Review by Markus Hamence – KT Tunstall. Performance date: Wednesday 27 May 2026. The Gov, Hindmarsh South Australia.
Was The Gov packed wall to wall for KT Tunstall as she celebrated 20 years of Eye To The Telescope? Yup it was. The room felt less like a nostalgic anniversary show though and more like a giant collective release of joy, memory and movement. From the second she walked on stage, loop pedals ready and grin glowing, Tunstall turned the venue into one enormous singalong powered by incredibly sharp musicianship, emotional honesty and the kind of energy that makes you forget about time completely.
Opening the night were Adelaide’s own Germein Sisters, and honestly, they were the perfect fit. Have previously opening for Tom Jones and The Corrs, the sibling harmonies from Georgia, Ella and Clara Germein floated through the venue with effortless warmth, balancing polished indie-pop hooks with genuine heart. Their set had that rare feeling of a local act already playing at an international level. Tracks rolled out with soaring harmonies, driving percussion and a magnetic chemistry only siblings can really pull off. You could feel the pride in the room seeing an Adelaide act command the stage so naturally before an artist of KT Tunstall’s calibre.
“KT Tunstall detonates memories while performing her songs.”
Markus Hamence
The moment the unmistakable riff of ‘Other Side of the World’ kicked in, the entire crowd erupted. Tunstall’s looping techniques still feel thrilling two decades later, building tracks layer by layer in real time while somehow never losing the rawness underneath. ‘Black Horse’ landed with emotional weight, while ‘Universe & U’ hushed the venue into near silence. Then came ‘Suddenly I See’, and suddenly everyone in the room looked ten years younger, dancing like the soundtrack to their youth had come roaring back to life. Banging.
Her band added massive texture throughout the night, drummer Jackie Barnes, guitarist Kathleen Halloran (One of Australia’s most outstanding and bassist Joel Gottschalk brought punch and groove without ever overshadowing Tunstall’s presence. But it was KT herself who completely owned the room – funny, spontaneous, wildly talented and deeply connected to every person standing in front of her. She has that rare ability to make a packed venue feel intimate.
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Markus Hamence
“The Gov became less of a reguar venue and more of a shared heartbeat for one night thanks to the power of KT’s impressive and engaging set-list.”
What made the night land so strongly was how alive the songs still feel. Twenty years on, Eye To The Telescope hasn’t aged into nostalgia – it still sounds urgent, clever, emotional and free. Adelaide didn’t just witness an anniversary tour. It witnessed an artist reconnecting with the songs that changed her life, while reminding everyone in the crowd why they mattered in the first place. Let’s do it again soon please.
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