Live Review: HOLY HOLY + CLEWS @ THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL

The Rosemount Hotel’s concert room is packed wall to wall for this sold-out show. Most of the other shows on this tour are also selling out, including the night before at Mojo’s in Fremantle.
Clews were mesmerising. They have a stage presence that is electric and at first, under-appreciated by the chattering Rosemount crowd. They soon grab the crowd’s attention, though, especially when they play latest release, Crushed, a standout number. After a number of as yet  unreleased numbers that remind me a little of rockers Stonefield, Clews finish with their hit Museum, and leave the stage to huge applause.

It is another twenty minutes before Holy Holy take to the stage. The band are fronted by Oscar and Tim on vocals and guitar, along with guitarist and producer, Matt, and drummer Ryan. The crowd is weirdly rowdy tonight, with a couple of almost fights and a few people dragged out by security. But there is an infectious anticipation just before Holy Holy hit the stage.
Firstly, this set is LOUD. I am still not sure if that is down to the venue, or if they literally turned up the volume on the speakers for tonight’s show, but the bass especially is intense enough that some (ahem, weak) concertgoers grab free earplugs off the bar staff. Their light show is also fantastic, bathing the band in an alternating purple/yellow and red glow that brings Oscar and Tim into the forefront.
Holy Holy kick off the set You Cannot Call for Love Like a Dog, a song propelled by crystal sharp guitar breaks and polished vocal harmonies. Long-time fans mouth along to the words of the song that is off Holy Holy’s first album release, When the Storms Would Come. They play two unreleased songs from the upcoming new album, which they inform the crowd is “Seventy-percent done” and is scheduled for release sometime next year. The second new song is a 1980s-inspired tune that I am sure will be a hit, with an addictive chorus.

For latest single Faces, Clews come back onstage to sing the distinctive backing vocals. The new approach seems to be more heavily drum-focused with none of their signature meaty guitar riffs, though Tim’s talented lead guitar is (thankfully!!) still strong on the live version.
For the bridge of Willow Tree, the guys get the crowd clapping along, building up to a crowd frenzy as the drums kick in again. They also play their Triple J Like a Version cover of Beyoncé’s Hold Up, which is undoubtedly one of the best and most original Like a Version covers ever. The performance helped Holy Holy enormously to gain the national attention they needed to have their own music heard and now to put on so many of these sold-out shows.

Before prog-rock-esque number Send My Regards, Tim basically apologises, saying they don’t always play the song but are going to anyway. Rendering this intro unnecessary, the song is really well-received, building to an explosive guitar-led ending. Also from their last album, the band play Darwinism, and December, a dreamy song with wispy vocals and a strong drumbeat. Then there is the ever-popular track, Elevator.
True Lovers features in the encore, a track that encourages anyone not yet dancing to do so. Loud and guitar-heavy, this Holy Holy set is exhilarating and no one could leave with any doubts about the strength of the band’s new direction.

Live Review: OLAFUR ARNALDS @ Sydney Opera House

It was quite fitting that the day Sydney received a month’s worth of rain Icelandic producer Olafur Arnalds landed in town for his show at the Opera House. The city had come to a grinding halt with flights cancelled and roads closed and Arnalds was fortunate to touchdown two hours before the show started.  Composer Max Richter had to deal with similar conditions two years ago when he played his eight hour opus Sleep at the Opera House for the VIVID Festival. Arnalds is renowned for blending cinematic soundscapes with piano loops and ambient electronics, the multi-instrumentalist is in Australia to tour his new album Re:member.
Arnalds walked onto the lowlit concert hall  with his string quartet and a drummer and took a seat at one of his three pianos. He said they had come all the way from Iceland by boat a month or so ago and was relieved they arrived safely, especially in light of the storms. The audience were then asked to sing back one note to Arnalds so he could record and loop it into the concert’s  opening track which turned out to be the epic Only The Winds from his 2013 album For Now I Am Winter. It was a bold move to open with such a dramatic piece of music but it commanded the audience’s attention immediately, especially  with Arnald‘s delicate piano building  into a debilitating crescendo of drums and strings.

Throughout the show Arnalds sprinkled older songs into the set which seamlessly blended into the newer material from his latest album. The stage was bathed in a luminous orange light for Re:member and Unfold, which then flickered around perfectly in time with the song. For the more sombre numbers such as Only The Winds and 3326,  a blue hue descended upon the stage adding an extra layer of gravitas to the performance. One of the highlights of the night was Undir ; a glitch breakbeat IDM inspired track that nearly had Arnalds leaping out of his stool and dancing on more than one occasion.

One of the most interesting things about Arnalds is that he is very easy going and humorous for someone that is into classical music. As he came back onstage for the encore he dedicated a song to his late grandmother (Lag fyrir ömmu) who played a huge part in his musical upbringing. He said that when he was a teenager he liked punk & death metal and his grandmother in Reykjavik would invite him over to fix her ‘broken’ radio. She instilled a love of classical music in him on these visits and was one of his biggest fans when his career took off. He turned his back on the audience and then played this song on one of the smaller pianos and one could almost hear a pin drop after he played the last note. A few seconds he stood up, bowed and left the stage.

Live Review: JOE SATRIANI @ The Forum

Joe Satriani fans rejoice! At long last, the documentary “Beyond the Supernova” is available as part of an incredible box set Including the film, 32 songs of previously unreleased music, and more!
Visit the site for all the details of this super limited set and get your pre-order now!

Ready Set Go! First set at Joe Satriani’s ‘What happen’s Next’ Melbourne show did not disappoint. There was no support act at 8:15pm just straight down to business with Joe and his band. With amazing sound from Ibanez signature designed electric guitars, Marshall Amps, Korg keyboards at the iconic heritage listed Forum , it was certainly a rocking night. What a fabulous choice for a venue!!
The current live touring band rocking 6 cities in Australia included the 15 time grammy nominated star himself, Joe Satriani, the amazing Mike Keneally on guitar/keyboards, Bryan Beller, bass guitarist, and Joe Travers on drums, from Pennyslvania, U.S.
With the Melbourne show not sold out, the queue of people presenting were a sign of serious musicians attending the guitarists show! T-shirts went past such as Rolling Stones. AC/DC, Metallica, and of course with Joe Satriani from previous concerts! Musicians travelled through the Mezzanine area for a V.I.P meet and greet with Joe Satriani carrying a range of guitars in heavy cases in order for them to be signed.  Many were seen wearing the official merchandise such as the signature beanie and black t-shirts with photography of Joe wearing his aviator glasses. Most of the crowd were mature and low key.

The general admission crowd standing in front of a traditional stage, went wild on the opening song as expected which was assisted with a giant video screen for effect of moving cars. A rock anthem followed with lots of guitar distortion and slides with purple lighting for additional mood. The stage was a blaze with three guitars, keys and drums. Another rocking song followed that was delivered by Joe Satriani from the cool silver metallic Ibanez guitar which was held up to the lights which was quite blinding for the audience!! Black and white screen reflections added to the theme of cold rock.  Loved the strong bass lines from Bryan Beller. The fourth song was a new track from the latest album titled ‘Cherry Blossoms’  A more romantic, epic song. Japanese imagery was on the giant video screen which assisted to create the atmosphere.  The crowd were happy with a small amount of die hard fans evident. Joe continued to change guitars effortlessly throughout the first set. The next guitar change to the Red Hot Ibanez, was a rock song with space ship video imagery travelling at lightning speed through space. Lighting was focused on Joe with all the other musicians in the dark. There were guitar licks and ripper slides inspiring me to take up electric guitar! The next song, the 6thsong in the first set saw Joe performing the string technique whilst using his teeth, inspired by Jimi Hendrix.
There were cosmic keyboard sounds and headless guitar techniques from the talented Mike Keneally. The crowd were clapping to this heavy rock song that was initiated by the bass player so a great atmosphere! On the giant video screen, there were thunderbolts, sunset, earthern imagery to create a dramatic effect. Joe then got down on bended knee for the crowd which was great to see him getting more up close and personal with his fans. The next song ‘Ceremony’ from his seventh studio album Crystal Planet released 1998, was a V.I.P crowd members favourite album. The signature silver metallic reflector guitar was used for this performance under warm red and cool blue lighting. The heavy metal/rock song ended with one ripping guitar solo from Joe. There were loads of phones in the crowd recording imagery and very little head banging going on! The penultimate song, was another great rock song where Joe continued to use the amazing silver metallic guitar for the crowd. The bass guitarist reminded me a lot of my favourite bass player, Timothy B Schmidt from the Eagles with his technique and free flowing mane of hair. There was little talking going on during the gig from the artist and the crowd, and they were absolutely mesmerised by their guitar hero from New York. At times as all guitarists do when they are playing they crouch over like it hurts to hit those notes for additional effect. Absolutely love it!! The bass solo was very cool then Joe ripped another solo. He then said ‘ I’m gonna hold onto this pick and be back in 15minutes’!

