Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers’ ARIAs debut, days after supporting Pearl Jam
For this Canberra-born rock band, it’s been a whirlwind week: being introduced to stage by Eddie Vedder in Melbourne, then rehearsing for a debut ARIA Awards performance | WATCH
The past couple of days in the lives of Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers have felt like a waking dream, wherein all prior hardship has been replaced by overwhelming gratitude.
On Monday night in Melbourne, the rock quartet supported US band Pearl Jam at Marvel Stadium, thereby introducing its music to thousands of new listeners.
On Tuesday in Sydney, the group rehearsed its debut performance at the ARIA Awards, where it’s among the nominees in the Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist category for its debut album I Love You.
“I’ve been watching the ARIAs since I was little, and that’s always been one of my favourite categories to look out for,” said bassist Jaida Stephenson, 24.
“It’s really cool to be in there as one of the nominees. We’re in some really good company as well. Fingers crossed – but the rest of the artists are pretty amazing,” she said, referring to fellow finalists Becca Hatch, 3%, Kita Alexander and Sycco.
At Marvel Stadium on Monday, Stephenson and her bandmates – Anna Ryan, Scarlett McKahey and Neve Van Boxsel – were introduced to the stage by none other than Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder.
It was a supremely kind gesture from the frontman of the Seattle-born rock quintet, who explained to the crowd that Teen Jesus and Jean Teasers’ planned tour debut at the Gold Coast last Wednesday was scrapped because of severe weather that delayed the headliner by 75 minutes. (The singer sent them a handwritten apology note, accompanied by bottles of Moet and red wine.)
“He just seems like the absolute nicest guy,” said Stephenson of Vedder. “That’s something he definitely did not have to do, and he went out of his way to do that.
“I feel like, in any other circumstance, the headline act probably wouldn’t even be at the venue by that point – so him being there, introducing us and watching our set, was just so nice,” she said. “He’s just a bit of a golden boy, I think.”
Of her performance on Monday, Stephenson said: “The set went really smoothly, and the crowd was so nice. When we came out, obviously most people there didn’t really know who we were, and then by the end of the set, I feel like everyone was loving it and really warmed up to us.”
For the Canberra-born band – which expands to a five-piece in the live setting – the Pearl Jam warm-up slots present another career highlight, having also supported US rock act Foo Fighters at its AAMI Park stadium concert in December last year.
“I grew up with Fooies, and Nirvana was literally the band that got me into music, so getting to meet [drummer] Dave Grohl was insane,” said Stephenson.
On Saturday night in Sydney, Teen Jesus will do it all over again when it supports Pearl Jam at the final date of its five-concert Australian tour.
It’ll take a while for stadium-sized shows to feel natural, but practice makes perfect. “We’re definitely quite a fair bit more nervous for them than we are for the average Friday night show,” said the bassist with a laugh.
On Wednesday night at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, the band will perform alongside fellow ARIA nominees The Kid Laroi, Amy Shark and Angie McMahon.
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