Tag Archives: February 2020

Photo Gallery : ATREYU + Ocean Sleeper + From Crisis To Collapse at The Zoo, Brisbane – 26 February 2020

Photographer: Peter Coates –
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ATREYU at The Zoo, Brisbane on 26 February 2020 Photographer: Peter Coates
Continue reading Photo Gallery : ATREYU + Ocean Sleeper + From Crisis To Collapse at The Zoo, Brisbane – 26 February 2020

Live Review : Alice Cooper + Airbourne & MC50 at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – February 15, 2020

Review and photos by Peter Coates – www.facebook.com/InsideEdgePhotography

Alice Cooper at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – February 15, 2020 Photographer: Peter Coates
Continue reading Live Review : Alice Cooper + Airbourne & MC50 at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – February 15, 2020

Photo Gallery : Alice Cooper + Airbourne & MC50 at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – February 15, 2020

Photographer: Peter Coates – www.facebook.com/InsideEdgePhotography

Alice Cooper at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – February 15, 2020 Photographer: Peter Coates

ALICE COOPER – https://alicecooper.com/

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Continue reading Photo Gallery : Alice Cooper + Airbourne & MC50 at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – February 15, 2020

Photo Gallery : Alice Cooper at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – February 14, 2020

Photographer: Naomi Rahim – naomirahim.com
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Alice Cooper at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – February 14, 2020 Photographer: Naomi Rahim

ALICE COOPER – https://alicecooper.com/

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Continue reading Photo Gallery : Alice Cooper at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – February 14, 2020

Photo Gallery : Airbourne + MC50 at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – February 14, 2020

Photographer: Naomi Rahim – naomirahim.com
www.instagram.com/auroradesign/
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(@Naomi Rahim Photography)

Airbourne at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – February 14, 2020 Photographer: Naomi Rahim

AIRBOURNE

Continue reading Photo Gallery : Airbourne + MC50 at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – February 14, 2020

Photo Gallery : Okilly Dokilly w/ Dr Colossus at The Basement, Canberra – 12 February 2020

Photographer: Krista Melsom

Okilly Dokilly at The Basement, Canberra – 12 February 2020 Photographer: Krista Melsom

Okilly Dokilly

Continue reading Photo Gallery : Okilly Dokilly w/ Dr Colossus at The Basement, Canberra – 12 February 2020

Album Review : Collateral

Review by Peter Coates

A blast of classic AOR rock from a hard-working bunch of lads from Kent.

Over here in Australia I keep a jealous watch on the stream of quality rock bands emerging from all corners of the UK, covering classic rock, southern rock, , blues rock and all combinations of the above, playing at countless gigs and festivals throughout the country, and being encouraged by the continuing influence of bands who were their idols and heroes from the 1980s and 1990s, many of whom are still ripping it up around the pub, club and theatre circuit – Thunder; Tyketto; Gun; FM and the rest.

These guys may just be the pick of the current crop!

Collateral released their 4 Shots EP at the end of 2018 which was a taster of some quality melodic rock, delivered with a touch of swagger and some killer riffs that combined classic stadium AOR anthems of US and Scandinavian monsters, with a modern and slightly edgier British rock feel.  When you hear the varied influences behind each of the band members, it sort of all makes sense.

Front man Angelo Tristan has a heavy country music side, and guitarist Todd Winger enjoys the ballsier southern rock of Black Stone Cherry and The Cadillac 3, while Jack Bentley-Smith flies the 80s big-rock flag, and drummer Ben Atkinson is from the darker, heavier end of the metal spectrum.  

2019 saw the band head out on a number of support tours, playing the UK’s Camden Rocks and Ramblin’ Man Fair festivals, and also got selected from 200,000 entrants to support Jon Bon Jovi on his Runway to Paradise cruise, and they are just heading out around the UK with the mighty bluespower guitarist Jared James Nichols (here in Australia shortly with John 5) to give them yet more exposure, and then with Phil X & The Drills (Bon Jovi guitarist), before crossing the Channel to go round Europe opening for Skid Row before they are back in the UK with Scandinavian melodic rockers H.E.A.T.  So the next few months are going to be flat out for the boys.

Mr Big Shot kicks off the record with a crunching riff which breaks down for the chorus to a kicking bass and drum line and leaps into the catchiest pre-chorus and the enormous crowd-vocals of the “Big Shot” chorus – call it derivative if you will…..but the band describes it as a slightly mocking self-parody of themselves and found the song developed a strength that meant it was perfect to open the album.

Another killer riff opens up Promiseland which features some guitar chops over a solid kick-drum through the verse, some soaring harmonies, and a ripper solo for Todd and a whole heap of epic harmony vocals and keyboards.  Classic 80’s rock with a modern grittier southern edge comes to the fore with Merry-Go-Round which sees Angelo deliver a really strong vocal, with some subtle harmonies, and a sensational middle-eight and solo with crushing guitars before the stripped-back final verse.

