Thursday, December 20, 2007

Boomla goes Boom at the Prince

Band: Boomla
Venue: The Prince Bandroom
Date: 6th December 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn

Boomla’s debut show has arrived!! Arriving at the POW to see a band I’ve not heard of is always an experience.

The stage was set up with room for many - 11 muso’s and one ballerina to be precise.

The great lead vocals came from Syrene, in one of the most eclectic outfits I’ve seen on a singer. She had a voice a girl would die for, well not literally but almost!

All other band members wore old fashioned outfits which included vests, hats, ties and braces, all very fitting. The two gorgeous female backing vocalists grooved and danced all night with beaming smiles - when you looked at them one couldn’t help smiling back.

I was told that one or two members of Boomla play with Gotye. The lights were not spectacular but kinda suited the band and flowed well with the music. Their backdrops of rain and flowers were enchanting to watch. Include an instrumental, guitar solo and violin solo, a girl dancing for a few songs, an amazing front singer, excellent backing singers and you have one excellent show from an up and coming band. A top night out was had by all.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Perko and Cruicky

Band: Tex Perkins & James Cruickshank, supported by Abby Dobson
Venue: Ruby's Lounge
Date: Sunday 10th December 2007
Reviewed By: Heather. Photos are as good as they get from a mobile phone (thanks, Lyn!)





This particular night was a first for me on three fronts.

1. My first girls-only night out to see a band with Lyn - Yay!
2. The first time I've seen Abby Dobson
3. My first viewing of Lyn's beloved Tex in the flesh

I fronted up to Ruby's a little nervous. The reason? I was seeing Tex with a Tex fanatic. I wasn't sure if I'd like his music, and what do you say to an ardent fan who has bought you a ticket to see her favourite artist if you don't enjoy yourself?

Thankfully there was no cause for worry. I had a fantastic night.

Abby Dobson was gorgeous. Her very Jewel-like voice kept us spellbound. The former frontwoman of Leonardo's Bride has only improved in the ten years since the peak of the band's popularity and the track "Even When I'm Sleeping" in the late nineties. Her voice has taken on a more earthy tone while maintaining its unique characteristics, as she delved into a soulful and beautiful performance.

Abby was joined on stage by Melbourne boy Eden Altman from Moon Jelly. His electric guitar and her acoustic, as well as their vocals, were fused into one for the whole set.

Suffice to say I was impressed. Impressed by the quality of the performance, by the smooth way Abby conducted herself onstage, by the songwriting.

After such a good support set we were ready to stand up and get ready for the main event. I was still a little uncertain about whether I'd enjoy the performance, but my worries faded after the first song.

Tex and James (accompanied on stage by a small plastic horse mascot affixed to the keyboard) were nothing short of phenomenal showmen. Their antics were hilarious, their music was great, their song choices perfect, Tex's ripped jeans very fitting for the occasion. [Side note: do people actually rip their jeans up on purpose, or do they wear them so much they fall apart?]

Tex's gravelly voice is classic Aussie rock at its best. And I mean classic. He could stand up alongside Paul Kelly and Jimmy Barnes and hold his own impressively. The faster songs rocked. The ballads were absorbing. The storytelling lyrics read like the thoughts of the working man at the end of a hard week who has found out his girlfriend has moved out. OK, I can't really connect to them. Female, wife of a white-collar worker, mother, part-time worker in the IT industry - none of what Tex sang about relates to me. I am not an Aussie rock fan - I wouldn't play a Men at Work CD in my car if my life depended on it. But I appreciated the honesty of the songs - and the way they were delivered, without taking anything too seriously, was refreshing.

From the technical point of view of a "proper" fan, Lyn has let me know that the setlist included Here I am, Another Rain Song, Half of Nothing, Paychecks, The Singer of the Song and Anybody But You. His repertoire included songs from several bands - The Cruel Sea, Tex and Tim, Tex, Don and Charlie and Dark Horses. Of these I know nothing, Tex virgin that I am. I was content to simply enjoy the experience.

Amidst enjoying the impromptu comedy routines and banter between Tex, James and the sound man came the clincher for me. Tex threw back his head and launched into a spirited recitation of the lyrics to I Am Woman Hear Me Roar. I usually only laugh that hard when confronted by a particularly witty Adam Hills routine. I wish I had a video camera so I could relive the moment. In fact, I'm convinced that if music just doesn't work out for Tex (as unlikely as that is) he has a promising career on the stand up comedy circuit.

So after yet another superb night of music at Ruby's, I can honestly tell Lyn I had a great time. No, I'm not going out to buy every CD Tex has made, but I do subscribe to the idea that Tex is a very credible artist, a fantastic showman and I am not surprised he's on his way to becoming an Aussie rock icon.

Monday, December 3, 2007

A Day With Lionel

Band: Lionel Richie, Supported By Mahalia Barnes and Marcia Hines
Venue: A Day on the Green Scotchman’s Hill at Spray Farm, Bellarine Peninsula; Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley
Date: Saturday 1st December and Sunday 2nd December
Reviewed By: Lyn. Photographs by Mark Geisel and Sarah





My youth certainly flooded back to me on this beautiful warm weekend in December when Lionel Richie sung hits from the 1970’s, 1980’s and today. More than 11,000 people showed up on the Saturday and 8,000 on the Sunday at wineries around Victoria . As soon as I heard Lionel was coming to town I just knew I had to go! Luck had it that I got to see both shows by working at them.