The second set commenced at 9:30pm with classic tune  ‘Sleep Walk’. The crowd loved this legendary instrumental song originally recorded in 1959 by Santo and Johnny Farina. Hearing the tune, instantly conjured up feelings of watching the La Bamba movie about singer Richie Valens  Joe Satriani delivered  under cool green lights to polished perfection with the red hot Ibanez guitar.
Drum solo performed by Joe Travers, was fabulous. The drum kit was all lit up under white lights and there were no other musicians on stage so what a time to shine! The crowd loved it.
Always with me, Always with you was next from album Surfing With The Aliens. This song was a highlight of the show, great song. Written for his wife, Rubina. Emotional theme. Video screen featured blue and green mixed with magenta lights. An end of the road song so amazing a tear jerker. One of my favourites of the night.

Performing ‘Surfing With The Aliens’ was the absolute highlight of the evening. Totally electricifying with striking lighting and giant pop art style cartoons on video screen. Same designs as seen on his CD cover. The only CD I have listened to in his career to be honest! His second studio album and most successful to date released in 1987.
After the show, one passionate fan commented this was his best show out of the 6 he had attended. 5 in Melbourne and 1 in Sydney. Another V.I.P fan who I was sitting next to was thrilled to have met Joe Satriani who is a down to earth guy. The show ended beautifully rocking out until 10:25pm!

Live Review: DEAN LEWIS @ The Croxton

Just off the back of winning an ARIA for best music video is Dean Lewis’ Australian tour, stopping in at the Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne on Friday night. Australian artists Jack Gray and Robinson had the crowd huddled in and warmed up in preparation for Lewis’s set in the dimly blue-lit room.
“How ya doin? This is my first tour” Lewis announced, waving and beaming as he bounded energetically onto stage, to which the audience screamed deafeningly as the first notes of Lose My Mind we’re struck up by his 4-piece band. Lewis is gifted with a voice that translates beautifully to live performances and has the quality of a studio recording. Paired with his iconic upbeat guitar and commanding voice the audience bopped up and down as Lewis strummed on his acoustic guitar. However, it wasn’t a long-lasting dance party as Lewis quickly transitioned into his more emotional tracks and took to his keyboard.

“Hey you guys wanna hear a really sad love song?” he asked his audience as the lighting dimmed to a yellow haze and a smoke machine spat out fog. Quickly moving from a Half a Man through to one of the crowd favourites Let Go, Lewis was true to his word and the sad love songs continued. About mid-way through his performance it was clear the audience’s attention was starting to slip a little as conversations began to rise up in volume. But Lewis was quick to reel everyone back in with his most energetic and cheerful song thus far-
‘This is a new song called Tumble, hope you don’t hate it!’
The veins popped in Lewis’ right arm as he strummed vigorously and sang his most uplifting song yet ‘we don’t fall down, we don’t fall down. We tumble magnificently.’ After the welcome change in pace Lewis was back on the keyboard once again with the most anticipated song of the night. Lewis’ 2018 single and ARIA award winning track Be Alright was certified platinum within four weeks of release and is currently certified quadruple platinum.
‘As you know, I’m an actor now’ Lewis joked as he introduced the chart-topping single. Girls jumped onto their boyfriend’s shoulders and phone torches illuminated the stage as hands began to raise and float from side to side. The audience sang along so passionately that Lewis was drowned out completely. As the last chorus began he stepped away from the mic and let the audience carry the song to completion. ‘WE LOVE YOU DEAN LEWIS’ screamed a shrill female voice audience as the cheering
became deafening.

Lewis has one of the most recognisable voices in Australian music today, which he heavily relied on. Lewis let his voice drive the show while his stage performance took a back seat. Not to say that he didn’t have stage presence, but between jumping from guitar to keyboard there wasn’t a whole lot to look at up on the stage. Lewis finished up his set with his debut single Waves, a certified triple platinum song that again had the audience singing louder than Lewis himself, which says a lot for an artist of such high status within the Australian music industry.

Live Review: BLOC PARTY + HAIKU HANDS @ Hordern Pavilion

Who doesn’t love a good old fun, filthy party eh?? Well on Thursday night I jumped on a train and took myself into Sydney to experience one of the best mother-crapping parties in all of the land: Bloc Party!!

The London based rock outfit have come Down Under to tour their original debut album, Silent Alarm, and man am I happy about it. They played old tunes, new tunes, slow tunes, insane tunes, basically just a consistent string of ridiculously delightful tunes.

Opening the night we had artsy girls Haiku Hands. I’d heard these chicks milling around on Triple J quite a bit over the past year, so I was interested to catch them live. Originally, I wasn’t too sure if they would fit the bill for Bloc Party, but once we were a few songs in I was like ‘ohhhh yeah I get it now’. They were confident, creative, and totally bloody crazy, with their songs preaching femme power and pooploads of fun. The crowd started off small, but gradually grew as people began to get sucked in by the girls’ infectious energy. Their fluro outfits were fire, as were their synchronized dance moves, and they even flung out a bunch of streamers at one point. The Haiku chicks popped out songs such as ‘Squat’, ‘Jupiter’ and ‘Not About You’, before finishing off with a universally relatable tune involved the phrase ‘fuck this shit’. Fab.
Between sets I made sure to neck as much water as I could, mostly because the stage’s smoke machine was closing up my airways, but also because I needed to moisten my throat for some serious ‘woo’ing. We’d managed to grab ourselves a spacious spot directly in front of a giant stack of speakers, so immense amounts of musical brain-throbbing was bound to occur, however as soon as Bloc Party hit the room, I welcomed the pain with open ears. The band started off with slow burner ‘Compliments’, turning the room into a forest of swaying punters. The misty, mellow vibes continued as they played ‘Plans’, before throwing us all into a bass-driven boogie with ‘Price of Gasoline’.

One of the things that stood out to me the most (other than how fricken sensational Bloc Party are live) was actually the lighting. There were crazy white strobes for the fast tunes, and dark purple tones for the more ominous ones. It all made so much sense and accented the music very well! But of course, good lighting can only be appreciated if there’s something for it to shine on, and dayum did we get to see something beautiful. Frontman Kele has such a remarkable voice; even his normal speaking voice is bloody nice to listen to! His hard-ass spunky facial expressions during songs were just as entertaining as the music itself, with his beastly stares forcing the crowd to jump a little harder.
As the night partied on, we got to hear more 2005-era masterpieces, including ‘Banquet’ (*cue Guitar Hero flashbacks), ‘Luno’, ‘Helicopter’, ‘She’s Hearing Voices’ and the heart-tingling tune ‘This Modern Love’. The latter was met with a five-thousand-person backing choir and a sky full of confetti, so that was pretty incredible. Each band member was tackling their instrument with absolute precision, meshing the sounds together so flawlessly that I was honestly convinced it sounded better than the original album. The roaring bass lines vibrated every limb, and the twangy guitar complimented Kele’s low velvety voice to about the same calibre as mustard complimenting a pickle. If you know me well, you’ll know those are two of my absolutely favourite foods so that’s a HUGE statement for me to make, and I bloody stick by it! The most impressive person on stage, however, was killer drummer Louise, who is now sitting up there in my personal Top 10 Musical Women of The Year list. God she was so cool, violently chipping away at that drumkit like a wild crop-topped animal. Controlling the beat to such quirky, off-kilter songs isn’t easy, especially when you’re trying to smash out backing vocals at the same time, but she made it look totally sinch. You’re a mellifluous gem Louise.

Eventually the band exhausted their Silent Alarm playlist and went off to have a breather, returning soon after to slap us with a quick bunch of more recent snacks. On came huge 2012 hit ‘Octopus’, punching it’s groovy tentacles into all of our eager ears. The entire pavilion went nuts as heavenly rock tune ‘The Prayer’ entered the scene, and there wasn’t a still bod in the room as hectic song ‘Ratchet’ closed out the night. They gave us all a bow as we gave them cheer, and that was the end of my beautiful Bloc Party experience!

Live Review: GREAT GABLE Golden Slums Tour @ Oxford Arts Factory

Perth based band Great Gable put a subtle twist on the alternative-indie sound. Familiar faces to supporting the likes of The Jungle Giants, The Jezebels and Ocean Alley, they mix lo-fi sounding vocals with unheard of guitar rifts. Their crowds yearn for the quartet’s groovy and mellow vibe, which is almost lazy, in the best way possible.
Their tour was for their newly released hit single Goldem Slums, but brought a heap of old energy with them.

