Twen & Skegss: Garage Rock Back In Nashville

Electricity filled the air as rock fans packed into Nashville’s Basement East, eagerly awaiting Australian surf rock favorites, Skegss, the project created by duo Jonny Lani and Ben Reed. The band embarked on their long journey back to the United States at the end of February in celebration of the release of their fourth studio album, Pacific Highway Music, which was released in October 2024. With support from former local indie rockers and fan favorites, Twen, both bands brought an undeniably exciting energy to the venue. Up first was Twen, a five-piece fronted by Jane Fitzsimmons and Ian Jones. Their vibrantly nostalgic rock n’ roll and Britpop-inspired sound seamlessly meshed with the audience, immediately causing dancing, jumping, and headbopping. The catchy, jangly guitar riffs ringing from Jones were a perfect addition to Fitzsimmons’ unique vocals, which were impressively raw and free-spirited. The band played a well-balanced mix of favorites from the album One Stop Shop, such as the anthemic “HaHaHome” and the danceable, disco-like track “Bore U”. They also debuted a few unreleased, brand-new tunes, giving the audience a taste of the band’s sonic universe that is on the horizon. Twen brings an unquestionably exciting passion to the stage, complete with crowd surfing from Fitzsimmons, which livened up the crowd even more. By the end of their set, the crowd became obvious fans of Twen and cheered loudly as they exited the stage. 

As Skegss took the stage, the crowd made sure to give them a warm welcome as the cheers and claps echoed throughout the venue. Right out of the gate, the band gave a high-energy entrance, banging out their signature garage rock sound to the audience of eager fans. The audience sang along to each song without missing a beat, and it was obvious that the fans had been waiting quite a while to see their favorite surf rockers. The duo performed fan favorites such as the catchy garage rock classic “L.S.D”, as well as “Up In The Clouds” which had the audience moving their feet to the sound. The fans even knew the lyrics to newer singles “High Beaming” and “So Excited”, complete with moshing and headbanging. The interaction between the duo and the audience was compelling, with both men going almost on top of their fans to sing the words directly to them. Skegss knows how to throw a party, turning an ordinary music venue into an all-out celebration of good music and good times.

- Emily Duncko

Photos Courtesy of Emily Duncko (For Bell Music Magazine)