Review – Jebediah – Are We OK? – an Australian music documentary

Last week I saw Jebediah – Are We OK? documentary at MIFF. The film documents 30 years of Perth born band Jebediah – formed in 1995, still playing strong.

Jebediah comprises brothers Kevin Mitchell and Brett Mitchell, Ness Thornton and Chris Daymond.

It covered so much – their quick rise to fame; the isolation of being in Perth; constant touring nationally and internationally; to the band’s adulthood – relationships and families, day jobs and personal struggles.

I loved the Aussie musos’ and journos’ commentary – Tim Rogers, Adalita, Phil Jamieson, Dylan Lewis, Jane Gazzo and more were so supportive.

Arlo Cook’s filmmaking is clever – the film is framed in a retro TV, and features iterations of tech over the decades; plus instrumentals of Jebediah’s songs; and so much footage of the band’s media appearances, recordings, concerts and touring shenanigans, as well as some vulnerable moments. Theee were candid conversations about the impact on musicians’ mental health and finances. I found it really interesting and educative.

I really discovered Jebediah in the mid 2000s, because of my Bob Evans fandom. Bob Evans is Jebediah singer Kevin Mitchell’s alter ego music project – country pop. My first Jebediah concert at the Corner Hotel was quite scary – the Jebediah mosh was definitely not like being front row at Bob Evans!

I remember ahead of a Basement Birds show (BBs were another side project of Kevin’s), when I was a baby journalism student asking the band a question, I told Kevin that I wasn’t listening to Jebediah when I was a teen, because I was a bit scared of their rowdy alternative rock. I said I was listening to Savage Garden, and he laughed.

I shouldn’t have been scared. Since then, Kevin has become a friend. And Jebediah is so very lovely. I’ve met them a few times after gigs and festivals. And one afternoon in 2024, I had the privilege of seeing Jebediah and Magic Dirt’s soundcheck at the Corner Hotel. I’d has chemo that morning, and I couldn’t be in big crowds. So it was just me, my friend Cat, and the band’s management and pub staff, watching two iconic 90s bands warm up. After Jenediah played, they came to talk to us – so kind.

Kindness is the heart of this film – the members really care for each other.

Jebediah – Are We OK? is in Australian cinemas in October.

More info at Madman Films.  Watch the trailer here. 

I paid for my own ticket to this film. 

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Images: 1. film art for Jebediah – Are We Ok? Film? It’s orange with black and white photos of four musicians singing and playing music in a band. “Jebediah” is in thick white letters, and “Are We OK?” Is in black under the band’s name. 2. Carly and Cat with Jebediah at soundcheck in 2024.