The newly formed band play as if they’ve been playing for decades. Their stage style is carefree, almost apathetic in a way that mesmerises you. The band started out playing tracks from their earlier EP, Modern Interactions, having an even-tempered and gentle feel in such an intimate venue. They performed Early Morning and Something to Say, starting with a slow, easy going tempo.
Things really picked up early when the quartet smack out Punga, which got the crowd dancing together with beers to the roof. A clear highlight would be when Taste squeezed its way through for a nifty guitar solo, hypnotising the crowd to sway their bodies, like puppets controlled by every strum of the guitar strings.
Until that is, the moment almost everyone in the crowd was waiting for, Great Gable begin the chant All Day Long. The whole crowd of about 50 sang along, both through verses and chorus,  singing and dancing in such a tight room.
The energy was almost transferable for their next hits, Golden Slums and Drift, with now short waits between songs, hitting the crowd with banger after banger. These songs were mesmerising and powerful enough to get a crowd of strangers wrapping their arms around each other. It was almost methodical for the band to finish off with Shine, reeling in the crowd to mirror the way the show started: completely tranquil.

Live Review: THE BREEDERS @ Sydney Opera House

The Breeders performed at the Sydney Opera House on 30 November. Although they’ve not set foot on these shores since 2013, the fans’ favourite line-up consisting of the Deal sisters (identical twins Kim and Kelley), Josephine Wiggs and drummer Jim Macpherson that reformed in 2012, played to a packed audience in the Opera House Concert Hall. Although the name ‘Breeders’ was used by the Deal sisters for a folk duo they formed in their teens, the contemporary version of The Breeders began in 1989 when Kim Deal, bassist in The Pixies, got together with Tanya Donnelly, then guitarist of Throwing Muses, whilst The Pixies were on hiatus. A critically-acclaimed album, Pod, was released in the interim, which the troubled Nirvana singer-songwriter Kurt Cobain hailed as his favourite album.

A year later The Pixies disbanded, so Kim, who felt creatively stifled in the group, was enabled to focus her songwriting talents on the new project. In time, Kim’s twin sister Kelley joined a revised line-up of The Breeders (Donnelly went on to form Belly) and in 1993 they recorded the commercially successful Last Splash. This included the singles Divine Hammer and Cannonball, as well as Drivin’ On Nine, No Aloha and tonight’s encores, I Just Wanna Get Along and Do You Love Me Now; catchy, edgy numbers that typify The Breeders’ alt-rock style of bittersweet melodies.

They were all received at the Opera House to a rousing reception, Cannonball especially propelling the sit-down audience into a dancing mass, which made me wonder why rows of chairs were stationed all the way to the edge of the stage. The Opera House Concert Hall is a wonderful arena to appreciate music. Although, traditionally, it has been used for classical concerts, opera and ballet, the layered, genre-defying rock melodies of The Breeders– alternately soothing then fast-and-abrasive, sometimes within the same song! – were magnificently captured. Kyle, “from the basements of Dayton, Ohio,” also joined them on keyboards for one song.

Live Review: BON JOVI + BIRDS OF TOKYO @ MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND

New Jersey rock veterans BON JOVI brought their explosive act back to Australia after a 5 year absence and did not disappoint. With BIRDS OF TOKYO in tow as support act, and the December weather giving way to a soft warm evening, the night was due to be a great one. A large majority of the 60,000+ crowd being made up of Bon Jovi’s older original fans, it’s clear that the guys have well and truly kept their fanbase around, regardless of the years that may have passed.
Starting 5 minutes early, Birds of Tokyo began their act to a near empty arena and I couldn’t help but feel bad for them as they put on a fantastic performance. The entire arena was seated apart from a small general standing section at the back of the grounds, which seemed unfortunate but understandably necessary for such a large expected crowd. BOT’s sound tech was a godsend, sounding absolutely on point – it could almost have been played straight from the record it was so clear and distinct. The clear vocals and well-balanced band came together to put on a spectacular quality performance and kept the stage energy up – all the more appreciated considering the lack of crowd response. Lead singer Ian Kenney paused after a booming performance of ‘Empire’ to introduce, saying ‘God damn Melbourne, love this town, it’s always special when we come here’. Kenney’s vocals were near-perfect, minus a few higher notes that weren’t quite reached projection-wise. They went on to play ‘Broken Bones’ and ‘I’d Go With You Anywhere’, and filled up as much of the massive stage as possible with their performance of well-known track ‘Wild At Heart’. Kenney had to pull away at one point after, mentioning ‘Oh no my shoe has come apart, I’ve gotta fix this’, before going on to play ‘Brace’ which held an amazing breakdown and some seriously smooth on stage moves from Kenney – not to mention his funky printed jacket, gotta get me one of those.

I really can’t explain how GOOD the sound is for this act, kudos to whoever their sound tech was. As they play through ‘Silhouettic’ and better-known song ‘Plans’ the crowd finally begin to fill in and participate. Next, they introduced a new song detailing what sounded like a sad dramatic breakup with the lyrics ‘Nobody loved you like I did, I thought you’d be mother to my kid’ – potentially called ‘Promises’. Moving into somewhat more upbeat discography, they went on to play another radio-popular track ‘Anchor’ and cheerfully welcomed new punters still entering the grounds before playing another new release ‘Unbreakable’ which is a fantastic song of hope and self-assurance – the song sounding somewhat reminiscent of American band This Wild Life. Before playing their final songs for the night, Kelley expresses his thanks once again and comments on the privilege of the night, stating ‘Look at this my friends, what a beautiful thing.’ Birds of Tokyo finish up their gorgeous set with well-known tune ‘Lanterns’ and 2012 tune ‘This Fire’ and made their way off stage as the now enthusiastic crowd of many old and new fans cheer, now patiently waiting for the main event.

The half hour between the two acts was filled in with a few INXS, AC/DC and Queen tracks playing intermittently, the venue and sound-tech obviously knowing their primary audience’s tastes. As dragonflies started to make an appearance in the summer weather and dark clouds begin to roll overhead, middle-aged men and women are now dancing with drinks in hand.
Bon Jovi’s set begins slightly late at 8:11 with a dramatic ‘Lost Highway-esque’ (the film, not their song) video of the Australian flag and main Australian cities and road imagery, invigorating the crowd for what is to come. The entire audience is now on their feet, anticipating what they remember of the band’s previous tours and releases. A grey-haired Jon Bon Jovi makes his way to the middle of the huge stage wearing a jacket emblazoned with their ‘shot through the heart/You Give Love A Bad Name’ imagery and ‘This House Is Not For Sale’ begins to play. Giant print-outs of a young Jon’s head on sticks begin to bob up and down at the front of the crowd as he pulls out the vocals he is so well known for. They hold up but are clearly not quite as strong as they used to be and are sounding a little stressed and wobbly – thought this probably wasn’t helped by the depletion in sound quality (which has apparently been attributed to wind…I’m not so sure). This doesn’t deter the crowd, however, and they continue to sing along, clapping and cheering as they would have 20 years ago. The side-stage screens show perfectly clear images of the band and Jon grinning out to the crowd, evidently holding the same rock’n’roll attitude as always.
I personally had quite an emotional reason for wanting to see these boys live, and I’m so glad I got the chance, and it hits me as Jon begins and introduction between songs; ‘Well good evening Melbourne Australia, we got a lot of catching up to do’. As the side screens turn to black and white, we hear ‘YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME’ begin, and this song being one of a few more largely popular of their discography, the crowd goes absolutely crazy, clapping along to the beat and singing the last chorus back to the stage as the band sat silent- what a moment.

As the show goes on its clear the boys have near-defined ageing gracefully, as they prove their skill and talent has not withered, with guitar solos everywhere (seriously, take a shot every time there’s a guitar solo) and more pianos and keyboards than I could count. After moving through, ‘Whole Lot Of Leavin”, ‘Lost Highway’, and ‘We Weren’t Born To Follow’, Jon takes a moment to mention their latest record ‘This House Is Not For Sale’ and proudly declares their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and introduces the rest of the band. Jon pauses to nervously laugh, saying ‘This song did REALLY well back in the states, not sure how it went here…’ and began to play ‘Roller Coaster’, though it seemed they had nothing to worry about as the crowd sang it right back. By this point the arena is near-filled, as the waves of cheering come rolling through to the front. Jon takes an acoustic guitar – having previously been empty handed and begins a solo-intro to ‘Who Says You Can’t Go Home’, with the rest of the band coming in boldly for the chorus. Brothers, sisters, family, couples, are all swaying arm-in-arm, singing to each other, and raising their hands in time with each repeat of the words ‘IT’S ALRIGHT’, through the last chorus and outro. ‘Born To Be My Baby’ plays next, and by the time Bon Jovi classic and crowd favourite ‘It’s My Life’ comes around the skies have cleared to reveal a deep dark sky, making for an amazing atmosphere going forward.
Jon being clearly aware of the stage-camera placement, uses this to his advantage, posing in front of middle stage camera for dramatic jumps and song-endings, creating an all-engaging performance from all angles. By the time ‘It’s My Life’ finishes I am well and truly in tears.