Angelo originally wrote In It For Love over 10 years ago and the band re-visited it and changed the tempo, so it is a driving melodic rocker with some pounding drums and an odd time-change in the song that sort of works, but gives the track two distinct vibes which while both great in their own right, don’t entirely gel as the one song.

An absolute stormer of a track come out next with Lullaby which is a moodier riff-driven track with some immense drumming and a tasty solo, and the lyrics delivered with a bit of venom – this one will be immense live with the crowd-chorus, and was released as the first single from the album back in May 2019.

The opening guitars of Midnight Queen, the only track from the EP that is on the new record, are melodic and semi-acoustic rather than brutal riffs, and immediately bring to mind some of the classic AOR anthems from Nightranger, Honeymoon Suite, Loverboy, Foreigner and REO Speedwagon, with driving bass and drums, and a tasty line in guitar licks from Todd

A rock ballad was always going to find it’s way onto the record, and Get Back To You has got it all – the breathy vocals over acoustic guitar before the band kicks in for the next verse, the soaring vocals of the chorus, and the melodic guitar soloing over huge keyboards – you can see the lighters in the air already.  The solo leads into the power-ballad chorus and there is a second solo in the delightfully overblown outro which works so well. If it sounds as though I am critical, that is certainly not the case…….it is impossible to hear this and not be picked up emotionally at least a little.

Won’t Stop Me Dreaming opens up with a pile-driving riff that has more hook-lines than a trawler, as it races into catchy pre-chorus and even catchier chorus.  The harmonies are seamless and the beat just forces the head to nod and feet to stamp – this will be a killer track live. Album-closer About This Boy has some of the country music influences, and ends up as a what could be a huge radio-friendly west coast rock song with a feel of The Eagles or their modern incarnation, Midland.  

Angelo has the hair and the voice to go with it, with some wonderful harmonies in many of the choruses, with some quality lead guitar and riffing from Todd, and an absolutely solid rhythm-section in Jack and Ben, with the whole package supported by a huge production from Sean Kenny – this is stadium melodic rock of the quality of the likes of Bad English, with the commercial power of Bon Jovi and Europe, and the balls of Skid Row, tinged with the modern Scandinavian power and harmony of Eclipse or Degreed, delivered with a modern British edge as with the likes of New Device, Vega or Night By Night.The album is released on February 21st and is available on all normal formats and from the band website.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H8dE94MgsM&feature=emb_title http://collateralofficial.com/

www.roulettemedia.uk/collateral

www.facebook.com/collateralrocks/

collateralofficial.com/

Photo Gallery : St Kilda Festival – 9th February 2020

Photographer: David Jackson

St Kilda Festival – 9th February 2020 Photographer: David Jackson

St Kilda Festival

St Kilda Festival is Australia’s largest community festival; a celebration of community spirit, live local music and the beautiful St Kilda foreshore.

Since the first St Kilda Festival in 1980, this well-loved annual summer celebration has established itself as an iconic event that brings hundreds of thousands of people together for one massive day of free fun!

Continue reading Photo Gallery : St Kilda Festival – 9th February 2020

Photo Gallery : Adam Thompson Performs Queens Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack at Ulumbarra Theatre Bendigo – 8 February 2020

Photographer: David Jackson

Adam Thompson Performs Queens Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack at Ulumbarra Theatre Bendigo – 8 February 2020 Photographer: David Jackson

Adam Thompson is accompanied by five of Australia’s best musicians – Chocolate Starfish guitarist Zakk Zedras, Ben Grayson on keyboards, Jonathon Zion on bass guitar, with drummer Andy Swann, who was a member of the original “We Will Rock You” band that was hand-picked by Brian May and Roger Taylor.

Continue reading Photo Gallery : Adam Thompson Performs Queens Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack at Ulumbarra Theatre Bendigo – 8 February 2020

2020 Grampians Music Festival line up announced!

oday, the GRAMPIANS MUSIC FESTIVAL reveals its lineup for 2020. To kick off a brand new decade of festivities amongst the picturesque Grampians Mountain Ranges, the festival has served up some of Australia’s best names to ensure that 2020 is going to be unforgettable.

Continue reading 2020 Grampians Music Festival line up announced!

Bootleg Rascal – ‘Booty Camp: Summer Vacay Tour’ – Jan-Feb 2020

Following on from their sold-out ‘Yin & Yang’ Australian and New Zealand tour, Sydney-based party starters Bootleg Rascal have just announced a 15-date national tour across metro and regional areas.

Continue reading Bootleg Rascal – ‘Booty Camp: Summer Vacay Tour’ – Jan-Feb 2020

Scorpions And Whitesnake – Australian Tour 2020

Get ready for the biggest hard rock tour of the year! German icons SCORPIONS return to Australia in 2020 with WHITESNAKE, the legendary rock’n’roll band founded and formed by former Deep Purple singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer David Coverdale, for a double headline east coast arena tour starting at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Wednesday, February 19 before heading to Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday, February 22 and Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Monday, February 24.

