Monday, June 21, 2010

Alestorm took us on an adventure over the seas....

Band: Alestorm
Venue:
The Corner Hotel
Date: 19th June 2010
Reviewed By: Espylyn

On a mighty full ship we did sail and with a foggy night the band did hail, Alestorm – they came, they took some wenches and drank some mighty fine mead.

A powerful folk Scottish pirate (ooh I love that word) band was cast upon us with their heads a banging and the keytar tinkling and the punters singing onto every word. I’m not sure how ‘metal’ a keytar is, but it gave Alestorm that piratey feel to their music, and we swayed like being on a torturous ship through a thunderstorm.

With songs such as Black Sails At Midnight, Wenches and Mead (a favourite), Keelhauled and Over The Seas I felt like I was smuggled into a pirate party when only a selected few were given the privilege to view.

Punters dressed in their finest pirate outfits along with swashbuckling swords swishing above the mosh pit, it certainly was one of a show. The main dress code of the night was black and more black, but are we surprised.


Saturday, June 19, 2010

Wanda Jackson

Band: Wanda Jackson
Venue:
The Corner Hotel
Date:
18th June 2010
Reviewed By: Espylyn

Wanda Jackson – the first lady of rockabilly came, sung and kicked some 71 year young booty to all punters at The Corner Hotel tonight. At first the big band behind her pumped up the crowd by giving Wanda an introduction that lifted the roof off and then out she came appearing comfortable, flashing those pearly whites and before too long she threw up the microphone and began with Mean Mean Man which finished with rapturous applause.

She ripped into old and new tunes and satisfied all the crowd who constantly heckled and declared their love throughout the entire set. Anyone would think she has never toured here before with the amount of love and applause in the room tonight!

Wanda spoke about her time with Elvis Presley and how she ‘dated’ Elvis for a couple of years and even wore his ring and she went on to say she did kiss him but laughs and ads “although the person I married is a better kisser”. Meeting Jack White she tells us was an amazing experience and she spoke about her up and coming album due out later this year.

Songs like Fujiyama Mama, Heartbreak Hotel and Chicken on The Ground as well as seducing us with her high vocals and yodelling to boot, it’s fair to say Wanda can rock up there with the best of them.

Punters alike were dressed to impress with their fringes, spots and bows in their hair, lots of rockabilly punters young and older.

After band introductions she went straight into the big hit Lets Have A Party before heading off for a quick break and then back singing more of the Lets Have A Party in the encore.

Wanda really is the atomic bomb in lipstick, hair and the first lady of rock.




Wanda Jackson Has A Party

Band: Wanda Jackson
Venue:
The Corner Hotel
Date:
18th June 210
Reviewed By:
Espylyn

Wanda Jackson – the first lady of rockabilly came, sung and kicked some 71 year young booty to all punters at The Corner Hotel tonight. At first the big band behind her pumped up the crowd by giving Wanda an introduction that lifted the roof off and then out she came appearing comfortable, flashing those pearly whites and before too long she threw up the microphone and began with Mean Mean Man which finished with rapturous applause.

She ripped into old and new tunes and satisfied all the crowd who constantly heckled and declared their love throughout the entire set. Anyone would think she has never toured here before with the amount of love and applause in the room tonight!

Wanda spoke about her time with Elvis Presley and how she ‘dated’ Elvis for a couple of years and even wore his ring and she went on to say she did kiss him but laughs and ads “although the person I married is a better kisser”. Meeting Jack White she tells us was an amazing experience and she spoke about her up and coming album due out later this year.

Songs like Fujiyama Mama, Heartbreak Hotel and Chicken on The Ground as well as seducing us with her high vocals and yodelling to boot, it’s fair to say Wanda can rock up there with the best of them.

Punters alike were dressed to impress with their fringes, spots and bows in their hair, lots of rockabilly punters young and older.

After band introductions she went straight into the big hit Lets Have A Party before heading off for a quick break and then back singing more of the Lets Have A Party in the encore.

Wanda really is the atomic bomb in lipstick, hair and the first lady of rock.