As ‘God Bless This Mess’ plays through, images of old newspaper articles fill the stage-screen, detailing past articles and negative headlines about the band ‘losing their touch’ and other (good and bad) drama in the bands catalogue. Running through their songs of resistance and hope ‘We Don’t Run’ and ‘Keep The Faith’ play through, Jon appearing to worship Tico Torres on drums, and as can be seen on the side-screens, he is going HARD – such respect goes to these guys. As performers, they’ve certainly kept their passion and skills alive. ‘Bed Of Roses’ appears to have quite an effect on the crowd, creating a sea of lit-up lighters and phone torches around the arena to match to candle display on the stage-screen. As I begin to notice the feeling of the music literally coming through the floor, a girl at the front in camera shot is yelling ‘HE’S RIGHT THERE’ as guitarist Phil X walks down the catwalk of the stage to play yet another intense guitar solo, followed by a double-keyboard solo from David Brian, ending the song with a massive finish.
Jon now stands at the front of the catwalk himself, stating ‘I think it’s about time we put this thing into 7th gear’, as they kick into ‘Lay Your Hands On Me’. A large fan-sign at the front of the crowd presents itself with the words ‘BON JOVI WE SALUTE YOU’ in big black letters, before the band play through what appears to be the last songs of the set; ‘I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead’ and a massive performance of ‘Bad Medicine’. I say ‘appears’, because this definitely wasn’t the end. With the crowd still cheering and punters whistling and yelling for an encore, the lights haven’t gone up yet and we ask ourselves…will they? OF  COURSE THEY WILL. A freshly dressed Jon makes his way back on stage to finish the HUGE 2 hour set with ‘Blood On Blood’, ‘I’ll Be There For You’, ‘Wanted Dead Or Alive’ and of course their huge hit ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ – much to the joy of anticipating punters behind me.
While I dare say this may just be the last tour, its clearly one for the books. Officially finishing for the night at 10:22 pm after a massive 2hr+ set, Jon stands on stage pouting his lips and fist in the air in classic rock style. The night was obviously a mammoth moment for all in attendance, and while perhaps age may be showing its effects, the band still hold up for their long-time fans, old and young.

Live Review: Dean Lewis @ The Astor Theatre, WA

Dean Lewis could be Australia’s teenage dream. The singer and songwriter from Sydney has all those classically attractive Australian traits, a shaggy mop of hair that suggests he may have just come back from a surf. Weary blue eyes that stoically stare out and a laid back straight down-the-line way of speaking. Couple that with his knack for writing soul-baring lyrics, and there is a reason why there was a high proportion of young women in the sold-out crowd at The Astor Theatre.
Telling the audience straight off the bat that he ‘wrote most of my songs in my bedroom’. His songs have an intimate feel and even with hundreds of people singing along Lewis was able to maintain a sense of intimacy throughout the show as he switched between his guitars and keyboard and ably backed by his band.
The lights went out and the crowd let out an excited scream as Lewis and his band came out for a short and snappy hour-long set beginning with ‘Lose My Mind’. In all its live glory the song lifted off in vibrant form to follow with a bold performance of ‘Stay Awake’, a song that is likely to appear on his debut album.

It was a great start for a set that never stayed too long in any maudlin territory because let’s face it Lewis’ songs can be emotionally raw. But in spite of the searching lyrics like, “How can I win when I’m bound to lose?” and from ‘Half A Man’ “I’ve been running from myself, afraid of what I would find” the melodies keep the songs ultimately hopeful. Lewis knows things are bad now, but they will get better at some point.
With the crowd enthusiastic to everything Lewis offered up, he led a large sing-a-long through ‘Chemicals’ and ‘Let Go’, and if they couldn’t sing along they would clap. Staring out at the audience Lewis still flashes that look of incredulity that you see in an emerging artist who is having their songs sung back to them.
During song breaks, Lewis riffed about the origins of the next song, most coming from places of emotional relationship turmoil. Yet it was somewhat of a contradiction to hear his lyrics filled with self-doubt and contemplation to then have him speak with joviality and a natural confidence.

There were many appearances of songs that will end up on his first album like ‘Hold Me’ and ‘The Place We Knew’ which were received just as appreciatively as his other beloved songs like ‘Need You Now’. With his sound pulsing through the same vein of indie folk rock with the likes of Passenger and Tallest Man On Earth it will be interesting to see if Lewis will cut himself a different cloth against all those other tender souls with guitars.
If the crowd was anything to go by then the lad is in a good spot. As he began the first rambling lyrics of ‘Be Alright’ and everyone erupted into a chorus and held up their phones; Lewis’ trajectory appears to be only up.
A stripped back version of idol Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing In The Dark’ lacked the restlessness of the original and it closed the set in quiet fashion leading the crowd unsure if an encore was to follow. It did, allowing fans one more chance to sing and pour their hearts out with the massive ‘Waves‘.

Live Review: GRAPEVINE GATHERING @ Roche Estate

Ahhhh, ‘tis finally the season for Frosty Fruits and unwarranted day drinking, otherwise known as Aussie summer. The days of sucking down soup while freezing your nips off under a thousand blankets are goneskies! It’s time to whip out those calves and douse your face in glitter, because that ALSO means its Music Festival Season! Woohoo!
I got to start my fezzie season early this year by heading out to Grapevine Gathering in the Hunter Valley. The event has only been happening for a couple of years, and well I can officially say that losing my Grapevine virginity was beyond riveting. It was honestly such a cracker of a day, mixing together beaut bands, wonderful sunny weather, and of course the most important thing of all: wine.

The bus queue in Newy was ginormous, which meant we got to the festival a little later than expected, but it gave me and my mate time to finish an extra cider so all was still well. When I eventually jumped off the bus at Roche Estate, I was overwhelmed with a variety of emotions. The main one being panic as I was dangerously close to pissing myself thanks to that damn last minute cider, but I was also feeling very excited to see some sweet live music! Once I’d finally emptied the tank at a toilet across the road, we waltzed our way into the beautifully vibrant venue. There were so many fun things to look at! We had huge bunches of grapes on either side of the stage, two giant goon sacks, a blow-up DJ church, some questionable punter outfits, and a whole lotta vines! There were also a record number of bars around, so that was definitely a plus.

The first act we caught was Brisbane singer JOY. Well this lovely lady truly did live up to her name, injecting musical happiness into everyone’s souls with her gorgeous songs. There were a lot of people milling around the festival by this point, but not many of them were in front of the stage (this was because of the scorching devil sun though, not because people didn’t like the music). She played chilled out tunes such as ‘About Us’ and ‘Smoke Too Much’, before handing over the stage to music producer Dom Dolla.

Dom’s music was obviously quite a change of pace from JOY.’s mellow melodies. He immediately transformed Roche Estate into a mean, green party machine by throwing on remixes of multiple current bangers. His song transitions were smooth and groovy, amping up the chill atmosphere and drawing people to the front. The air’s temperature was climbing by this point, and man were we all feelin’ it. I had to ditch the d-floor after about ten minutes because I was soaked in sweat, but the rest of the glistening crowd were total Weather Warriors, bopping a little harder as Dom dished out original songs like ‘Take It’ and ‘You’. He left the stage with a massive smile and an incredibly grateful (and exhausted) audience.

Young Franco was up next, continuing the day’s dancey vibes. He looked ridiculously happy behind those decks, swaying his lanky limbs about in the cutest way possible. The sun was getting evil now, baking the crowd into one giant delicious, glittery party pie. Apparently hotter weather gives males the perfect excuse to peacock around with their sweaty torsos on show, I mean shirts were honestly dropping at a quicker rate than the bar’s grog stock. I find it ironic that they take their clothes off to survive the heat, when actually it increases their chances of ruining their sculpted bods with mass amounts of sunburn? Speaking of, my poor womanly chest copped such a sun-beating it decided to turn a shade of red that can only be compared to the colour of a general waste bin lid. The winery did have lots of free sunscreen and a nice number of umbrellas set up though, so my scorched skin was relatively self-inflicted. Young Franco threw us all lots of bangers throughout his set, including ‘About This Thing’ and ‘Miss You’, before closing out with huge hit ‘Drop Your Love’.

It wasn’t long before T-Kay Maidza hopped on up, jumping around her floral-laden stage like a beautiful musical bunny. Her drummer was great to watch, whacking his head around almost as hard as he was whacking the kit. We were standing really close to the front for a while, but the temperature was turning us into a pair of sultanas so we took a breather to source some food. Venturing up to the food truck corner was a grape decision, with the chicken-loaded fries filling an incredibly empty void in my being (otherwise known as my stomach). T-Kay played all the right hits, such as ‘M.O.B.’ and ‘Simulation’, providing a fun backing playlist to our greasy dinner.

