The historic Center Stage Theater in Atlanta, Georgia, provided an appropriately evocative backdrop for ARIA Hall of Famers The Church on Friday night. Originally opened in 1966, this venue has spent decades evolving from a celebrated performing arts theater into one of the city’s most beloved live music destinations. Its intimate, acoustically rich auditorium, steeply tiered seating, and classic theatrical architecture create a sense of immersion that feels worlds away from the cavernous arenas of modern touring. For a band whose music thrives on atmosphere, texture, and emotional nuance, Center Stage’s dimly lit interior and close audience sightlines proved an ideal setting on Friday, allowing The Church’s shimmering guitars, hypnotic rhythms, and cinematic soundscapes to envelop the capacity-filled room with remarkable clarity from the first musical note of “Columbus” onward.
Forty-five years into their career, The Church continue to occupy a space few of their peers have managed to maintain: one where artistic curiosity remains every bit as important as nostalgia. Their current The Singles: 1980–2025 tour arrives amid a late-career renaissance fueled by the acclaim surrounding The Hypnogogue era, proving that the Australian rock veterans remain far more than a legacy act. Without an opener scheduled, the evening could easily have been billed as “An Evening with The Church,” as the band delivered a two-part performance that celebrated four-and-a-half decades of music while reaffirming why their influence continues to resonate across generations of alternative, post-punk, and psychedelic rock fans.
From the moment founding member Steve Kilbey stepped onto the stage at 8:15 p.m., his presence anchored the evening. Equal parts rock frontman, storyteller, and witty observer, Kilbey’s understated charm provided a natural counterbalance to the band’s expansive soundscapes. Between songs, he peppered the adoring audience with dry humor and relaxed banter that made the performance feel remarkably personal despite the band’s legendary status. Rather than dominating the spotlight, Kilbey functioned as the band’s master of ceremonies, guiding the audience through an extensive catalog while allowing the collective musicianship of his bandmates to shine. Behind him, drummer Nicholas Meredith provided the steady rhythmic foundation that held the evening together, while guitarists Ian Haug, Ashley Naylor, and Matt Wicks constructed the intricate layers of sound that have become synonymous with The Church’s live performances.
Musically, The Church remained as immersive as ever. Interlocking guitar lines drifted through the room with remarkable clarity as songs such as “The Unguarded Moment,” “Metropolis,” and “Reptile” showcased the band’s signature blend of post-punk urgency and psychedelic atmosphere. Haug, Naylor, and Wicks rarely approached their instruments as traditional lead and rhythm players; instead, they operated as a collective, weaving scintillating melodies, textured effects, and hypnotic counterpoints into a dense sonic tapestry that continuously evolved throughout each song. Meredith’s understated yet precise drumming, in concert with percussionist Tim Powles, anchored the sprawling arrangements, allowing the band to stretch compositions without sacrificing momentum. Following the crowd-pleasing rendition of “Reptile,” The Church stepped away for a brief intermission, giving fans an opportunity to absorb the first half’s emotional weight before returning for the evening’s second act.
The second set unfolded with the confidence of a band that understands both the strength and depth of its catalog. Familiar favorites were greeted enthusiastically, but the loudest reaction of the night was reserved for the unmistakable opening notes of “Under the Milky Way.” Decades after its release (1988), the song remains The Church’s defining anthem, and hearing it performed within the intimate confines of Center Stage felt genuinely special. Yet the evening never became solely about one hit. The band’s chemistry, built upon decades of evolution and reinforced by its current lineup, elevated every selection into something greater than a simple retrospective. As the final notes of the encore, “Sacred Echoes (Part Two),” rang throughout the venue, The Church had transformed Center Stage into a dreamlike landscape of interwoven guitars, atmospheric textures, and timeless melodies, delivering a performance that felt both reflective and remarkably alive.
The Church’s The Singles: 1980–2025 tour continues for a few more weeks, concluding its North American run at Summit Music Hall in Denver, Colorado, on Saturday, July 11.
The Church
Steve Kilbey — Bass, lead vocals, keyboards, guitars
Tim Powles — Percussion, backing vocals, guitars, keyboards
Ian Haug — Guitars, backing vocals
Ashley Naylor — Guitars, backing vocals
Matt Wicks — Guitars, backing vocals
Nicholas Meredith – Drums
Set 1 Setlist:
1.) Columbus
2.) Electric Lash
3.) Tear It All Away
4.) The Hypnogogue
5.) The Unguarded Moment
6.) Block
7.) Metropolis
8.) It’s No Reason
9.) Realm of Minor Angels
10.) Reptile
Set 2 Setlist:
11.) Almost With You
12.) When You Were Mine
13.) Ripple
14.) Destination
15.) Western
16.) Constant in Opal
17.) Another Century
18.) Already Yesterday
19.) Numbers
20.) Under the Milky Way
21.) Tantalized
Encore
22.) Sacred Echoes (Part Two)
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Elliott is a music photographer covering shows in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding area. The highlight of his photography career was back in the early ’90s, when he sold Neil Diamond the rights to his negatives from a show and then purchased a set of tires for his 1979 280ZX during college with the money.