MTV Unplugged was huge in the 1990’s. The first season was in 1989 and featured artists like Graham Parker and Joe Walsh amongst others. As its popularity evolved, artists scrambled to be on the show. The premise of the show was simple; strip away the stadium sound and show to reveal popular artists in acoustic mode.

What a wonderful idea for a show – gathering all the “best bits” of the MTV Unplugged TV show for one wonderful evening. And what a talented line up of artists to present the show, Jason Singh, vocals, guitar (Taxiride), Stu Rudd, bass, (The Superjesus), Pete Drummond, drums (Dragon), Jimi Hocking, guitar, mandolin, (The Screaming Jets) and along for the ride, Jeremey Diffey, keyboards, flute, sax and anything else required.

As MONSTR came on stage, Dire Straits, Money for Nothing echoed around the hall with it’s “I want my MTV” refrain. The band wasted no time, diving straight into the grunge-era holy grail: Nirvana’s About a Girl and their haunting rendition of Bowie’s The Man Who Sold the World. Jason told the audience, “MTV ran from 1989 until around 2019 but we only do the classic 1990’s stuff”.

MONSTR played for around 90 minutes, giving the crowd a trip down unplugged memory lane. Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Live and R.E.M. featured early. Jason commented he “hated the R.E.M. song Losing my Religion when I first heard it in the 90’s but learning to play it live has given me an appreciation for it”. With only five gigs under their belt, the band displayed a few minor, raw “slips,” but in the spirit of an unplugged session, no one cared. If anything, it added to the authenticity of the night.

Mariah Carey was given some jazzy arrangement; Oasis’s Don’t Look Back in Anger turned the venue into a massive choir and Rod Stewart’s Maggie May allowed Jimi Hocking to shine with some exquisite mandolin work. A Latin American feel opening to The Eagles Hotel California led to another arousing sing-a-long from the crowd.

All the classic MTV Unplugged songs you remember were featured and more. Was it a case of putting the South Australian show of their national tour in the Fringe and in the Spiegeltent, that made the show a sellout, or was it a case of people just love 1990’s music? I feel it maybe the latter.

It is a genuine shame that this performance was billed as a one-night affair. Given the talent on display and the enthusiastic reception, this show deserved a full-season run. It wasn’t just a tribute; it was a reminder of why we fell in love with these songs in the first place.