Jet performs at The Salt Shed in Chicago on June 14, 2025.
By Nina Tadic
Australian rock band Jet has been around for a few decades now, and their music is known to fans worldwide as something to dance to. Now on a US Tour, they’re taking fans for a journey that rocks all night long – and Chicago’s performance at Salt Shed on Saturday night was a great stop on that nostalgia trip.
Opening the night was English rock band Band of Skulls – fronted and founded by vocalist Russell Marsden. With a set that was jam-packed with energetic, funky hits that spanned the band’s full discography, they knew exactly how to appeal to a crowd ranging from young teenagers with their parents to those much their senior who’ve been going to shows for decades.
Band of Skulls perform at The Salt Shed in Chicago on June 14, 2025.
Following their set, the guys in Jet made their way out onto the stage calm, cool, collected, and ready to show the crowd what rock ‘n’ roll is all about. Vocalist, Nic Cester, donned black and white striped pants, some kickin’ boots, and a white tee, while lead guitarist Cameron Muncey sported a studded jacket. Bassist Mark Wilson was across the stage with his sunglasses and leather jacket on, and drummer Chris Cester sported a funky short-sleeve button-up. The second we saw their outfits, we knew we were in for a treat. There’s something about a rock band that still puts as much into their presentation as their performance that makes seeing them all the more special.
It’s also not a secret that when driving in the car, more often than not folks now rely on apps like Spotify or Apple Music to occupy your time. However, for those of the masses that still skim through radio stations looking for the next hit to listen to on the drive, Jet is a band that is pretty easy to stumble across. Their smash hit “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” can be found on a plethora of alternative rock stations’ frequently played tracks, because let’s face it – some songs never go out of style. Performing “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” at the halfway point of the night, the band was certain to make the crowd go wild – something that the crowd did all night, actually.
Each song the band played felt retro and cool in a way that almost transported listeners through time. Rock bands now don’t often perform like rock bands did in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The sound is different. The energy is different. But for this band it’s like clockwork to perform like a classic rock band. It just comes naturally to them. The charisma, the energy, all of it. If we took a concertgoer out of Los Angeles’ Whisky-a-Go-Go in the ‘70s or ‘80s and plopped them down into the Salt Shed during a Jet show, they probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference (other than the smart phones they saw in the crowd and perhaps the audience choice of attire… perhaps…) This is part of what makes Jet so appealing both live and recorded. They are timeless.
Jet performs at The Salt Shed in Chicago on June 14, 2025.
During the song “Look What You’ve Done” the women in the crowd shriek and go crazy, as if they’re at a Beatles concert, all the while singing along to this piece of music that would fit perfectly in a romcom, but also fits perfectly at a show in the middle of Chicago on a Saturday night. When watching [Nic] Cester hit every high and low in his distinctly gravelly voice, he could so easily be mistaken for a young Robert Plant or Dave Evans. While he hits every note, Muncey spends his time on catchy melodies that keep the whole room dancing. The bass lines held by Wilson and beats kept by [Chris] Cester are the heart of the performance and keep the show moving all night without fail.
It only seems fitting that the band plays a wild and crazy set just to finish with an AC/DC cover that is phenomenal. “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock N Roll)” shares the sentiment of the evening, and the crowd goes absolutely insane for it. Jet is the band with the plan and they are never going out of style, especially in Chicago.
(Photos and review by Nina Tadic – follow Nina on Instagram at @ninatadiccreative)