Where does one start! For a 58 year old, Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. still has what it takes to shake his groove thang (and mega lips to match)! His career started out in the band The Commodores, did you know they first caught the public eye whilst supporting Jackson 5? The name ‘The Commodores’ came from opening the dictionary and picking a word. So there you go, some trivia for you all!

Let’s start with the supports over the weekend.

Due to working I didn’t see Mahalia Barnes either day, but from what I heard she seemed to hold a powerful voice and style of music was soulful R&B.

Next was Marcia Hines. Born in the US, she began singing in the local church choir and was discovered at 16 by an Australian who wanted her in the stage performance of ‘Hair’ in Australia .

On the Saturday the crowd seemed to be bigger fans of Marcia, cheering her on big time, and the fans were vocally sad when she finished. Wearing colourful attire most of the show she took off her second top for the last song to reveal black top and pants. She has a beautiful voice. Supported with a big band, she played a lot of cover songs and the crowd joyfully sang and danced along, one punter displaying his love for Marcia by holding up one of her records! Her set ended with the Donna Summer song Ain’t Nobody, and we find out Marcia and Donna knew each other in the US as kids but didn’t like each other.

We had a bit of a wait for Lionel, perhaps waiting for the sun to dip for the day. Full lights were on, not that they made much difference on the Sunday due to the show being an earlier start. A bit late, but better late than never, out came Lionel. We saw him running from backstage on the big screen, and then the yelling and cheering started as he made it onto the front stage. Lionel looked out at us all with amazement. Humanity was everywhere, with no grassy spots to be seen.

By this time burnt and drunk were bodies all over the place! Saturday I felt had more drunken bodies than the Sunday.

Lionel started with a new song then launched into Lady Lover, then Easy, Ballerina Girl and then Oh No. Lionel chatted a lot to us and is very good at getting the crowd cheering, clapping and singing. He told us he created a dance called the Fly Dance at the Sunday show, due to the large amount of flies he swats hand around face and neck. He says he would take his top off (to which many people - or maybe I ought to say girls – scream rather loudly) but to the disappointment of a few, the shirt stayed on.

The next song was Stuck On You, followed by the big hit - before which Lionel warns us he’s not responsible for anything that happens in the crowd after this point - Dancing On the Ceiling’. True to Lionel's promise, this caused the whole crowd to stand up and dance about! I thought this may have been the last song of the night but that wasn’t to be.

For Three Times a Lady’ the couples in the Saturday crowd got up and slow danced together. Next was You Are, followed by Endless Love. Instead of having Diana Ross sing the duet, he asked all the females in the audience to sing her part! A Commodore medley included Sweet Love and Brickhouse, then Lionel and the band bowed and made their exit. Pandemonium followed, and naturally Mr Richie was back and at piano again to sing Hello, which is a gorgeous song. With big smiles, Lionel waved to the crowd. The song to end on was All Night Long, and I’m sure people took those words literally.

Both days had the same setlist, and Lionel and band did an amazing job. Unfortunately I didn’t catch the names of the band members on the Saturday and the Sunday I didn’t hear him mention them (maybe I was taking a break myself). My only disappointment was the fact he didn’t play Say You Say Me, but it was a truly memorable weekend at both wineries. I preferred the Rochford winery set up as I felt it was more open for all to see the stage and less squishy. If haven't been to A Day On the Green I suggest you head to one. Great bands, friendly punters and workers and some lovely wine to boot!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Colin ‘Are You Looking At Me’ Hay

Band: Colin Hay and band
Venue: The Corner Hotel
Date: November 22, 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn. Photograph by Mark Geisel.

After much anticipation, one of Australia ’s best male vocalists Colin Hay entered and began the set with acoustic guitar. Going Somewhere was beautifully sung with passion and desire. It’s no secret that this man hails from the 1980’s band Men at Work and its no wonder that tonight The Corner Hotel is close to sold out. I was amazed at how strong and powerful his voice is - I’m sure plenty of people had goose bumps.

After this amazing start Colin leapt into banter for about 10 minutes, telling us that tonight’s gig was being filmed for DVD, then continuing on about his life story. Born in Scotland, he came to Melbourne and had to learn the aussie accent, after being teased for his Scottish brogue. He proved to be quite the comedian, and we a very responsive crowd!

The rest of the band entered at the third song in, bringing the total to five on stage, Charlie on drums, Simon on guitar, Dorian on keyboards and the beautiful Celia on tamborine and shakers, playing with strength and happiness, all looking completely relaxed.

Colin has a new album out called Are You Looking At Me, so tonight is about both newies and old songs. At one point we saw the entire band played with bazookas, just when I thought I’d seen it all!

Celia goes off, how else can I put it, I couldn’t stop watching her at times! She puts amazing zest into her backing vocals and instruments whilst sporting both a very colourful outfit and expressions. Celia hails from Lima, Peru . It felt like Colin's microphone volume was a little high, as I couldn’t hear backing singers much at all.

Songs for the night included, Lifeline, Beautiful World, What Would Bob Do - a rather quirky song, as well as Down By The Sea - a rather haunting Men At Work song that sold 1 million copies from the album Business As Usual. Colin told us the band used to tune 12 string guitars when stoned (which didn’t work) and he wasn’t so sure he ought to be saying that when his parents were in the room!