Melbourne band Miami Horror hit the field next. The sun had dipped a lot lower by this stage, and thank god for that, because it encouraged all us heat-sensitive suckers to join the main crowd again. I hadn’t listened to much of their stuff before, and Christ do I feel like a fool, because they are SO DAMN FUNKY. Everything about them was perfect to witness: their outfits, their stage movements, their facial expressions, their music! Wow so good. People were losing their minds over the tune ‘Sometimes’, and shook their burnt butts along to fun song ‘Holidays’. I was also a huge fan of the high-held bass and super colourful lighting. Miami Horror are horrifically impressive guys, put on a bold shirt and go see them ASAP.

Ok so it was getting dark now, and we had pushed our way into the thick of the crowd because it was time for one of my FAVE live acts to mount the stage. The lights dimmed, the kookaburra soundbites sang, and on walked the grooviest guys in Australia, my absolute loves, Client Liaison. I wish I could just paste in a drooling face emoji alongside a sparkly love heart and leave it at that, because that’s exactly how I felt throughout their entire performance. The whole stage was ablaze with 80’s inspired couture, from Monte and Harvey’s sublime vibrant suits to the giant water coolers on either side of the stage. They played belter after fricken belter, with songs like ‘Survival in the City’, ‘Feed the Rhythm’, ‘Where Do We Belong’, and ‘Off White Limousine’ rattling my body into a vicious boogying mess. Harvey rocked the keytar for most of the set, while Monte whipped out the didgeridoo for a glorious minute and a half. They finished up with ‘World of Our Love’, turning the entire festival into literally just that. Ugh so incredible.

The day was almost done, we had one act left to see, and boy, were they a grouse one. We managed to park ourselves next to a bin near the side of the stage, mainly to disguise our smelly armpits, but also to acquire a decent view of the next band. When The Wombats finally ran on, there was absolute pandemonium. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m still suffering from tinnitus after hearing such mind-spasming crowd screams. It was all worth it though, because The Wombats have been a favourite band of mine since their early A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation era. The Liverpool-based boys sound so awesome live, with Murph’s pommy voice ringing true in every tune! Every single person at Roche Estate was there to see the set, with songs such as ‘Give Me A Try’, ‘Techno Fan’, ‘Cheetah Tongue’ and ‘Moving to New York’ inspiring some relatively savage dance moves. My heartstrings were royally plucked as they played ultimate sing-along ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’, and the entrance of giant wombats was a highlight also. Murph gave a lovely speech stating that it was their last live song of the year before concluding with ‘Greek Tragedy’, and I’d like to think we made it an extra special one with our enthusiastic response!

Usually my review would end there, but I actually have an extra little anecdote to finish off my Grapevine experience. Ok well the bus lines leaving the festival were surprisingly super swift, so I was feeling very confident about getting home at a reasonable hour after hopping on a coach within record transport time. About twenty minutes into our trip, however, I realised we were revving at a standstill. What on earth was going on you ask? Well, turns out our driver had gone and bloody gotten us stuck in a ditch down some sketchy dirt road! So off we all jumped and walked back down to the main road where we sat like a pack of well-dressed hobos for a little while. All of a sudden, a bus with the words ‘Livin’ The Dream’ printed on its screen rises from the murky distance. Alas! Our knight in white panelling! We all got on the bus, convinced that we’d been saved, until someone noticed about twenty minutes into THAT trip that we were heading in a weird direction. Apparently our first driver told our new driver that we were going to bloody Sydney! SYDNEY! I mean can you imagine?!

A DAY ON THE GREEN JOHN FARNHAM DARYL BRAITHWAITE RICHARD MARX RUSSELL MORRIS BACHELOR GIRL

It’s the first weekend of summer and what better way to spend your day than in 40-degree heat watching some amazing live music. As the grounds of Sirromet Winery started to fill, the excitement was clear on everyone’s faces. They filed in early, with people getting their position on the hill with their picnic blankets and chairs.  No one cared about the Queensland heat, they were there to have a good time.
Kicking off the day was Bachelor Girl. This is the first tour for Bachelor Girl since reforming last year. They opened up the day with “Blown Away”, followed on by “Permission To Shine”. Bachelor Girl are working on a new album which will hopefully be released next year. They made this announcement as they smashed into new song “Calling Out Your Name”. The energy Tania had on stage was amazing, considering she is from Stockholm where it is cold six months of the year. She made jokes about how hot it is here in Queensland, and she thought that it looks like she’s crying because of all the sweat coming down her face. Tania made a shout out to all the girls working on the tour before playing everyone’s favorite, “I’m just a girl”. Tania had the crowd in her hands right from the moment she stepped out on stage. Bachelor Girl played a great mixture of old and new songs, finishing off their fun set with “Lucky Me”. I certainly can’t wait to hear more of the new tracks from these guys!

Next on the bill was Australian icon Russell Morris opening his set with “Black Dog Blues” followed on by “Wings Of An Eagle” which was in the soundtrack to the movie “The Dish”, before belting out a classic he did with Molly Meldrum in the 60’s “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue”. Russell was full of tongue in cheek humor on stage.  His performance was a great mixture of newer blues songs and old songs he did a lifetime ago. The one song everyone was eager to hear was of course “The Real Thing”. When Russell started this song, he had the whole crowd up and dancing before ending his performance with “Sweet Sweet Love”. If you haven’t seen Russell live before, in the words of Molly Meldrum “do yourself a favor!”

Richard Marx was next up on this hot bill opening up his performance with “Endless Summer Nights”. Taking a minute to sip on his martini before getting into “Take This Heart”. The big smile on Richard’s face from the minute he entered the stage he takes to the crowd telling them how he is thrilled to be here at “A Day on the Sauce” as he has renamed “A Day On The Green”. He then goes on to tell the crowd how he first met John Farnham 25 years ago, back when he had the most awesome fluffy mullet – better than John Farnhams! Richard then plays classics such as “Angelia” and “Hazard”.
It turns out Richard Marx is mates with Keith Urban and they have co-written songs together.
“If you are going to name drop, Keith Urban is the name you use!” says Richard. He then introduces the next song “Long Hot Summer” and finishing off his set with his most famous song “Right Here Waiting”. From the look and cheerfulness coming from Richard throughout his set, you could tell he was soaking in the atmosphere of the day having a blast on stage. If you get the chance to see Richard Marx on this tour, make sure you get along because I can promise you, you won’t be dissappointed!

As the sun is setting and its starting to get a little cooler it’s time for another great Aussie icon to hit the stage Daryl Braithwaite comes out hard with “All I Do”. . I personally have seen Daryl 4 times in the past year and there is always that one person who yells out “Play Horses” as soon as Daryl walks on stage, Daryl giggles as it’s yelled at him and replies with “To the man calling out for Horses, we all know it’s a bit premature!”Daryl gives us a mixture of songs from his old days in Sherbert such as “Blueswalkin’”, “Summer Love” and “Howzat” along with some of his solo songs such as “Beautiful”, “Not Too Late”, “As Days Go By”, “One Summer”. He is full of jokes tonight, looks at the clock and jokes “well there’s only two & half minutes left, we might say good bye now” stirring the crowd up before he ends his set with the only song possible to finish a Daryl Braithwaite set “Horses”. Even though I have seen Daryl so many times this year, I really loved his attitude on stage tonight, he really was having a great time!

Last but not least is the man we’ve all been waiting for, John Farnham. He storms the stage belting out Queen classic “We Will Rock You”. As soon as he came out singing this I was overcome with pure joy. This was my first time seeing John Farnham so I am not sure if he does this song all the time or if he chose to do it because of the hype Queen is getting at the moment with the movie “Bohemian Rhapsody”. But either way, it was a brilliant way to start his set as he had the crowd in his hands from the second he entered the stage!
He belts out classics right from the start with “Hearts On Fire”, “Age Of Reason” and one song he did with Human Nature “Everytime You Cry”. With the whole crowd already up on their feet dancing it was time to start playing some songs from his most successful album, “Whispering Jack”.

We were in for a treat tonight with John performing:
 “Reasons”,
“No One Comes Close”,
“Love to Shine”,
“One Step Away”,
“Trouble”,
“A Touch of Paradise”
“Pressure down”
The crowd loved every minute of this. John didn’t talk much throughout his performance as it was clear he wanted to give the audience what they wanted. We saw a sensational performance with hit after hit. He had no time for banter as there were too many songs to sing!

John finished off his performance with “The Voice” – complete with a bagpipe! We all knew that wouldn’t be the end, he would come back for an encore. He triumphantly returned to the stage.
“You smooth talking buggers!”, he roared as he stared down his audience, awaiting his every command.  He then belts his final song, “Long Way to the Top”, an Australian classic. I was absolutely blown away by this performance. I finally got to witness a true Aussie Icon live. His voice truly is phenomenal. Can you even be considered an Australian if you haven’t seen John Farnham live?!

