OH! THE WOMBATS LIVE IN BROOKLYN
BROOKLYN PARAMOUNT — NEW YORK, NY
Despite opening up with a track titled “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come,” The Wombats took the stage promptly on time and with their signature charismatic energy for the penultimate stop of the North American leg of the OH! THE TOUR in Brooklyn, New York on November 12th, 2025.
The three-piece rock band, comprised of frontman Matthew Murphy, bass player Tord Øverland Knudsen, and drummer Dan Haggis, released their sixth studio album, Oh! The Ocean in February 2025.
Playing at the Brooklyn Paramount, originally a jazz theater back in the 1920s, then later a basketball practice court, and now renovated to a concert venue, Murphy remarked that “It feels like the set of a bad John Wick movie.”
The setlist included the most energy-packed and at times, genre bending hits from each of those albums. The trippiest certainly being “Ready For The High,” the sixth song of the night, which included a special guest that Haggis introduced as being “from Australia and his favorite food is carrots.” By that, he meant a havoc-wreaking, trombone-wielding wombat that was slipping and sliding across the stage. (Side note - If anyone knows how I can apply for that job, please let me know.) Followed immediately by “1996” off of 2011’s This Modern Glitch, it is an unexpectedly massive hit with the packed crowd of New Yorkers. Later, Knudsen and Haggis depart the stage to leave Murphy alone with an acoustic guitar to perform “Lethal Combination” to the audience, swaying with their phone lights. He described the inspiration for the song as a drunken third date in Hollywood with his now wife.
Something that struck me was how distinctly each of their personalities stood out while performing. If you’re close enough to the stage, you can actually hear their banter between songs. It’s a well-oiled machine - Knudson is the hype man, never in the same spot for more than a second. Haggis keeps the beat going while Murphy keeps the crowd locked in.
The show was expertly well-produced and well-balanced. The lighting was especially on point (dare I say the best I’ve ever seen from a show at the Paramount). The show did not rely heavily on its older smash hits of the encore like “Greek Tragedy” and “Let’s Dance to Joy Division”, to keep the crowd enticed, while not being overly focused on the newer tracks.
22 years into their music career, The Wombats are sharp as ever. While this leg may be wrapped, they show no signs of slowing down the tour. With nearly 20 new dates for 2026 just announced, grab your tickets and dance to The Wombats, dancing to Joy Division.