Lonely Without You was followed by Looking For Jack, after which another story developed: He had the title Looking For…, but he didn’t have the next word. Then he had the chance to meet Jack Nicholson and there you go, the song developed.

Who Can It Be Now was a oldie but a goodie, and Overkill a crowd pleaser. It’s A Mistake then Are You Looking At Me required much audience participation and I must add I really like this song, a groovy, catchy number.

Land Down Under was received well, written by Colin for Men at Work, it’s a song sung all around the world and its appeal was not lost on the crowd. The night ended brilliantly with Be Good Johnny. I’m sure everyone went home with a smile on their face and wonderment for Colin’s unique voice.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Ding Dong Goes Electric

Band: Electric Mary
Venue: The Ding Dong Lounge
Date: 16th November 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn. Photograph by Mark Geisel.

I have been waiting a long time to see Electric Mary. It’s been at least 6 months since they’ve played and a year since I last saw them.
I rocked up very late at Ding Dong, so I just saw the last song from the support but judging from the amount of people up front they must have put on a show as the crowd seemed to be getting into their music.

Soon Electric Mary entered stage, Pete on guitar, Irwin or guitar, Tommy from Juke Cartel on bass (in the absence of Neilo) and Venom on drums. The crowd went wild, and then in strutted the man you cannot miss in his long coat and cowboy hat - Rusty on vocals. There is something about this man, I can’t take my eyes off him, he grabs the stage with such vengeance and adoration and the crowd seem to love him too.

The set started with Let Me Out then One in a Million, which contains dirty, dirty riffs. No One Does It Better followed, then with the song Hey Now Rusty sang while holding a jug of water! After about three songs Rusty exited the stage whilst we were given an instrumental break from the guitarists, and when Venom started his solo the audience chanted his name over and over. The way those boys play their guitars is amazing - sweaty guitar with huge rock beats. Then Rusty came back on stage and like a lion eating its prey he launched into Luv Me with much zest. Luv Me is an amazing song, beautifully sung, and showing off Rusty’s strong voice. We were welcomed with a new song called Sorry, which was apparently written on one of their road trips.

Electric Mary are a fast-paced band, short songs but well worth seeing. The last few songs were Crash Down On Your Head, which is a melodic tune, One Foot in the Grave, and lucky last was I Fell Out With My Best Friend, during which I almost felt like linking arms with my neighbours and swaying back and forth. Then they were gone, no encores, much to the crowds disappointment.

For those wanting more there was the EP Definition Of Insanity and tees available for purchase.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Victims of the Killers

Band: The Killers with supports Howling Bells and Louis XIV
Venue: Rod Laver Arena
Date: 14th November 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn. Photograph by Mark Geisel.

Tonight I saw San Diego ’s coolest new band, Louis XIV. A harmonised, dark eyed, sultry 6 piece all bloke band that formed in 2003. American garage rock!

A violin was a nice change in a band and the backing singer Brian Karscig has an amazing voice, very melodic, almost to the point of sounding feminine. Not to say the lead singer, Jason Hill, wasn’t good - he was a rock dude, going off like a raw prawn out front, working the crowd, and the crowd seemed to work right back! Drummer, Mark Maiggard, threw out a few sticks to a very pleased crowd to finish off their set. The only fault with this show was the sound was way too loud, not very pleasant on the ears.

Next on stage was Howling Bells, I was looking forward to seeing them as I’d liked what music I’d heard. They formed in 2005 and are a home-brewed 4 piece Australian band now living in the UK . Juanita Stein, the sultry singer in black, sang like a gypsy with her rich, crisp, mature voice. Thankfully the sound was much better and the moody red and blue lights started the set. They suited a big venue okay but a smaller venue would be more fitting. Juanita announced they have released a special CD to coincide with this tour. I did think the singer may have been a bit more of a rock chick out front but they all put on a great show with some groovy rock tunes. Their set ended with the hit tune ‘Low Happening’.

With a second show at Rod Laver arena almost sold out I must admit I didn’t realise just how big a band The Killers had become. Seeing them at BDO in Jan I was looking forward to seeing them in their own show and inside! A white curtain was hoisted up so the front crowd couldn’t see what was going on. We on the side could see Christmas lights, roses and other flowers all decorating the stage – over amps and keyboards. The keyboards seemed to be covered in some weird white structures almost Star Wars like, but when the big lights went on later I realised they were supposed to be antlers! With ‘Sam’s Town’ in large writing on the wall above the stage, red velvet curtains around the stage hanging from the lights, it looked very cool! As the crowd waited a Mexican wave started. The next minute the lights went down, the audience screamed with happiness and boom visuals were projected onto the white curtain till eventually it was pulled down and lights went on stage and the band started and confetti exploded out into the middle of the floor. It all looked fantastic!

Brandon Flowers in suit and blue bow tie was up and down on wooden crates which were front of stage for some leverage and he continually walked up and down which pleased the punters. Brandon commented ‘This is not a tennis match; it’s a Killer’s show’! When You Were Young and Bones were some of the first songs. Brandon wooed some girls in the front by throwing them flowers from the stage, then they went into tunes like Smile Like You Mean It and Jenny Was a Friend of Mine. The guitarist David Keuning reminded me of an 80’s guy in an 80’s band, he was seriously making love to that guitar, it was like the guitar was part of this body, and he would speak to the audience with passion. I couldn’t quite see the bassist, Mark Stoermer, he seemed to be rather concentrated on his playing. Drummer Ronnie Vannucci was like a wild man playing his drums. A big highlight for me is always Somebody Told Me, which was played very early on in the set. Wild, Sam’s Town, Uncle Jonny and Read My Mind were to follow then Mr Brightside.

