feeling so much a part of the music that time became irrelevant… but it leaves me craving more! I’m hoping that the band can pull the same stunt a few others have in recent years – early year tour to release a single, followed by an album drop, followed by a SECOND tour for the album in the same year (I’m looking at you, DICE and Noah Dillon!). A girl can dream, right?

Fave song: Bad Dream

MERCH

Shout-out to Andrew for being kind enough to offer me a set list at the end of the show!

SOUNDS GOOD?

The Jungle Giants fit into a specific niche of Australian indie rock for me! Their sound has evolved so much since I first started listening to She’s A Riot, but based on vibes here are some other bands I recommend:

Ball Park Music – Another beloved Brisbane band in the indie rock scene, their diverse range of songs also appeal to those who like the quirky fun indie music or the heavier rock sound as well. Their tour begins soon too, so check out where they’re playing near you!

San Cisco – If you love the danceability of The Jungle Giants, San Cisco is another great band with a lot of fun songs to move to. They have a similar youthful, nostalgic feeling to their music even as they innovate with their sound.

Middle Kids – With a similar stage presence, Middle Kids trades in the later-electronica vibes that The Jungle Giants have incorporated for an ethereal rock that emphasises similar themes of love, loss, and learning how to cope with it all.