Afterthought:
My first “A Day On The Green” was sensational! Despite the 40-degree heat, you walk into this type of venue and you just soak up the atmosphere and forget what the weather is doing. You are there to see live music and have a blast!
I did want to make mention on how well set up Sirromet Winery is for this type of event. Getting through the gates was very efficient, and once on the other side there are staff or volunteers eagerly handing out free garbage bags to every person that enters. This is such an excellent idea as there is never enough bins around at these types of venues. Since everyone is sitting, they can now just bag up all their rubbish in a garbage bag, and leave it for the cleaners. Now there will no longer be thousands of empty cans and bottles spread throughout the grounds. Well done to Sirromet Winery on their organization of this event!

Live Review: NECK DEEP @ 170 Russell

Back on Australian shores for the second time this year, Neck Deep have spent the last week headlining shows across the nation. After wrapping up a world tour earlier this year, the boys decided they weren’t finished with The Peace & The Panic era and proceeded to announce another round of world tour dates. Recently celebrating 6 years since their first ever show, it’s surreal to see just how much they have accomplished in just a few years. The Peace & The Panic charted at no.8 on the ARIA charts when it was released back in August of 2017.
Stateside, Between You And Me & Stand Atlantic were in my opinion the perfect trio of support acts for this tour. With a cover of Avril Lavignes’ Sk8r Boy, crowd dives and santa hats, they definitely got the crowd geared up for Neck Deep. It’s so good to see internationally renowned bands supporting our local Aussie scene.
Neck Deep finally hit the stage with Motion Sickness and it’s easy to see from the get go that we’re in for a rowdy night. Keeping the high energy rolling with Gold Steps and Smooth Seas Don’t Make Good Sailors, usually I would say that these were crowd favourites but it seemed like every song Neck Deep performed was a crowd favourite.

With an abundance of originals under their belt it’s odd to see a cover thrown in to the set, but this is no ordinary cover, Neck Deeps’ cover of Torn – which is best known as the debut single of Natalie Imbruglia – was part of the Songs That Saved My Life compilation album by Hopeless Records.
Easily one of my personal favourites from Neck Deep has to be Kali Ma, seeing it live and watching the boys up on stage bouncing around never gets old. Taking a moment to talk about how their first ever international tour was to Australia before getting in to some of the heavier songs of the night. Encouraging their sold out crowd to open up the pit for Citizens Of Earth and Don’t Wait. With the departure of their bass player earlier this year, they definitely haven’t let that slow them down in the slightest.

Joking about how this is going to be the last song but we all know how encores work, before finally playing what they proclaim to be “the most important Neck Deep song”, In Bloom. Such a beautiful thing to see a room full of hundreds of people come together and sing along to such an amazing song.
Back for their encore, Sam gets ambushed with a shoey and we all get rowdy forCan’t Kick Up The Roots. Not only was this the last Australian show, but it was also the last night for their tour manager Ian Koletsis who has been with Neck Deep for the last 5 years. After many thanks to their whole team, Ben dedicatesWhere Do We Go When We Go to Ian. With everyone screaming along to the “pain, pain, go away…” Neck Deeps’ “Straya Tour” was certainly one to remember.

With 2018 coming to a close, I think it’s safe to say that Neck Deep is in the top 3 of my favourite concerts this year. Not only do they put on one hell of a show full of energy but last nights Melbourne show had possibly the best sound quality ever. Taking some much deserved time off with only a handful of dates announced for next year, I’m excited to see what Neck Deep have coming for us next, I have high hopes and I doubt they’ll disappoint.

Album review: C FOR CAROLINE ‘Headstrong Heartstrong’

‘Headstrong, Heartstrong’ by C for Caroline is ‘Wunderbar!’ You may feel ‘Freudentränen’ upon hearing this album! You must check this album out, the perfect album for summer! Warm nights of cruising and days on the beach!

C for Caroline, the hi energy 3 piece Pop punk band from Hanover, Germany is creating colour pop waves!!  They first burst onto the music scene in 2007. After reaching the semi-final at the Emergenza band contest, a demo was recorded In Berlin.  In 2008, the band starts playing at many concerts and festivals kicking their career right off. An EP follows in 2013 called ‘Ready to go’. They then started working on their ripper first full length album in 2016.

As soon as I heard this album I thought Blink 182 and Green Day vibes. Good Charlotte.  Wheatus. Very Americana – targeting a teenage audience.  Their first song released off their album is ‘The Greatest Story’ (ever told) and I am sure it is going to be a world wide smash hit. Their new album ‘Headstrong, Heartstrong’  has been sending positive vibes all over Germany right now, so it is only a matter of time before their music kicks off around the globe. Germany has the third largest music market in the world according to 2017 data so I was expecting music that was catchy! Also rock and pop music is the most popular of music genres in the country.
Their website is a colour pop feast representing the energy of their music. Love the album cover and also the strong branding on the C for Caroline merchandise. I think I might buy a t-shirt too for band rehearsals!!

TRACK BY TRACK
Break Of Dawn : High energy, fun rock vibes punchy percussion. Strong, catchy vocals from singer, Dean.
Be My Caroline : Hard punk rock love song with rocking riff. Very catchy sing a long Californian sound.
On The Dancefloor : Love this song. Intro is great. Catchy tune. Guitar is fabulous. Will be a hit. Clever songwriting.
The Greatest Story (Ever Told) : Powerful potential chart topper. So catchy. Effective songwriting, easy to sing a long to.  Summer anthem! Full of energy. The heart of the album! Certainly feels Headstrong! Heartstrong! Pop punk track. Will be massive around the world. Incredibly infectious. Great three minute party song or end of year break up song for the schoolies. Love the music video with the Volkswagen, a sure sign it is a German band and not an American band as they sound!
See The Light : Punk Rock song. Love the drums. Another catchy track. Great outro.
Waves Of Adrenaline : EPIC!! Love the opening modern sounds and rocking riff. Pure punk rock. A song with a difference. Love the drums from Jan and vocals with distortion and echos. Musically very interesting. Groovy. Digging the songwriting. A little raunch thrown in. This is going to be a massive HIT. How many times have I listened to this song?!! I totally love it.
Ashes : Acoustic guitar softer sound on the intro, then full throttle punk with electro sounds. Ripper guitar solo from Julian. Love the outro.
Neon : Cool song with disco electro dance vibes and a great dance number. Catchy track, love the ending.
Stay Gold Forever :  Great intro. Infectious song.  A little profanity thrown in. Love the drumming
Hero For A Day :  Very punk heavy on the drums. Super fast tempo, cool and punchy. Pop section with keys. Chart topper potential.

Single review: PHIL EDWARDS BAND ‘Cabin In The Woods’

After taking a short break following their debut releases, the hit single Crash and their album Slow Borders, the Phil Edwards Band have resurfaced with a line-up change, a bunch of new tunes and a fresh lease of life, which is evident on this new single Cabin in the Woods. This single is a marked progression from their earlier material, whose style was summery and a little more pop orientated, and although the same instrumentation is in place—guitar, bass, drums, vocals—there is new layer threaded through the music. It’s no less gentle and delicate but feels in some ways weightier, as though a new level of intimacy has been appropriated.
The song’s lyric can be best described as a meditation on the joys of living a simple life and reconnecting with nature. The idea of reconnecting with nature is used here as a metaphor regarding the connection to another person. With a less interesting and arresting voice such an idea might come off as conventional, but Phil Edwards’ vulnerable sounding timbre and his intensely confidential tone reveal a sincerity which helps embolden the rest of the band’s performance. There is a sombre lilt to his voice also, and this never detracts but rather adds yet another substratum to the band’s overall sound. The result is a record that is less like the pop-fused folk tunes of a Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz and more in line with alt-indie folk rock like Fleet Foxes and Ben Howard.
The song’s chord structure may lean more towards country but when blended with all the other elements a far richer sonic palette is created, both accessible and enigmatic. No doubt radio and streaming platforms will jump on this, if not for the exposed intimacy and soothing cadences of Phil Edwards’ vocals then for the universal appeal of the authentic, earthy nature of the band’s music.

PEB consists of Phil Edwards, Adrian Ashdown, Callum Goldie and Graham Bell. Their live set brings together elements of blues, funk, reggae and country, all with an honest soulful vibe that’s easy to move to and hard to forget.
Established in 2008, the band spent four years travelling across Australasia, performing at festivals such as Rhythm and Vines, Melbourne Moomba Water Festival, Blues Brews and Barbecues and the Whangamata Summer Festival.
The band’s 2010 debut single ‘Crash’ hit the ears of thousands and gained an A rotation on More FM. The same year also saw the release of PEB’s first album, “Slow Borders”, mixed by Dave O’Donnell (John Mayer, James Taylor, Keith Richards).
OE’s took over and after a short two year hiatus, PEB are back hitting the ground running. As momentum builds for the band, they’ve been busy in the studio working on their second album and a number of music videos. The upcoming album is being mixed by lauded New Zealand singer/songwriter, and winner of the 2016 Silver Scroll award for his song ‘If I Move to Mars’, Thomas Oliver.