Louis XIV came back out to do a cover of the Frankie Valli song Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, and they all seemed rather mischievous by then - maybe a few drinks off stage! Next treat (if that is the right word) was the song All These Things That I’ve Done and out came people in pig and corn outfits, running around stage. I’m not sure what that was all about but I couldn’t take my eyes off them!

The Killers came, we saw, we were their victims.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Not-So-Sweet Alabama

Band: Alabama 3 with support Roger That
Venue: Hi-Fi Bar and Ballroom
Date: 11th November 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn

Gotta love The Hi Fi bar, I love the good size and the fact there is air conditioning!

Heading downstairs to the main room we were greeted by the sounds of ‘Roger That’, a four piece band from the Gold Coast. Tonight there were lots of guitar riffs, great vocals and smooth drumming. Jesse Bailey the vocalist said the crowd tonight is their biggest yet! I was quite impressed with this band and was surprised everybody was sitting down and not dancing. Lots of people were already there but didn’t want to rise up off the floor just yet even when the singer asked them to. The band seemed very connected, high vocals, talking vocals, whistling in songs – Jesse has a big voice. They did a cover of I’ve Been Waiting So Long by the band Cream. They did the song justice, very energetic. I noticed after their set they were signing many cd’s for impressed punters.

After a wait (and I must add, some very cool tunes to listen to) what greeted us this time were four chairs on stage and some microphones. Yes, tonight was the acoustic performance of The Alabama 3. As their website says: 'We make Sweet Muthafuckin Country Acid House Music' and are from Brixton, London and not Alabama as their name suggests. Even Tim Rogers had ventured out for a listen.

Enter guitarist then the rest of the band. Their set was very uninteresting, no name anywhere letting us know who they are, no special lights, just the boring back drop. I was surprised about this and it made the stage look very unappealing, even the lights didn’t change much from what I saw. The crowd remained sitting down, a few punters had cowboy hats which seemed in the spirit of the band. I don’t have much to say about the band in general - I wasn’t particularly entertained by what I saw and ended up leaving very early in the set (maybe that was my problem).

If someone can email in a better review, please do so! Maybe I need to see them in rock style!?

Monday, November 12, 2007

Cup Eve Gets Messy

Band: The Mess Hall supported by The Silents
Venue: The East Brunswick Club
Date: Monday 5th November 2007 (Cup Eve)
Reviewed By: Lyn. Photographs by Mark Geisel.

A sold out Mess Hall gig at the EBC. It was a very full room already, so we got our beverages and found a better position away from what seemed the pathway of punters.

The Silents are a 4 piece male band from Perth, sounding rather similar to The Vines. I get the feeling this is what The Beatles would sound like if they were still around. They had great harmonies and beats with some bad hair chucked in, and got our toes tapping and heads bopping. Many cheers from the crowd and the room soon built up ready for the main act.

The Mess Hall is usually a two piece band from Sydney - guitar and drums - yet they always sound bigger than a two piece. Having been a fan since their debut album with a half naked boy on the cover, tonight we were here for the new album Devils Elbow, which is their second full album to date. Tonight I wasn’t sure if it was a treat or just strange, but on stage a third person with guitar greeted us. I thought this guitar player was excellent, but I’m not sure how fitting for TMH who I guess I’m used to as a two piece! Tonight we got old hits such as the forever bopping Disco I and Disco II, Lock and Load, Feel Like a Dog and Pills as well as many tracks off the new CD. Pulse was pulled off spectacularly, although the noise of the pulse had a few of us blocking our ears. The first single release Keep Walking proved a hit with the crowd who moshed to the whole song.

TMH prove time and time again that no doubt they’ll be rocking for a long time to come.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Mammal at the Ding Dong Lounge

Band: Mammal, supported by Many Machines on Nine
Venue: The Ding Dong Lounge
Date: 2nd November 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn. Photograph by Mark Geisel.



We entered the Ding Dong rather late in the night to find many punters already grooving to the second support act (unfortunately missed the first).

After getting ourselves a beer, we headed up to get a better view of this band that seems to be popular with the crowd and even I found myself grooving away to this electronic, rock beat. I didn’t get a chance to read the play list and the band didn’t have their name anywhere that I could see - what is it with bands that can’t even put a name on the drum kit, some sort of paper, or texta on a tee shirt! Somewhere, anywhere, argh!!!?

I couldn’t understand what the singer was saying when he did mention their name either… so anyway, after they finished I went to the merchandise stand and asked who they were, bought the cd and even though it took a few listens to enjoy it as much as the gig, I feel they’ve nailed their music, which is hard electronic rock, live! Their name is ‘Many Machines on Nine’ - MM9 - hailing from Sydney .

I enjoyed the singer’s exuberance up front, mixing with the crowd very well, fully pumping and grinding and overall they are a talented display of musicians. The grind of the bass riff went through the audience; sometimes I thought they had a similar sound underneath to Korn. Check them out!