Continue reading Scorpions And Whitesnake – Australian Tour 2020

Kevin McCloud Bringing His Live Show To Australia – February 2020

BAFTA award winning broadcaster, TV host, writer, environmentalist, amateur balloonist and storyteller. Kevin McCloud is all that and a bit more that you don’t know about. Now it’s time for him to tell his remarkable story – in his own words, live on stage. Kevin McCloud will be doing just that in February 2020 as he brings his live show to Australia. 

Thu 13th February        Perth                  Perth Concert Hall
Sat 15th February          Adelaide           Festival Theatre
Sun 16th February        Melbourne        Hamer Hall
Thu 20th February        Brisbane           Concert Hall
Fri 21st February           Sydney             State Theatre
Sun 23rd February        Canberra           Canberra Theatre
Tue 25th February         Hobart               Wrestpoint

Kevin has been a part of our lives for the past two decades, since the last millennium in fact, as the presenter of the hit TV show Grand Designs.

The World According to Kevin McCloud is a live theatre event, with Kevin sharing stories from the show, as well as anecdotes from his eventful life.

Australia is an extraordinary place where luckily I feel very welcome,” Kevin says. “I like the can-do attitude that people have. It also has this fantastic energy about it, which is very appealing. So I’m looking forward to returning with my  brand new show.” 

It’s an evening that will entertain – and make you think. “I enjoy taking complex ideas and making them accessible,” Kevin says.

The World According to Kevin McCloud includes a Q&A session that allows audience members to ask Kevin questions and air their deep-seated concerns about architecture, DIY and cushions. Kevin will also dig into his own past in an entertaining survey of 1960s wallpaper, the Space Programme, McMansions, Community and the Planet.  Everything that makes our environment in fact.

Raised in a house his parents built in Bedfordshire, Kevin, the son of a rocket scientist, studied the history of art and architecture at Cambridge, where he designed shows for the Footlights theatre club and its stars, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson.

Kevin also studied opera in Italy and designed the famous fruit and vegetable ceiling at the Harrods Food Hall, of all things.  The Daily Mail described Kevin as a “heartthrob – the one your wives all fancy”, while The Guardian called him “a serious man of taste and integrity”. To prove that, he’s an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and is now allowed to use grown-up scissors and power tools.

In a piece headed “Kevin McCloud Is, Hands Down, The Greatest TV Host of All Time”, VICE dubbed him “the most puzzlingly charismatic TV host ever to grace our screens … Kevin McCloud is a character. He’s the person you dream of being sat next to at an otherwise dull dinner party.” Kevin, however, objects to the word ‘puzzlingly’.

In short, The World According to Kevin McCloud gives you the chance to get up close and personal with the man himself.  “Come one, come all,” Kevin says. “There’ll be some very poor music and maybe a little construction mayhem. No hard hat necessary. Hope to see you there.” 

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO KEVIN McCLOUD

Thu 13th February        Perth                  Perth Concert HallBUY TICKETS HERE
Sat 15th February          Adelaide           Festival Theatre
Sun 16th February        Melbourne        Hamer Hall
Thu 20th February        Brisbane           Concert Hall
Fri 21st February           Sydney             State TheatreBUY TICKETS HERE
Sun 23rd February        Canberra           Canberra Theatre
Tue 25th February         Hobart               WrestpointBUY TICKETS HERE

via www.kevinmccloudlive.com.au

SIX things you might not know about Kevin McCloud
He studied opera and won a place at Florence’s Conservatory of Music.

After university, he retrained and worked as a theatre designer. He designed sets and costumes for the band Harvey and the Wallbangers and even a West End Show. Once.

He speaks French and Italian and has lived in both countries.  There again, he describes himself as a
‘European first, Citizen of the World second, Honorary Yorkshireman third.’

He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2014, for services to sustainable design.

His favourite piece of architecture might be the rebuilt facade of the library at Ephesus in Turkey.

He converted his Land Rover to run on recycled vegetable oil.

Kirk Fletcher (USA) 2020 Australian Tour announced

Considered one of the finest modern blues guitarists in the world and a bonafide can’t-miss live performer, Gerard Allman Events are proud to announce that Kirk Fletcher will make a welcome return to Australia in February 2020 – and this time he’s bringing his European band – Jonny Henderson on Keys and Bass and Matt Brown on drums – with him. Tickets to all shows are on sale now, with full tour details below.
Continue reading Kirk Fletcher (USA) 2020 Australian Tour announced

Tour News : An Evening with Michael Bublé 2020 Australian Tour

TEG DAINTY announced that global superstar Michael Bublé will return in February 2020 with a 36-piece orchestra to thrill Australian audiences on his five-city tour taking in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.

An Evening with Michael Bublé 2020 National Tour Dates:

BRISBANE | Tuesday 4 & Wednesday 5 February at Brisbane Entertainment Centre
SYDNEY | Friday 7 February at Qudos Bank Arena
ADELAIDE | Wednesday 12 & Thursday 13 February at Adelaide Entertainment Centre
MELBOURNE | Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 February at Rod Laver Arena
PERTH | Friday 21 February at RAC Arena

Tickets at Ticketmaster

Continue reading Tour News : An Evening with Michael Bublé 2020 Australian Tour