Friday, June 18, 2010

Grinners are Winners

Band: Grinspoon supported by Gun Street Girls
Venue: The Corner Hotel
Date: 17th June 2010
Reviewed By: Espylyn

Gun Street Girls played to an almost full crowd showing us that Dave Larkin and co and here to stay, with songs off their debut album entering our ears, they play like they own the stage and of course have been on it many times before. Millenium Girl and One Slip Away are highlight songs.

Due to loyal demand, Grinspoon put on an extra one off show for Melbourne at The Corner Hotel which was well received and brings to light their sixth studio album Six To Midnight. Grinspoon gave punters tonight a collection of all that is good about Grinspoon; lots of hits from all albums and a stage show which gave way to moshing, crowd surfing and tonnes of screaming.

At first Phil starting sliding against the wall and knocking stage items over which made me wonder what we’d be in store for tonight but that spectacle didn’t last long and he was up and pumped throughout for the rest of the show. The lighting is spectacular and it proved a good light show can help bring a performance to its peak.

Songs tonight included Hard Act To Follow, Chemical Heart, More Than You, Sweet As Sugar and Comeback and many more.

The sound is loud and rocking whilst punters unleash any fury to the mosh pit and when Phil flashes his smile the punters pause for a moment to witness it. Pat Davern on guitar rocks out, Joe Hansen on bass gives us some mighty thumping bass sounds and Kristian Hopes on drums keeping the beat that is Grinspoon.

Phil Jamieson and co put on a hell of a show and left us wanting more.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The Man formerly known as Cat Stevens

Band: Yusuf Islam with support from Noxshi
Venue: Rod Laver Arena
Date: 16th June 2010
Reviewed By: Espylyn

Tonight there was never a doubt it would be a sell out show for us to witness Yusuf Islam perform after an absence of 36 years in Australia, and what a show we witnessed. From beginning to end the crowd ate up each note and each word Yusuf spoke.

Yusuf sang tunes sitting from his chair with support from a fantastic band. Songs included Avoid City After Dark (newbie), Where Do The Children Play, Matthew and Son and a collective mix of hits told around a story that Yusuf wrote (and is soon to become a stage production of a boy living in a world lit by moon shadows) and the background displayed throughout the night that was amazing, Tim Burton-esque drawings.

A quick break for Yusuf and punters alike and its more tunes which take us on a ride of calmness and relaxation entwined with body swaying. A voice that has not altered over the years -smooth, clear and happy, a man who obviously loves life and a man whom I am certainly glad took time to tour after so many years absent from the advertised music life. As a child Yusuf survived tuberculous and as an adule he found God after nearly drowning in the ocean.

Some jokes, new tunes and some of his top shelf songs such as Wild World (also sung partly in African), Father and Son which was dedicated to his son who is in the band that supported tonight, Moon Shadow and lastly Peace Train.

Yusuf left us with a good feeling surounding us and he took us on a ride that hopefully will not be another 36 years of wait.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

British India and Big Scary at The Corner Hotel

Band: British India with support from Big Scary
Venue: The Corner Hotel
Date: 11th June 2010
Reviewed By: Espylyn

Big Scary came out (a two piece Melbourne band), with minor appeal that soon tore that aspect away, blasting away the punters in the corner who were at first talking amongst themselves but not long into the set the punters shut up and took note of this band. Old time rock, riffs and melodies fused with vocal harmonies gave way for a potential up and coming rock garage band.

British India vocalist Declan Melia announced he had the flu yet paved his way through the set nonetheless. British India formed in Melbourne 2004 and with a sell out crowd tonight they showed us they won't be stopping for a while to come. The release of their latest album Avalanches was prominent tonight with a lot of tunes from this newbie but Declan told us at one point that "the old stuff will be coming".

I don't feel the punters were bothered about having new songs played as the crowd seemed to be a very attentive one at that, going nuts to almost all songs, even the more moodier, slower tunes! There was definatley something lacking in the vocals tonight but with the flu taking hold it must be hard to live up to expectations. The rest of the band gelled and showed us the music that is British India because when they are swinging, they are winning.