Zeke and co. came out in full force, Zeke claiming the stage as his, Zane on drums we were told is a ‘buddhist monk with the funk’! Pete, the guitarist strutted his stuff in the middle of the stage entertaining the crowd, and Nick played with amazing grooves as per usual, with his bass guitar.

Visits to the crowd from Zeke, treats of about 4 new songs, political banter but no glitter ball hat, this was Mammal tonight!

One punter tried to get the crowd singing ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie’ whilst Zeke was talking but Zeke wasn’t having a bar of that and quickly quietened the guy up.

A truly energetic gig and perhaps my fave Mammal gig this year. And yes Zeke, we hope you enjoyed the chicken!

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Acoustic in the Esplanade

Band: Emma Wild (with Hannah Francis and Lincoln Maurice). Also, Patrick Carr and Cathy Field.
Venue: The Espy Front Bar
Date: Tuesday 30th October 2007
Reviewed By: Heather. Photograph by Lyn.



If I'm going to the Espy it's on a Sunday night, so fronting up on Tuesday was a little out of the ordinary. However, after being proposed to by a deranged woman (actually an actress, don't ask) it was fitting that I continued on to have a glass of red and listen to some live music at one of Melbourne's best historical institutions.

We arrived to find that Emma (who we had specifically come to see) had been bumped to later in the night, so I found a seat and listened to two other musicians first.

Patrick Carr played a decent set, unaccompanied on stage other than by his acoustic guitar. Unusually for the Espy the decibel level was actually reasonably low, so it was easy to sit and listen while chatting a little to some acquaintances, both old and new. In between conversation, Patrick's ballads interspersed with some feverish work on the guitar were enjoyable and his smooth voice was nice for a Tuesday night. His last song (Nightlife on Mars) was the standout for me, and since I found this morning that it's the lead song on his Myspace I'm guessing it's a popular choice.

Next up was Cathy Field, who had a rather clear voice that overshadowed the guitar, even when she was joined on stage by Gary Shephard with a second acoustic. She enunciated every word, and sang in earnest to tunes that would have been well at home in Tamworth. Some of the lyrics bordered on being a little sappy - there was a lot of talk of heavy hearts and lost loves - which was a little too much for my taste, but I'm sure her songwriting skills would not be lost on the right audience. Her guitar playing seemed fairly solid, and her voice was strong, with just a few minor missed notes popping up here and there. The highlights were definitely the harmonies between the two on stage, which were delightful. I did spend a large portion of the set wondering how on earth she sang under the lights wearing a coat - I was warm in the audience attired in much less.

Finally, to a slightly dwindling crowd (which I guess is normal for late on a school night) Emma and co. took to the stage. I had never heard her sing before, so I had no idea what to expect other than what I had heard on Myspace.

Emma, bathed in red light, began with a soft, breathy voice that quickly became strong. The violin blended beautifully with the acoustic guitar, and the drums did what they were supposed to do all night - kept things together and blended into the music. There were no showy solos at all, in fact - the musicians seemed intent on playing as a united group, which suited the style well.

When the electric guitar was plugged in, things got serious. Emma turned from seated and relaxed to rock chick in an instant, but in the switch never lost control of her voice, which made transitions in almost every song from soft and quiet to loud and almost aggressive. She played the angsty part well in Trainwreck and Punch Drunk and things turned a little country at one point, which is probably inevitable when blending guitars with violin. One point I noticed was the contrast on stage between Emma doing the rock thing with her electric guitar and Hannah looking like the funkiest member of an orchestra with her violin. Despite the appearance, the sound of the two was unexpectedly fused together.

After a little technical hitch, during which we were treated to an impromputu violin/drum musical interlude, things got back on track quickly with the acoustic guitar making another appearance. Yet another breathy start was followed by some frenzied guitar work in Head Furniture. My favourite song by far was Over & Over, which was very catchy and enjoyable. It seemed to be the crowd favourite as well from the level of applause it received. The set wound up far too early with Doin' the Do, which appears to be one of Emma's signature songs. I was impressed by the musicianship in this one - the instruments did a "John Butler Trio" and seemed to magically multiply on stage, sounding like a couple of extra guitars were hidden behind a curtain somewhere.

I headed out into the cool sea air a few minutes later well satisfied with the night out. Maybe Tuesdays at the Espy are something to be explored further.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Grinding with Nick Cave

Band: Grinderman and Nick Cave
Venue: The Forum Theatre
Date: 14th October 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn. Photographs by Mark Geisel.




We arrived at the Forum Theatre very early for a Sunday night to watch some of Australia ’s legendary musicians. Down we waltzed to stand near the front and very soon the masses followed suit. It wasn’t long after 8pm when Grinderman took to stage.

First entered Warren Ellis, Martyn Casey and Jim Sclavunos. Looking at these men, I almost thought I’d turned up to a ZZ top concert by mistake! All supported very long hairy beards and one punter commented that the band were wearing ‘f#$k off beards’! Lead singer Nick Cave entered not long after to thunderous applause.

Straight into ‘Depth Charge Ethel’ which was sung with high leg kicks from Nick. The sound for the first few minutes wasn’t the best but didn’t take long to sort that out.

Drummer Jim wore a pink suit which he got away with wearing rather well. Guitarist Martyn, with his cowboy hat, had a solemn expression each time I was watching him! Warren played violin, shakers, cymbals and more, always a gutsy performance by this man - one cannot help but watch Warren play the violin and be magically entwined with it. The setlist included 'Get It On', 'Electric Alice', 'Honey Bee', 'Set Me Free' and title track ‘Grinderman’ which was the highlight for me. The song ‘No Pussy Blues’ sent the crowd into a frenzy, maybe a lot of men can relate to Nick on this one! The show was a great performance for their first tour of Australia, and a great debut album to match.