Live Review: NATIONAL LIVE MUSIC AWARDS (Canberra)

The third annual National Live Music Awards, hosted simultaneously in 8 cities around the country, was held at the Phoenix in Canberra’s CBD and celebrated the rich and diverse talent the national capital has to offer. Presented by Chris Endrey of Endrey and Fun Machine the awards were sponsored by APRA AMCOS, Jamison and Panhead, with all profits going to Support Act a charity dedicated to addressing the mental health issues so prevalent in the music industry.
Opening the event was local four-piece Sputnik Sweetheart, an upbeat, glossy pop-rock four piece who’s guitarist worked in a slightly jazzy feel to their sound.
After a quick set Endrey presented the first three awards of the night with Phoenix taking out the trophy for Best Live Venue, Spilt Milk winning Best Live Event and Girls Rock taking home Best All Ages Achievement.
After a short break Evan Buckley, voice of local favourites The Burley Griffin, did an acoustic folky-pop set and won the room over with the trademark brand of humble sincerity he’s become so well known for.
The final three awards went to Ella Hunt for Best Live Voice, her second win in that category, Moaning Lisa for best Live Act and Evan Buckley hurried back on stage to take out the big one. Rounding out the show was Slagatha Christie the aggressively melodic four-piece punk act.
This event was less about who took home the statues and more about getting together the best of Canberra’s local talent to honour the experience that only music played live can offer. Canberra’s live scene has really developed in the last 10 years or so with a host of venues offering access to an extraordinary array of performers every night.
Special mention should go to Larry Heath, director of the NLMAs, for organising such an incredible night of music all over the country and managing to pull it all off seamlessly.

EP Review: THERAPY DOG ‘Spilling Milk and Getting Ants’

Spilling Milk and Getting Ants is the debut EP from Melbourne Indie Rock band, Therapy Dog. The project’s creator, frontman and singer songwriter Josh Hicks, started Therapy Dog as a more personal, intimate outlet for his own music, while remaining a member of another Melbourne Rock band, Useless Spaceman. Heavily influenced by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, The Smith Street Band, Counting Crows and Matchbox Twenty, Therapy Dog is the result of what Josh describes as his “failure to imitate them”; the music drenched in heartache, reflection on life and love, current social issues, the pursuit of happiness, hope and self improvement. Since the beginning of Therapy Dog, the one man band has evolved to three, with singer songwriter Damon Langley and Liz Lea joining Josh to play bass and lead guitar respectively.
The debut EP was written, recorded, mixed and mastered by Josh with a laptop and simple set up. Evolving from an EP that was originally meant to be a single/B-Side creation, Spilling Milk and Getting Ants was created and developed into a five track record for a more “well rounded piece”. Like the band name, it seems the EP has a true, organic focus on the psyche, truth, personal growth, happiness and mental health especially. During the five tracks, we see a shift in this psyche of the narrator, who was once an uncertain, self degrading, almost self deprecating caterpillar, now a little self affirming, growing butterfly escaping its cocoon into the big wide world.

The initial track, Breathe In, Breathe Out, is a near four minute track purely fueled by Indie Rock with a ballad twist. The track is incredibly self reflecting about life and relationships, with a small taste of self depreciation. The slow ballad builds slowly to a heavy rock instrumental led by the electric guitar and a strong, hammering backline.

“Just breathe in and breathe out…”

Keeping Up Appearances is a four and a half minute track, immediately led by the electric guitar. The melodic accompaniment almost engulfs the vocals to a point where you can barely hear the lyrics of the song in the beginning, but it eventually evens out again and the ballad style melody perfectly accompanies the lyrics of reflection, anti social situations, anxiety and the ruling of mental health and the vocal style of Hicks.

“Please take me home, I’m scared and alone. Please take me home… Keeping up appearances wears me down…”

That’s How You Get Ants is a highly, upbeat three minute track that has a real Country Rock feel. Reflecting on one’s life and mental health again, the song has a real self depreciating tinge when the lyrics call oneself a “piece of shit” for wanting to approach a girl he likes, cutting down his self worth. The song ends quite abruptly, almost like one’s thoughts.
Northcote is a near five minute track with a real focus on the vocals and lyrics of the song. Despite being named after a Melbourne suburb (and clearly the song is not about that), the Rock ballad is once again reflecting on relationships, love and life. The song almost questions the lover’s mental health, while questioning his own and if this is the real reasoning for their rocky relationship.

“Feels like I’m losing you, maybe I can change… These things don’t come easily, your head is not quite the mess you make it out to be. Just stop and breathe… This isn’t the end, this is only the start… You know I’m in love with you.”

Spilled Milk is the last track of the EP and the four minute song I’ve been waiting for! Now don’t get me wrong, I love me some ballads and all BUT there is nothing wrong with a real Indie Rock track; upbeat, fast with some incredulous but honest lyrics, self affirming and self aware while playfully hanging shit on yourself and music in general 🤷. We see the narrator come alive in this track, we see him grow and change and take on his past and his present.

“Don’t have anything better to do than to sit around and write sad songs about how I feel, ‘cause this world doesn’t need another white boy with a guitar to whine about how hard it is to always be missing her…”

Spilling Milk and Getting Ants is an EP I think most would enjoy for many reasons. It’s a journey of reflection, most of all, self reflection of oneself and one’s journey to happiness while dealing with situations like mental health, love and life in general. Therapy Dog has created a realistic, down to earth and relatable journey for many with Spilling Milk and Getting Ants. This is only the beginning for Therapy Dog as a band.

Live Review: BRITISH INDIA SOCIAL ON THE VERANDA + INKLINES @ Tattersalls Hotel

British India have embarked on their Nic The Poet East Coast Tour and brought it to Tattersalls in Penrith, Sydney. This tour is a special one as their guitarist and founder Nic Wilson has announced his retirement from music. So this tour is a goodbye from Nic, but you know he won’t go without a bang. British India also brought along Inklines and Social On The Veranda for the tour.
Up first was a three piece band from the Northern Beaches in Sydney; Inklines. With their alt-rock sound and tight presence on stage, they got Penrith up and running. Inklines performed songs from their debut EP Willing & Able. Performing their latest single Back To Me with its rock burst and softer moments, it was a dynamic punch. Not to mention their instrumental breaks within their tracks that show off what their band is made of. Luckily for us, we were treated to a cover – Inklines covered British rock band Royal Blood‘s Come On Over. It was a more heavier sound than Inklines  but they smashed it -even capturing that Royal Blood essence.
Next up from Melbourne, is rock band Social On The Veranda. Drums opened the set giving that mysterious vibe before bursting into their punching rock sound – it was a strong opener. Social On The Veranda performed their first single Breath. It was a dancy number but still had that progressive build to rock n roll – continuing strong and solid, showing us they can be diverse. Sending us drifting through the verses and then head banging in the chorus, what a ride.

It was time for British India.
“We’re going to start with an oldie but a goodie” says Declan (Lead Vocals & Guitar).
It was Black and White Radio from their debut album Guillotine in 2007 – with their snappy and quick wit, it definitely got the party started. It was very soon revealed that sadly this may be the last British India tour ever.
“This is probably going to be the last British India tour ever…Thanks for the last 15 years” says Declan.
Picking up the party once again they performed All My Love, one of their latest singles. This pop rock sound got everyone moving and the echo vocals “My Love” were great live, showcasing their close knit group. Next up was crowd favourite was Plastic Souvenirs and the crowd shouted along “Don’t You Wake Up” during the chorus. It was bass player Will‘s  time to shine for his verses and it was met with whistles and love. Their performance of Just Sing Like Everybody Else was indeed something else! (especially the instrumental bridge). Nic starts shredding and then everyone comes in and murders it. However, all good things must come to an end, but Penrith wasn’t having any of it. Luckily for them, it was encore time. A cover of Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) by Green Day followed – it was a lovely and sentimental cover that was short lived. British India then rocked straight into Summer Forgive Me and Penrith gave everything –  singing, jumping and dancing. This concert and tour is definitely for the fans with the band playing all of their hits across their 15 year career. If it is their last tour ever, fans will remember this intimate rocking concert.

