Live review
Little Quirks, Johnny Devil Seed & Old Man Rubes. Central Coast Comicon. Gosford. 11 May, 2019.
This being my very first experience of Comicon, it was a bit of an eye opener from the outset.
Awesome cosplay outfits, VR Gaming, vintage cars, AWF wrestling, manga drawing workshops, SFX demos, Warhammer tournaments, market stalls, merch and a feelgood atmosphere to boot.
The perfect family day out.
Today is also about raising awareness of Regional Youth Support Services (RYSS), a local service providing valuable support for kids, young people and families.
Old Man Rubes and Johnny Devil Seed open up the live musical side of proceedings after the anime dance crew mimed their way into jap-pop bliss-dom.
Devil Seed and Rubes are somewhere between Blues Brothers and hillbilly yocals. Guitar and harp ...gravelled vox and plenty of dad styled humour.
“I got a girl from Woy Woy”... “Bad Case of Lovin You...” you get the picture.
The hilarious AWF wrestling demo fills the gap ahead of the sweet Saturday arvo sounds of Little Quirks.
Now a permanent four piece, there is so much extra thump in the mix.
Bro/cousin Alex brings a totally new dynamic to the band in both the vocal and bass department.
Where We Hide’s ratatat pop punch and those beautiful trademark harmonies.
I Told You So...pure infectious awe and the perfect example of that killer new level of dynamics I mentioned.
Dreams.. an infectious nod to Deloris. Run Away’s perfect harmonies.
Life Wouldn’t Be...beautiful popestry from the outset .
Beatles’ Seen a Face always kills it. Cover My Eyes from the forthcoming EP...haunting harmonies...bouncy as all hell. Love it.
Hold On’s more subdued sad beauty.
Devils Ivy’s clapalong cuteness.
The Cranberries’ Zombie gives another not to Deloris ahead of
Crumbled (1.4 mill Spotify downloads to date). Folk punched pop that has hit stamped all over it. Jump!
Last song is their killer cover of Mumford and Sons’ Hopeless Wanderer. Wicked dynamics and a fitting finish.
New EP out in August. Expect a few teaser singles in the interim.
Medieval jousting keeps the crowd entertained along with the constant parade of costumed super heroes, horror and gore fans, anime diehards and Star Wars tragics.
It’s all there. Entertainment plus,and all for a worthy cause. You can find out more about RYSS at RYSS.com.au
Mark Fraser- redbackrock.com
LIVE REVIEW
Hugh Cornwell. Manning Bar Sydney Uni. May 9, 2019
A vintage audience and a venue that looks nothing like I remember it some 40 years ago. Tonight it’s time for the missing piece of last year’s sans Cornwell Stranglers gig I caught at the Enmore.
That night rocked,so it is with mucho anticipation that I await HC”s appearance on stage.
A three piece with killer rumbaramba bass, the opening set is a cross section of songs from earlier solo efforts and latest album Monster.
Leave Me Alone’s trademark guitar
sound is kinda catchy. No Stranglers type anger here...sure there’s ‘tude in the lyrics but the songs are more MOR, more subdued than days of yore.
Three tracks in and a short chat about loving writing songs about people (Pure Evel)...followed by the title track from Monster...a song about Ray Hareldsen.
Tonight it’s water rather than booze and it’s all very friendly like.
The super cute catchiness of Stuck in Daily Mail Land...tales of smashing windows at a Bondi gig back in the day...more chat and a nod to the band.
The cruisy throes of The Prisons Going Down.
Black Hair, Black Eyes, Black Suit’s very cool,epic ramble. Now we’re talking.
Short intermission and it’s part two with all the Stranglers hits..
Always The Sun sounding the part beautifully.
My all time fave, Nice N Sleazy’s menacing bass...seething guitar...HC’s vox the perfect bind.
Sure, there’s none of that trademark Stranglers synth, but it mattered not. This ain’t the Stranglers after all....
And with a smorgasbord of Stranglers classics including Goodbye Toulouse, No More Heroes, Peaches,
Duchess and of course the Aussie aimed Nuclear Device, what’s not to love?
In all, a cool run through the hits a la Cornwell juke box. It’s a much milder delivery than the Stranglers days, but as a fan, it’s a cool encounter.