I didn’t get a chance to come down from the performance of Grinderman as Nick Cave, Jim Sclavunos, Martyn Casey and Warren Ellis took to stage again.

Who can go to a concert and see the lead band supporting themselves in a different outfit! With a couple of wardrobe changes and maybe a quick deodorant spray or towel wipe and there they all were on stage again. Nick played the piano for many songs and to the dismay of the crowds around me, a music stand in front of us disrupted our view, which was rather annoying. So I moved back and had a much more comfortable view of Nick on piano as well as the rest of the band.

‘Love Letter’ opened the show which had the audience swaying, other favourites followed: 'Red Right Hand', 'Cannibals Hymn', 'Deanna', 'Weeping Song', 'Ship Song', 'Henry Lee', 'Mercy Seat', 'Tupelo', and 'Christina the Astonishing', which pleased the crowd. Warren again showing so much passion for his violin. The only low point was having disrupted view - so not really much of a low point. The stage was simple yet effective, sound was fantastic, and lighting was beautiful with many colours matching the songs. The night ended with one grunty edgy song called 'Jack the Ripper'. Nick even shook hands with front row fans to their utter delight.

So many more songs left off the list but really, can Nick play all night. We can only dream of the possibility. Nick and co proved they have still got what it takes to sell out the Forum for 5 nights, and Nick still has a voice glistening with musical notes.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

The Cats Are Out To Play

Band: The Cat Empire and The Australian Youth Orchestra
Venue: The Iwaki Auditorium
Date: Friday 5th October 2007
Reviewed By: Heather






This is the gig I have been waiting for, and it certainly didn't disappoint. The second the tickets were released I snapped mine up, not knowing how quickly they would sell out the little theatre. There has even been news coverage for this one! Check out The Age's article.

Of course I'm talking about The Cat Empire with the Australian Youth Orchestra - a fantastic musical experiment that is the culmination of a week-long workshop. I was truly honoured to be a part of it.

I'm not even sure I can call this a gig. It was a concert in every sense of the word, with no dancing in sight, although at times my feet were itching to participate. Songs from the new album So Many Nights made up most of the setlist, with some musical interludes and a couple of older songs mixed in. The thing is, they weren't the same songs I heard two weeks ago at the Prince Bandroom. They were new, fresh, with an excitement and energy behind them that only a full orchestra can muster.

This will likely be the longest review in history, but bear with me because there are so many things that need to be said to even begin to do it justice.

Ollie, or as he was more aptly referred to in the program, Oliver McGill, began the evening with a beautiful piano overture that ended far too soon. Felix with his new haircut coupled with a suit looked suave as he took the microphone and breathed out the sexy All That Talking, after which they launched quickly into Fishies. The songs throughout the night were superbly arranged, the strings blending effortlessly with brass behind the band, and pushing each song forward as if on its own momentum.

Harry came to the fore to bring us Lonely Moon and Til the Ocean Takes Us All, with vocal gymnastics and a falsetto to rival the Gibb brothers. All was executed with perfect control and poise, perhaps testament to the conspicuous lack of beer that usually accompanies the Empire on stage.

Ollie - sorry, Oliver - was his usual musical genius self, a little more restrained than I have seen him before, perhaps also testament to the suit and lack of alcoholic beverage. However, he did seem to be straining at the leash a little, looking like he was holding himself back when he would like nothing better than to launch into a frenzied solo. Pure perfection still came from his keys, but we would expect nothing less.

Ryan, Will and Jumps seemed to take a step back, playing their parts well and with gusto, but leaving the stage clear for the orchestra to showcase itself.

Which brings me to said orchestra - The Australian Youth Orchestra, to be precise. A week with the Empire seemed to have taken its toll in a very good way. They were nothing short of spectacular. I am not a classical reviewer by any stretch of the imagination, so I can't really comment on the technical aspect of the music. However, each person on stage was a performer in their own right, and as much a part of the evening as Felix or Harry. Their music flowed through the small theatre, pulling the audience in with it.

The string section was absolutely superb as a whole, but the standout performance was by violinist Jonathan Ng in the interlude Poets and Concrete Lovers. Edwina Hookey was the star of the strings though - and she didn't even have a solo. She was shining, as her enjoyment of the music brought us with her through every note, which didn't just come from her instrument but was etched on her face as well. She played her violin as if she were making love to the the music that was exuding from her strings.

The brass section brought a rich depth to each song that is only possible to get from the beautiful mix of french horns, trumpets and trombones. They blended perfectly with Kieran of the Empire Horns.

I definitely can't overlook percussionist Holly Norman. Her relaxed demeanour and obvious skill fit perfectly with Felix and Will, and she looked like she belonged on the stage as she moved between instruments.

I have been racking my brain trying to find a low point to write about. It's a difficult task. If there is anything I could mention it's perhaps that the strings and sax during the solo saxophone interlude didn't quite mesh together. Guest saxophonist David Ades was fantastic though, and Ross Irwin kept things going with style.