Live Review: NO QUARTER: HAMMER OF THE GODS (A TRIBUTE TO THE LED ZEPPELIN LEGACY) @ THE NEWPORT HOTEL

From the moment the group step on stage, you know this is going to be a trip back in time. The four band members who present world-famous Led Zeppelin cover show No Quarter: Hammer of the Gods are dressed just like Zeppelin would have been in the 1970s, with their long, flowing hair, loud shirts and tight flared jeans. No Quarter start the night with the distinctive chords of Immigrant Song, a strong start to an explosive set.
No Quarter’s “Robert Plant,” Michael Anderson, shares many snippets of information about Led Zeppelin as they cycle through their albums, which adds a nice touch to the show. He is not a direct replica of Robert Plant; rather, he makes the role and vocals especially his own. He is constantly moving, either behind the microphone or to the side, clicking his fingers and rocking to the music. He starts telling us all the places they have toured down the west coast of the US, which seems a bit corny, but then it all becomes clear when he says they were “Going to California,” and they launch into the soothing opening chords of the song from the Led Zeppelin IV album.
Then the sound goes acoustic for Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, a Celtic-inspired song that was written while Led Zeppelin stayed in a cottage by the name of Bron-Y-Aur in Machynlleth, Wales. It is an intimate moment in the set that feels like being transported to an Irish folk or ‘trad’ gig. Everyone claps and stomps along, as the band play on acoustic guitars and sit on stools. After this, it is back to hard rock and roll.

Byran Christiansen replicates wonderfully the deft fingers and well-rehearsed skill that Jimmy Page’s guitar-playing is famous for. He unleashes the crowd with another awesome visual with a solo in which he plays his electric guitar with a violin bow. Christiansen plays so intensely you can actually see the horse hairs peeling off the bow and onto the floor.
Anderson’s voice is amazing on Stairway to Heaven, which he prefaces as “the most beautiful song ever written.” As he rises to the highest note, I can feel the hairs rising on my arms. Hearing Stairway to Heaven live is undoubtedly a magical experience.
They say goodbye and then play Whole Lotta Love. No Quarter’s answer to Jimmy Page, Brian Christiansen, plays the theremin on this number. The theremin is an electronic stick of an instrument which generates tone with oscillators and requires the performer to move his hand towards and away from the instrument to create a twanging sound like that of an electric guitar hitting its highest notes. If you are confused by that explanation, definitely find a video online, it is very cool to watch!

The band come back for the encore, a thundering rendition of Kashmir from the Physical Graffiti album. The song is an anthem to finish on.
Hailed as “the best Led Zeppelin band on the planet” by Paul McCartney’s producer, Dennis D’Amico, this show is the ultimate Led Zepp experience. I cannot imagine any fan being disappointed in this show, except perhaps that No Quarter cannot possibly play every song people are hoping for! Impressively, they play for two and a half hours, and of course still don’t have the time to play countless huge tracks. No Quarter: Hammer of the Gods is a Led Zeppelin nostalgia-fest, with all the elements needed to honour the greatest rock and roll band in the world.

Live Review: ALISON WONDERLAND @ The Enmore Theatre, NSW

They say beneficial things come in little bundles and this was unquestionably the situation for Alison Wonderland's show and the Enmore Theater! Having seen the Australian EDM DJ perform at Yours and Owls Festival not long ago, I realized I was going to have a decent time however I didn't expect the visual and melodic marvelous I was going to be a piece of that night.

As her logo seemed to be "scorched" into the screens behind her DJ table the shouts of her fans around me were stunning. The murmur of a tune began playing as she seemed in front of an audience, playing out her first tune of the night and the title of her visit: 'Conscious'. I was inclining toward the boundary watching the children before me go totally nuts over hearing Alison Wonderland play a tune they perceive. Individuals were shouting, bouncing, moving, getting on one another's shoulders and truly having a decent time. I perceived this 'Alert' from her set at Good Things and my sweetheart's Spotify playlist so I was chiming in to the tune's chorale.

As her set proceeded with, Alison (genuine name Alexandra) played basically tunes from her 'Conscious' collection, for example, 'Adequate', 'OK', and 'Simple.' The drops in each and every melody were so compelling and once you hear one you can't get enough, you end up desiring for your next hit, much the same as a medication. Alison Wonderland's tunes were improved by either live vocals or live electronic cello (from what I could see, I was really far) and I couldn't get over how much ability fit in this minor 5'2″ Aussie performer.

She remixed mainstream melodies as grande Ariana's "God is a Woman," Dua Lipa's "New Rules" and fusing an ICONIC scene from the 2004 film 'White Chicks' the place Terry Crews is moving in a club and shrieking to the beat of Fisher's "Losing It." I lost 'It' being played at Yours and Owls so I was excessively enthused about watching it/tuning in to it again and it didn't baffle.

To wrap up the show, Alexandra disclosed how she endeavored to get Ed Sheeran's favoring to remix his diagram topping tune 'State of You' by tweeting to him, yet she got no answer. Along these lines, when life gives you lemons, you cover the melody with your very own vocals and remix the damnation out of it so it sounds like an as good as ever form of the tune. The group went completely wild and it was certainly an affirmation that this show would make a dramatic exit.

Despite the fact that EDM isn't the run of the mill kind I'd go after, Alison Wonderland makes me see it in a radical new, blinding light. On the off chance that you ever get the opportunity to see her perform live, certainly do as such! Gracious, and carry a couple of sunnies with you!

Live Review: BON JOVI + BIRDS OF TOKYO @ ANZ Stadium

The night has desired Sydney Siders who have sat tight for This house isn't available to be purchased visit to achieve our shores. It has been a long time since Bon Jovi visited Australia and you can feel the power of energy working as time taps on for the ongoing lobby of popularity inductees to hit the stage.

ANZ Stadium is loading up with energetic fans, many are lining for the show shirt's to wear amid the show and years to come. Running from all ages from the individuals who haven't missed a solitary visit since Slippery When Wet in 1987 to the more up to date fans that Bon Jovi gain with each new collection they discharge.

First to show up in front of an audience from Perth WA Birds Of Tokyo playing a considerable lot of their hits including Brace, Plans, and Anchor. Ian Kenny and co at that point played another melody pursued by the ever mainstream Unbreakable the tune picked as the subject for the 2018 Invictus Games as of late held in Sydney. Completing their set with fan top choices This Fire and Lanterns, Birds of Tokyo never frustrate.

Soon after 8pm the expectation is finished and here comes Bon Jovi. With the band in front of an audience Jon Bon Jovi enters the arena by means of a side passage like a prized contender as he's punching the air getting siphoned up for a night of shake n roll. Jon welcomes energized fans en route by means of the pit giving high fives and embraces to those lucky to be in his way while in transit to the stage. He gets a monstrous thunder from the Sydney swarm as he remains in front of an audience, Bon Jovi have arrived.

Jon wearing dark pants, red shirt completed off with a blue zipped coat with Bon Jovi's work of art and immortal Heart and Dagger logo urges fans to get up out of their seats as they open with 'You Give Love A Bad Name'. Jon is raring to go as they play 'Raise Your Hands'. The Sydney swarm are all on their feet prepared to shake the night away. The band at that point play 'Lost Highway' from the equivalent titled collection discharged in 2007. Before the following melody Jon says "Great to see ya it's been far too long, gotta part of getting up to speed to do" as they play 'Who Says You Can't Go Home'.

Bon Jovi are working their way through old and new melodies with 'This House Is Not For Sale', 'Crazy ride', 'We Weren't Born To Follow', and 'We Don't Run'. Fans are moving and singing to their top picks. Jon says to the group that he's simply getting ready which the band at that point dispatches into 'It's My Life'.

Jon stops and takes in the warm gathering by the Sydney swarm, grinning he says "Parcels occurred over the most recent a long time since we came to Australia out of the blue". Jon stops glances back at David Bryan, Tico Torres and whatever is left of the band he keeps saying "Tune in to those individuals 31 years after we came to Australia". Jon is glad and radiating as the jam emits in cheers and praise.

Tunes to pursue are 'God Bless This Mess', 'Destined To Be My Baby', 'Have A Nice Day', 'Keep The Faith' the lead track from their 1992 collection of a similar name and after that 'Luxurious situation'. Jon probably won't have the capacity to hit those high notes of the 80's nevertheless he beyond any doubt sings with so much vitality and enthusiasm that fans have appreciated for a long time.

Jon asks the group "My siblings and sisters would you say you are still with me out there? I gotta know whether you have the confidence, on the off chance that you trust, I gotta know whether you're prepared to go to chapel on a Saturday night?" Leading into 'Lay Your Hands On Me' from Bon Jovi's 1988 collection New Jersey.

'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead' is next trailed by 'Commander Crash and The Beauty Queen from Mars' off their seventh studio collection Crush. Completing off this set with their song of praise Livin On A Prayer at that point leaving the phase with the group needing more.

Not requiring excessively support to return in front of an audience by energetic fans that their reprise begins with 'Awful Medicine', trailed by an enormous most loved among many 'Needed Dead Or Alive', completing with 'I'll Be There For You'. Bon Jovi are not done yet they returned for additional with a second reprise of tunes 'Blood on Blood' and 'Some time or another I'll Be Saturday Night'.

It was a night of numerous hits, vitality and enthusiasm.