Formed by a bunch of art students in Sydney in 1976, Mental As Anything produced an absolutely huge catalogue of hits and toured for decades.

As with most legendary Australian acts from Farnham to AC/DC, Mental grew from the pub circuit to take on the world.

A band now 40 years old, with every accolade under the sun, 13 studio albums and 40 singles to their name, Mental is still producing new tracks.

It released Goat Tracks In My Sandpit this year with a line-up that still includes original frontmen Martin Plaza and Greedy Smith. 

The show at Lizotte’s promises to be a dive back into the classics. The band’s website says they are touring the hits which include Live it Up, The Nips are getting bigger, You’re So Strong, Too Many Times, If You Leave Me Can I Come Too, Rock & Roll music, Come Around, Lets Go to Paradise, Berserk Warriors, Spirit Got Lost, Romeo & Juliet, Mr Natural, The World Seems Difficult.

After Lizotte’s they’ll head down to Tasmania, then back up the East Coast, then to New Zealand – it’s non-stop. But the next time Mental will be back in the Hunter after Saturday will be for Jazz in the Vines in October.