Speaking of Ross - the night's greatest honours need to be bestowed on him. He conducted the performance, and together with Ollie wrote the arrangements. No longer simply one of the Empire Horns and frontman of the Ross Irwin Soul Special, he has brought himself into the limelight. His arrangements were gorgeous, he held everybody together flawlesslly and I humbly say that he has a thousand times more talent than I had ever given him credit for.

I sat through most of the evening in a combination of awe and excitement, and participated wholeheartedly in the very well-deserved standing ovations the performers received. That feeling came with me as I left the auditorium after what was very honestly the most amazing night of music I have ever experienced. Yes, it really was that good.

I can't discount any one of the members of the Australian Youth Orchestra, so I would love to name each one individually to finish off this review.

On violin were Imants Larsens, Louise Cottone, Edwina Hookey, Larrissa Weller, Liisa Pallandi, Hugh Middleton and Jonathan Ng.

On viola were Alice Buckingham, Nell Thompson, Michael Trauer and Aaron Wyatt.

Celloists were Dale Rickert, Alison Cook, Alistair Sung and Kim Worley.

Horns were played by Alexis Routley and Rosemary Savage, with Tristan Rebien on trumpet and Michael Ingle on trombone.

Rounding off the list is Holly Norman on percussion.

I can't say how glad I am to have had the pleasure of witnessing this performance. I noticed TV cameras around, so we can only hope that the ABC sees fit to air it, or at least release it on DVD.

Special thanks to Mark Geisel
for the photographs accommpanying this review.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Beastly Magic

Band: Beasts of Bourbon, supported by Rowland S. Howard
and Magic Dirt
Venue: The Forum Theatre
Date: 28th September 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn. Photograph by Narelle.

After almost knocking over Tex Perkins on the way in, we proceeded into the Forum Theatre awaiting a night filled with memorable bands.

First up was Rowland S. Howard, known for his time in the band 'Boys Next Door'. The crowd seemed to lap up his energy on stage with vigour. Although it was just he and his guitar, one could almost believe he had a band with him on the stage. Rowland played with much angst and love to a crowd who seemed to feel the same.

After a short break, Magic Dirt arrived, lead singer Adalita like a prowless on stage looking for a victim. Although the venue wasn't filled to capacity the strong crowd went off to the band and at the last song, a fan decided it was too much and spewed forth his dinner (or was it alcohol?!) into the front few rows. After a quick clean, myself and friends were able to get to front row without a fight! Thanks!

A dark stage and smoke provided an eerie back drop for the Beasts of Bourbon, but that could almost be perfect for the band known as The Beasts. Spencer wearing a funky shirt and his trademark hat was working with the crowd to entice them into his lair. Brian seemed to be having a good night and barely stumbled whilst sending out riff after riff. Tony and Charlie threw their love into each song and the front man Tex struted around the stage throwing his microphone as if it were a music producer who had ripped him off. Tex wearing jeans torn at the groin provided a crowd pleaser to those in the front few rows. The night started with 'The Low Road' and ended with the crowd pleaser about drugs and more drugs 'thanks'. We said no, Thank YOU!

Leaving the venue we were pumped with the night's performances and lapping up what might be The Beasts last gig for a long time...

Mark Seymour in the Gershwin Room

Band: Mark Seymour
Venue: The Espy Gershwin Room
Date: Thursday 27th September 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn

What a lovely venue for a special performance by Mark Seymour (frontman of the legendary Hunters and Collectors) in the infamous Gershwin room at The Espy. It was an early gig, starting at 7pm, and was recorded for a live DVD to be out at a later date.

Naturally late was the band, and unwelcomingly hot was the room. When Mark and co. finally entered, Mr Seymour welcomed us all to an uproar of clapping hands and cheers! Throughout the night the crowd were in their element, cheering on one of Benalla’s local boys and band.

A back catalogue of songs made an appearance, including ‘When the River Runs Dry’, ‘Do You See What I See’ and ‘Tears of Joy’, along with many new songs the titles of which I regret I didn’t catch. A packed Gershwin room included people from interstate, US and Sweden ! The show was stopped a few times by Mark, who wasn’t happy with a song or two and clearly wanted the DVD to be right. Nothing wrong with that - the beauty of the camera allows such moments.

After nearly two hours of songs and chit chat I left just after ‘Throw Your Arms’ which I thought was a fitting end to the night for me. On the way out I noticed many fans had left early, not unhappy but just content with what we’d all heard.

Signal Not Lost in the Hills

Band: Borne, supported by Matt Tonks and Goodbye Motel
Venue: Ruby's Lounge
Date: Friday 21st September 2007
Reviewed By: Heather & Lyn

Both of us getting to a gig together is a rarity, so for this particular review you can be treated to a melding of our opinions.

We arrived quite late, and so spent the last few minutes the support band was still on stage catching up as it had been a while since our last get-together. Consequently, we didn't get to hear too much of Matt Tonks, and I believe Goodbye Motel had already finished by the time we got through the door. Sorry, guys - next time!

Borne arrived on stage to a reasonable turnout, but there were definitely plenty of tickets left unsold. Fantastic for us, as we grabbed some choice seats on bar stools near the front and had a perfect, uninterrupted view of the stage with no wading through crowds for return trips to the bar. Well, almost uninterrupted - a very, um, passionate fan found her way onto the floor at the front for some solo dance action for most of the second half of the gig.

