Jet: A Night of Raw Energy and Rock Revival
Words and photos by Michael Sprouse/Odd Rocker Photography
On a cool, balmy June evening, the 9:30 Club played host to a night that rekindled the raw spirit of early 2000s rock.
Australian rockers Jet, known for their garage-rock revival sound, delivered a performance that was both nostalgic and invigorating, proving that their music still rocks powerfully with their fans. Jet was back. And they weren’t coasting on fumes — they came to blow the goddamn doors off the 9:30 Club.
The night kicked off with British rock band Band of Skulls at 9:30 Club on June 2. Their set was a blend of gritty guitar riffs and soulful vocals, featuring songs like “Sweet Sour” and “I Know What I Am,” which set the tone for the evening. Their performance was tight and energetic, warming up the crowd effectively for the main act.
At 9:10pm, Jet exploded onto the stage with “Last Chance,” immediately electrifying the atmosphere. The band’s lineup — Nic Cester (vocals, rhythm guitar), Chris Cester (drums), Cameron Muncey (lead guitar), and Mark Wilson (bass) — was in top form, delivering a set that spanned their discography. Highlights included “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is,” “She’s a Genius,” “Rollover DJ”, the raucous “Cold Hard Bitch,” and the crowd-pleasing “Are You Gonna Be My Girl.”
That drum intro — still a direct line to your adrenal glands. Chris Cester hit it like he was mad at the kit, while Nic strutted out like he’d been waiting five years just to scream that first line: “So one, two, three — take my hand and come with me.”
It was like lighting the fuse and saying, “We’re not here to tease. We’re here to detonate.” And the whole damn place exploded.
People were bouncing like it was a warped memory of a college basement show. You could barely hear the vocals over the crowd screaming every word back. For three and a half minutes, the 9:30 Club forgot the rent was due, forgot the traffic, forgot that their knees hurt when they jump too hard now.
Watch the official music video for “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet on YouTube:
Let’s not pretend otherwise: Jet isn’t a band you go see for subtlety or existential poetry. You go for the punch-in-the-throat, swagger-and-screech rock and roll that makes your bones feel a decade younger. And that’s exactly what they delivered Monday night — no filter, no frills, just four guys slinging guitars and banging the drums like they still had something to prove.
Monday’s setlist was surprisingly tight: lean with no filler.
Then came the surprise — a new song called “Hurry Hurry” and Nic, man, he leaned into it like it was a hit single. Sweaty hair in his face, neck veins popping. He meant it.
He doesn’t move like a 25-year-old anymore, and thank God for that. There’s something cooler about how he owns the stage now. Less pogo-stick chaos, more confident lean. Like a guy who knows who he is and doesn’t need to oversell it.
Watch the official music video for “Hurry Hurry” by Jet on YouTube:
Now, Jet doesn’t get enough credit for their softer side. Yeah, they built their name on swagger, but when they slow it down — songs like “Look What You’ve Done” or “Shine On” — they show they’ve got guts, not just attitude.
“Look What You’ve Done” was a moment. No big lights. Just Nic at the mic, tambourine hanging loosely, voice a little cracked from the noise and age but still soulful as hell. It’s funny. That song used to feel like a breakup anthem. But Monday night? It felt more like a love letter to everything we’ve been through. Aging, change, regret, resilience. You could see it in the audience — eyes closed, mouthing lyrics like prayers.
Nic’s voice was still raw, still wild, still damn near perfect for what Jet is. It cracked in places. Got a little hoarse by “Get Me Outta Here.” But it never felt weak. Just… lived-in and honest.
Plus, the Cester brothers’ chemistry — Nic on vocals, Chris on drums — is still tight as barbed wire. Chris was relentless behind the kit. A monster. Between songs, he’d toss drumsticks to the side like they’d offended him.
Watch Jet play “Get Me Outta Here” live for Moshcam on YouTube:
DC crowds can be weird. Too cool. Too stiff. But not this one. This crowd came ready to throw down.
There were beers spilled, bodies bumped, and a few people who clearly hadn’t been to a show in a while forgot how to handle it. But that’s part of the charm. It wasn’t polished. It was sweaty, imperfect, human. Like live music should be.
Guitars sat right in the chest. Vocals soared without getting swallowed. The snare cracked like a whip. It felt loud, but never sloppy.
After a brief exit, the band returned for an encore that included a moment that paid homage to their influences, a spirited cover of AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll),” that echoed through the venue. This tribute really connected with the audience, many of whom sang along, bridging generations of rock enthusiasts, a testament to Jet’s enduring appeal and the timelessness of their music.
Walking out into the night, still vibrating from the bass, I caught someone saying, “Man, that felt like 2004 again.” He wasn’t wrong. But also — he kind of was.
Because it didn’t feel like a band just trying to relive their glory days. It felt like a bunch of grown-ass men with families and bills and sore backs — still burning with the same fire they had when they broke through. Maybe even hotter now. Because this wasn’t just nostalgia, it was redemption. A reminder.
You might not hear Jet on the radio every day anymore. But Monday night? They were the loudest thing in the city.
And for those two hours, under the low ceiling and warm lights of the 9:30 Club, Jet didn’t just come back.
They roared.
Setlist
1. Last Chance
2. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
3. She’s a Genius
4. Get What You Need
5. Black Hearts (On Fire)
6. Hurry, Hurry
7. Bring It On Back
8. Look What You’ve Done
9. Are You Gonna Be My Girl
10. Rollover DJ
11. Get Me Outta Here
12. Cold Hard Bitch
13. Rip It Up
14. Shine On
15. Move On
16. It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)
Here are some photos of Jet performing live at 9:30 Club on June 2, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse.
Here are some photos of Band of Skulls opening Jet at 9:30 Club on June 2, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse.
You made an error. The touring drummer for Jet is not Chris Cester. He hasn’t played with them since 2023, though he still seems to be part of the band. The drummer was Pete Marin.