You Am I celebrate 30 Years of Hi Fi Way with special Townsville show

Three decades after its release, You Am I’s seminal second album Hi Fi Way is getting the celebration it deserves.

You Am I will perform in Townsville at The Warehouse on Friday, June 20.

Three decades after its release, You Am I’s seminal second album Hi Fi Way is getting the celebration it deserves.

The ARIA Award-winning record will be performed in full when the iconic Australian band hits Townsville’s Warehouse on June 20.

“It’s going to be good,” bassist Andy Kent told NQ Weekend. “We’ve just done the metro cities, and everyone’s really clear-headed and got their sh— together—it’s sounding really good. And punters are loving it.”

Released in 1995, Hi Fi Way marked a pivotal shift in the band’s sound, steering away from the rougher riffs of their debut into something more melodic and enduring. Kent recalls the mindset during that era with a mix of fondness and nostalgia.

“We were flying by the seat of our pants. Every month we were somewhere different—Spain, the UK, back in Australia, or in Townsville,” he says. “It’s really a young person’s game—you need a lot of energy, and you just go for it.

“We didn’t spend a whole lot of time wondering what would happen next, let alone three decades later. So we’re grateful we can still play these songs, that we all get on, and that the life we’ve had around these songs still resonates.”

Despite the time that’s passed, Hi Fi Way still feels remarkably vital, and has left its mark on a generation of artists. “Jet, The Vines, Powderfinger, Sarah McLeod, Phil Jamieson, they all love that record,” Kent says. “Maybe it influenced everything in some small way as time went on. That’s how music evolves.”

You am I will perform Hi Fi Way in full at The Warehouse on June 20

Recorded in New York with Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo, the album was heavily shaped by its surroundings. “There’s nothing like New York. Just walking those cobblestone streets in Soho—there’s so much culture,” Kent recalls. “Our rehearsal space was five floors underground. Pavement’s gear was in there, Sonic Youth’s gear was there, Helmet’s gear. The actual toy from the Goo album cover was sitting on a piano. You’re living and breathing it. It has to rub off.”

Live favourites like “The Applecross Wing Commander” still hit hard, while others took some dusting off. “Favourites ebb and flow, but that one’s always good live. It has some dynamic to it, which is fun for everyone.”

And while revisiting old work might invite a bit of cringing, Kent embraces the imperfections. “Nobody looks back and goes, ‘I did that perfectly.’ You always think, ‘I could’ve done that better.’”

Still, there’s something powerful about witnessing songs come to life on stage. “Listening to someone’s record is one thing, but standing in front of them while they play it? That gives it a whole other context. It takes on another dimension.”

Townsville holds a few memories for Kent, including one particular show supporting Cold Chisel. “Some guy in the crowd gave me the finger like a gun sight for the whole show. Forty-five minutes straight! But respect—he put in the effort,” he laughs. “There were plenty of others loving it, though.”

As for what’s next for the band? Kent jokes it could be “planting the rose garden, going to Japan, rehab or renovations.”

But first - Townsville.

You Am I perform Hi Fi Way in full at The Warehouse on Friday, June 20. Tickets are on sale now.

Originally published as You Am I celebrate 30 Years of Hi Fi Way with special Townsville show