Cam's smooth voice powered out through the cosy room, every word audible throughout - kudos to Mr Sound Man. Interspersed between some old familiar tunes and some from the new album were very enlightening introductions with Cam explaining the whys and wherefores of his songwriting. Most surprisingly, we discovered that recent hit The Guide was inspired not by an amazing woman or a glimpse into the supernatural, but by a dog! A little piece of trivia for you.

In all a very satisfying performance. We left feeling like we had eaten a good meal - the product of the laid-back atmosphere, smiling staff, a good decibel level and of course some fantastic songwriting and musicianship.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Royalty - The Cat Empire at The Prince

Band: The Cat Empire, supported by Symbiosis
Venue: The Prince Bandroom
Date: Thursday 20th September 2007
Reviewed By: Heather

I have to admit my bias as a shameless Cat Empire fan here. Please don't hold it against me!

Arriving early paid off, as we took our places at the edge of the stage. An important detail for short people like us! A relatively short two-drink wait went by uneventfully as I scanned the quickly-filling room and chatted.

Symbiosis hit the stage first, taking a couple of songs to warm up the crowd (who were obviously mostly one-eyed Cat Empire fans) before the room started jumping. By the time they broke into Walk Your Walk everybody in our immediate vicinity was moving. In the end, the short time allotted for the warm-up set was over far too soon. I had never seen them live before, and I’ll definitely be back for seconds.

The crowd erupted at the first glimpse of Felix, Harry and the rest of the Cat Empire. Songs from the as-yet-unreleased album were scattered throughout some more familiar tunes. A welcome addition to the setlist was The Crowd, an anthem with St Kilda at its heart. Local interest always adds a certain energy to the room, which lifted the band too.

There was a guest timbale player, Nasrine Rahmani (a member of The Espy regular band Tumbarumba), who was amazing. A music battle heated up between Nasrine's timbale-belting and Jumps’ skratching, which had to be one of the night’s high points. Harry outdid himself when an improv session went a bit awry and he pulled things back together in the space of a few seconds. His music direction skills almost eclipsed his trumpet playing. It was great to hear The Wine Song too - one that seems to be overlooked in live shows.
The new single No Longer There was nice, but definitely not vintage Cat Empire. I am still not sure what I think of it, but it’s had some great reviews elsewhere, so I’ll shut up about that one.

I think the night in general was pulled down a little by too many unreleased songs in the setlist. The crowd began to get bored at one point, and possibly songs from the new album should be played live, but kept to a minimum – maybe three or four per gig rather than what amounted to about half. Now that the album has been released it should drive up crowd interest a bit.

Still, not enough to decrease my enjoyment. I have never yet been to a boring Cat Empire gig, and I hope I never will. Well worth the ticket price, as always!

Silver Ray in Northcote

Band: Silver Ray
Venue: Northcote Social Club
Date: 15th September 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn

There is something magical about Silver Ray. They are an amazing instrumental band who have been around for a very long time - and judging from the amount of people, they still have a large fan base.

I hadn’t seen the band for about 5-6 years so I was excited about what direction they had headed into over the years. During the course of the night, musician after musician came on stage bringing the 3 piece to a 9 piece! Julitha Ryan on keyboards still amazed me and I must admit part of seeing Silver Ray for me is seeing her enjoy her keyboards! Cam Butler was strong on guitar as ever, and Brett Poliness had a dramatic stage presence on drums.

The first half was old favourites and the second half was new material. I enjoyed the new songs although I did find overdubbing not to my liking for a first time listen. No doubt after a few listens that will change. The crowd lapped up the entire show and a packed room tells me Silver Ray have many more beats in them.

Mammal Instinct

Band: Mammal
Venue: The Evelyn Hotel
Date: 31st August 2007
Reviewed By: Lyn

Upon entering the Evelyn – rather late in the night I have to add – we were shuffled into the nearly full room to see the last song of the support band - a Japanese band that was very energetic. The name of the band escapes me, so if anyone knows it, email me so I can update this!

After a break and refill of the beer we waited in anticipation for mammal to arrive. It was January when I last saw the band, so I felt rather pumped waiting for their arrival.

Over the speakers echoed the words ‘I love the smell of evolution in the morning’ and enter mammal the band. Nick Adams on bass guitar, back and forth, side to side with enough energy to burn a light bulb. Great riffs with a mysterious amount of energy and lust for his bass and for the crowd. Amazing to watch.

Zeke, the singer, in excellent spirits. Pete Williamson on guitar, grooving with each song and the fuelled Zane Rosanoksi on drums - these musicians complete mammal.

Zeke pumped out tunes to the crowd who had a huge energy buzz around them and who sang many songs word for word.

Tonight was the launch of their live cd called ‘The Aural Underground’, which was recorded at the Evelyn in January this year.

Starting with a new song, and cruising into ‘Think’, they filled us with some more new songs like ‘Rich Man’ and 'Push and Shove’ and old favourites such as ‘Groove Junkie’, ‘New Breed Judas’ and ‘Hell Yeah’ – a crowd pleaser.

Include a glitter ball helmet which Zeke seems to wear with pride and some political banter ‘Whose streets? – Our streets!’, his power over the crowd was such he could even get a guy in the crowd to fix a light which seemed to have fallen by the wayside. This all created one fantastic gig by one fantastic band. Yes I am biased, as I’ve been following this band for over a year now, but hey don’t judge me on this, listen to the band and see for yourself!

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