Mark Fraser- redbackrock.com
Live review
Rose Tattoo, Hard Ons, Coffin. Ettalong Diggers. 3 May 2019.
Local band Coffin kick off the night with their five piece nose bleed.
Three guitars,bass and drums all in a sweaty straight line.
Chaotic rocket-fuel injected guitarnage. Sonic psychosis plus. A great opener.
Hard Ons...what to say?
Had the privilege of releasing the Hard ons debut EP way back in 1985...and shared the stage with them around the same time.
And that was probably the last time I saw the guys play live.
Tonight they are fkn awesome from the outset. Still as volatile as all those years ago....one finely tuned unit.
Sweat. sweat. Shirts off...and now we’re serious.
Blackie’s apologies for mistakes that no one noticed. Raining is pure kickarse, pop punkarama. Crazy octane energy.
A blunt bat to the head never felt so good.
Individual trances that weave into each other so effortlessly. So much energy. So much punch. Beyond awesome.
Tatts launch in with One Of The Boys and we’re off. Angry in a pair of sleeveless overalls and a bottle of green ginger wine in hand ...rocking the fk out of it. “I love the way you rock and roll” sings Angers and yep we do too!
True rock n roll outlaw... king-hit rock..a la extended version extraordinaire.
Timeless rock gods? I think so!
Angers looks a bit weathered but that does little to affect those trademark bellowing razored vox.
So much pain in the delivery. So much rock in the message.
Bad Boy For Love...fuck me if this isn’t pure unadulterated oz rock .. and bugger me if there isn’t a Spirit in the Sky riff in there somewhere... or maybe it’s the beers?
Ageless awe!
Good time rock n roll...and then some.
The slower, infectious seductive drug that is Stuck On You (like a rose tattoo)...yep!
Still fkn loud and they still fkn rock hard.
“This ones for Australia “screams Angry, before the anthemic overdrive of We Can’t Be Beaten cranks across that long dark room. And a great open room it is too.
Nice Boys don’t play rock n roll. Ain’t that the truth!
And what a great way to end tonight’s aural assault.
Deaf as all hell and loving every ringing minute of it. Kick me to the midnight kerb and drag me home.
Mark Fraser - redbackrock.com
Rose Tattoo
Hard Ons
LIVE REVIEW
Archie Roach, Sally Dastey. Rhythm Hut Gosford. April 26, 2019
First time at the Rhythm Hut, and what a cool, laid back little alternative venue it is.
A little touch of Byron in down town Gosford.Food cart out front. Ice cold beers at reasonable prices.
Plastic seats on the floor and comfy lounges up the back.
Tonight it’s a diverse crowd...mainly older.Kids welcome.
The welcome to country sees some cool didge, before ex Tiddas member Sally Dastey launches in with her acoustic guitar and an old Tiddas song...Inside my Kitchen... a gorgeous warble and so much strength in her voice...beautiful stories...so spiritual...an early Archie cover...
Travel tales. Family tales. Brings out the uke.
Tonight is more an intimate campfire story telling scenario than a venue gig. Spesh.
Winding it up with a crowd singalong in Pearly Shells, it’s only a short break before Sally returns to the stage with her guitar and Keyboardist extraordinaire Bruce Haymes and the man himself...
Archie Roach.
Fresh from Bluesfest, and it must be 20 or more years since I last saw him play live.
And when it comes to pure raw story -telling emotion, no-one comes close.
Some obligatory thank yous and a plug for the new live triple CD and we’re away.
Tonight didn’t disappoint as Archie tells the tale of the fight for the birth trees in Victoria, where a new highway looks to put an end to the 800 year old spiritual trees... and leads into
A Child Was Born Here...those haunting
husky vox, beautiful harmonies and searing keys.
“We’re all works in progress... and getting better every day..”
Get Back to the Land is beautifully moving....as he speaks about growing up on the land as a kid.. heading bush and recharging.
He sings the scars so eloquently..
The Old Mission Road...so sad. Growing up in foster care as part of the stolen generation, Archie
never knew his parents, but has since returned to where they once lived.
A story teller extraordinaire, the
mix of spoken word and moving songs are from the soul.
Always Be Here..dripping, sad, beautiful.
A tale of fairweather friends and sticking by those that matter.
My Grandmother...
a classic tribute from the Looking For Butter Boy album.
His loss of wife Ruby is still raw as he speaks of her memories.
Winding up the set with We Wont Cry ...a song about not letting life drag you down... rising above... it’s an emotional and inspirational encounter with a man who epitomises everything great about this country. And it is hard not to be in awe of Archie Roach.
Encore,
Wash My Soul’s gospel bluesy throes and clap along crowd cleansing wraps it all up...
A night as special as this doesn’t come along too often.
Mark Fraser- redbackrock.com
Archie Roach
Archie Roach
LIVE REVIEW
The Johnnys, Chad Morgan, Fibro. Hardy’s Bay Club. April 5, 2019
The cruisy country etched local sounds of Fibro open tonight’s proceedings with an
easy, affable infection.
Lazy sundays...hints of Westerberg in the vox...Pickup trucks and hay bales.
Gentle guitars... a nice mix of acoustic and electric... some killer lead fills.
Smooth as...no sharp edges.. and sometimes, that ain’t necessarily a bad thing.
Chad Morgan hobbles on...takes a seat and begins to address the sound guy.
“More noise please I’ve. Got a soft voice ...
That’s it, that’s the sound check for the night.”...and on comes the hat...and the howling...true Ozzie eccentricity ...the Sheik of Scrubby Creek is back.
86 and still going strong ...”if I could just go back and know what I know now”...tales of what love coulda been.
The fatal wedding... the bride she dies at the altar... hahaha
Crowd loving it. Very cool. Funny anecdotes
Padded cells...nuthouses...
One of the Mob...double decker blowflies...
Chad truely is a piece of living Oz musical and comedic history.
Yodels, tales, crowd singalongs and some pretty alright strumming to boot.
Yeah he’s a dirty old bugger but hey he’s from yesteryear and still going strong, so he can get away with a lot more than your average today joe.
There’s life in the old dog yet!
The Johnnys sans Spence are tonight’s headliners and it’s been a long time twixt drinks.
Three way haystacked cow-punked jumping jacks be they.
The Way of the West...Injun Joe’s squelched trails...Sometimes frenzied, at other times, a ten gallon propellered pop rocket.
There’s Gonna Be a Showdown’s plum crazy hoe down.
The twangalong tribute that is Elvisly Yours.
A broken string and it’s a change of guitar for Slim....and it’s more squelched, Stetson driven, fuzzed, dirty rhythms that scream cow punk all night long. Beautiful irreverence at its dusty best.
Out comes Chad to help with their very first single I Think You’re Cute. (Still have the 7 inch). Awesome,harmless popervescence. Stupidly infectious and an all time Johnnys classic.
“Here’s another little song I wrote about drinking”, proclaims Hoody...and the tail end of the set keeps on giving.
The Johnnys have always been about fun and tonight is all about having a good time both on stage and off. One big sweaty noise fest that takes you right back to 1982.
Obligatory T-shirt and it’s back home to the ranch. Graham, Billy, Slim...thank you! Keep on keeping on...
Mark Fraser-redbackrock.com
Chad Morgan
Fibro.
Live review
The Red Hot Summer Tour. Mt. Penang, Kariong. March 8, 2019
Must say, I’ve never been to a gig where you bring your own chair. More of a Carols in the Domain type of scenario, but today it was the flavour of the day. And I must say it’s nice not being the oldest punter in the house.
Arrived midway through Moving Pictures ho hum MOR kinda thing. Not my cuppa but they seemed to arouse the early crew.
The obligatory What About Me and Bustin Loose have the old schoolers lovin’ it.
Billy Thorpe’s Most People I Know...gets an impressive makeover but the rest is all a bit vanilla for these ears.
Rain on. Rain off. And that’s how it goes most of the day.
One hit wonders Chocolate Starfish are on fire, dragging the 90s into the new millennium.
Gave them no credence in the past, but man did they turn my head around today.
Energy, passion and just one hell of a fucking great time. Charismatic front guy Adam Thompson is in his element, making it
hard not to get caught up in their frenzied way.
Four Non Blonde’s What’s Up gets an extended makeover as it all turns into a crowd singalong party in the rain.
And no Starfish set would be complete without Your So Vain’s barbed rendition. Loved every minute.
Jon Stevens kicks it off with Reach Out for all the yummy mummies salivating up front.
He’s an entertainer plus, and whether you enjoy his music or not, he pulls it off pretty damn well. Stage ownership. Tick!
No Lies keeps the masses happy.
Stevens once fronted INXS, so it stands to reason we get a triple shot of What You Need, Kick and Dont Change. And of course the crowd goes nuts.
Greatest hits medleys are the thing of the day and JS doesn’t stray too far from the formula.
Screaming Jets.... Newcastle’s finest noisemakers. Volume goes up a dozen notches and Dave Gleeson is in his element. Punch in the head rock n roll plus.
He’s cocky and crude and that’s his MO. Some Trump small talk stuff and Eve of Destruction is sounding crankingly good after so many mid strength beers.
Better’s a no brainer and as the piss begins to sink into all the once a year punters, it gets mighty entertaining out on the field.
Baby Animals’ second single Rush You sets the pace, before Suze D dons the guitar for One Word’s catchy seduction.
Having achieved true rock chick status over the years, today she doesn’t disappoint.
Early Warning’s jagged riffs take it all home beautifully.
Excited to catch The Angels. It’s been a long time between drinks and this is my first encounter post-Doc, with Dave Gleeson up front.
And I have to say right off, he carries the flag graciously, with all respect duly given.
After the rain..I ain’t the One...No secrets... it’s an Angels smorgasbord of all the classics.
Same as, but different. The Brewster brothers are right where they need to be and still pump it out as tight and nonchalantly as ever.
It’s rock o clock says DG...And Am I ever Gonna See Your Face... ensures that crowd catch cry participation is compulsory.
Marseille is still a fuel injected classic...Shadow boxer...Take a Long Line...all killer. Nouveau Angels still rock...and squeeze the shit out of every note until it lays bloodied and lifeless on the floor. Awesome.
Suzi Quatro smashes straight into it with The Wild One.
Loving the limelight, she still packs a punch for someone a hair’s sniff away from 70.
Tired of Waiting is more pop than rock...and clean as on this occasion.
“Thank you...hello everybody...”as Dario from Baby Animals jumps in to play bass so Suzi Q can croon an awesome version of Stumblin’ In with none other than Mr Dave Gleeson himself... and he with a massive smile from ear to ear, is obviously loving every minute of it.
No soul No Control is the title of the new SQ album and tonight’s delivery of the title track is a rock heavy jolt with plenty of ‘tude.
At 69, she’s still got the true rock credence.
She’s in Love With You’s softer seduction is equally at home with tonight’s rock pellets.
Hard to believe she’s been doing it for 55 years, but the proof is in the rock pudding as tonight’s set shows.
Neil Young’s Keep On Rockin in the Free World gets an epic double denim work over.
Obligatory band intro (all Oz on this occasion) some band solos al a chunk a chunk...and the NY song goes on.
SQ jumps on the drums and it’s back to 1973, as Can the Can gets the leftover crowd going nuts.
Devil Gate Drive keeps the retro rock flowing. Acoustic guitar sending it down a more country road on this occasion.
If You Cant Give Me Love takes us back to 1978...mellow mellow.
Honky tonk keys rock it out again with Sweet lidl Rock N Roller. And that ladies and germs is that.
She can still smash the bass, work the crowd and continues to dish out old school rock n roll that you’d be proud to introduce your Grandies to.
Mark Fraser- redbackrock.com
Angels live at Red Hot Summer Tour 2019. Pic- Mark Fraser
Chocolate starfish. Pic- Mark Fraser
live review
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Sydney Opera House. March 7, 2019
It must have been around 1995 when I last saw The Jesus & Mary Chain. Beers were cheaper, the venue was trashier. And the mood was a little bleaker. Tonight, it’s the lavish throes of the Sydney Opera House, beers are ten bucks a can and there’s no support act.
I score the obligatory tour tee and sit by the bar as a mix of old farts, shoe gazers and new gen Doc Martin aficionados wearing striped Tshirts and donning fuzzed hair stroll happily on by.
The concert hall has a heavy smoky hue and when the brothers Reid et al arrive on stage, you can cut the anticipation with a jagged knife
The psyched dirge of Amputation opens up, ahead of the beautiful sweet ragged edges of April Skies.
But it’s the sheer killer infection and instant awesomeness of Head On that has the entire hall on its feet as it explodes into the night and blows it out of the water. Jim Reid doesn’t stray too far from the mic and his bowing motions and mic lead fidgeting are as much as we’re gonna get out of him.
But its that nonchalant, somewhat sultry persona that seems to have a few cracks in it tonight and JR seems to be actually enjoying himself…motioning towards brother Willliam, as that trademark, dirged fuzzed guitar drives the JAMC sound through the blue haze and into the chasms of that multi-tiered operatic room.
Some of the best infectious, dark and moody soundscapes through to trashy dirge pop nuggets are on offer tonight.
Far Gone and Out’s schizoid wafts... and a hey hey hey ...Between Planet’s pure popped three and a half minutes.
The wall of guitar sound that is Snakedriver...fuzzed to the nth. Infection. Infection. Infection.
Fuzz factor and volume take a notch up as it bloodies the brain and shows no mercy. Booming bottom end. Guitars driving the dirge. Some Candy Talking…beautifully seductive in all its sparseness. The menacing explosions of Halfway To Crazy.
“Who remembers Darklands?” cries Jim. “We probably don’t, but we’re gonna give it a try anyway.” And it’s that slower beautiful seduction once again…I wanna go… do do doot doot do…
“This is our last song but it doesnt have to be.” And Reverence opens the vault to the darkness…”I wanna die just like Jesus Christ”...a much darker prey... “I wanna die I wanna die ...”
And off they walk, leaving a frenzied sea of feedback ...before the she vox harmonies of Just like Honey’s ray of squelched sunshine sets it all on fire once again. Magic!
Cracking Up is distorto plus. Throw in the frenzy of In a Hole and the slower War and Peace and it’s the louder than loud fuzzed out awe of I Hate Rock n Roll that winds it all up.
Epic. Noisy. Brilliant. Just the way we like it!
Mark Fraser
redbackrock.com
UB40. Gosford Entertainment Grounds. Feb. 9, 2019
Reggae is the flavour of tonight and a thousand odd Maori UB40 tragics peppering the crowd, can’t be wrong.
It’s a great outdoor stage setup...with bar queues from here to Rotorua at times…but the AC and the front-on stands are a very civilised means for enjoying a gig....
Bouddi Boogaloo @ Hardy’s Bay Club 19/01/19
Set over three stages within the sleepy hidden, bush-draped venue that is Hardy’s Bay Club, today’s festival is a showcase for young local artists.
Harry Klijn kicks off with a raggedy rendition of Land Down Under...Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know hits home with its slow lazy amble…and I kinda like that strained vox thing and the simple guitar... Miniq are two girls (Bell & Dom) and a guitar...
Machinations & GANGgajang. Narrabeen RSL January 18, 2019
Opening with a showing of the retro surf flick Mad Wax, the GANGgajang surf hype has pulled a fair crowd to the old Narra RSL tonight.
And amidst the neighbours trying to shut the place down over noise restrictions, it’s a pretty good sign of the support for local live music.
With a touch of Beatles theatrics...Cal and his crew launch straight into their current single Surfing Round the World…
Wreckless Eric . Hardys Bay Club. November 17, 2018.
In what’s been a year of retro English artist gigs, Wreckless Eric fits the mould perfectly.
As a big fan from the late 70s early 80s, it was a no brainer when it was announced he was playing the Coast. I even gave up a night in the city with Irish pop-punksters Ash, deciding to keep it local on this occasion...
Dead Kennedys, Minds R Controlled, Rust. Metro Theatre Sydney November 2, 2018
Narrabeen’s Rust aint no Sunday Morning, they’re more like your 11 pm Friday night. ..drunk, disorderly and dishing it out at a rate of gnarly knots, as they open tonight’s gig to a pretty much packed house..
Melodic mayhem is their foray from the very outset and if its honest Aussie punk rock you’re looking for, then you’ve come to the right place...
TOURING
