Tag Archives: live review

Rock for the Regent! 2 @ The Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley – Saturday 10th July 2010 [Live Review]

Review: Pepa Wolfe
There was a great turnout at the Globe theatre on Saturday night, with Brisbane music fans coming together to support fundraising efforts to save the heritage of the Regent Theatre in the city.

While many may have come to see the headline act Wolfmother, the crowd was happy and buzzing all night, showing support for the variety of genres on display. And the outstanding Brissy line-up didn’t disappoint.

Swanky rockers Princess Rodeo were up first, and set the night off at a cracking pace. The dynamic three-piece and their charming blend of indie rock, played through a high energy set of catchy melodies and serious riffs. Their soon to be released single “Alternate Colours” makes you want to sing along, while the bassy groove of “Compelled to Crawl Under Your Thumb” and the heavier “Skeleton” pleased Wolfmother fans. They made an impressive start to the night, setting the tone for an evening of fun, dynamic, melodious rock, with soaring vocals and intricate guitars. If you didn’t get there in time to catch Princess Rodeo, be sure to check them out.
Continue reading Rock for the Regent! 2 @ The Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley – Saturday 10th July 2010 [Live Review]

“FAME – The Musical” @ The Lyric Theatre, QPAC June 22, 2010 [Live Review]

Review: Lana Harris
The general rule is that you can recycle a trend around about every thirty years. The late ‘90s saw the return of super flared jeans and platform shoes adapted from their 1970’s incarnations, and the final years of the 2000-2010’s saw 1980’s revivals turning everything fluro again, including ruched skirts and the accessories holding big hair in check. As the wardrobes of many of the theatregoers tonight attested, the 80’s success Fame: The Musical is ripe for a comeback. Bucking usual trends, Fame (the movie) actually came out first, then a TV series, and then the musical, and it’s worth noting that the story is not the same as the movie.
Continue reading “FAME – The Musical” @ The Lyric Theatre, QPAC June 22, 2010 [Live Review]

Train @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney Monday June 21, 2010 [Live Review]

Words and Pics: Ben Hosking – www.hoskingindustries.com.au
TrainHaving missed all but the closing bars of opening act, Victoria’s Ryan Meeking & The Few thanks to the perpetual and chronic lack of parking in Sydney’s Newtown and Enmore areas; I got into the warm and cosy confines of the iconic Enmore Theatre just before San Francisco chart botherers Train took to the stage.

Formed in 1994, the group shot to fame with their smash ‘Drops of Jupiter’ – a track that won them two Grammy awards and made the album double platinum in the US. After a three-year hiatus, the band returned with its latest album, ‘Save Me San Francisco’ in 2009 and is currently owning the Aussie charts with the single ‘Hey, Soul Sister’. Now that we all know who they are, it was a surprise to see the Enmore at less than capacity, considering that it isn’t the biggest venue in the city. Regardless, it was a pretty busy evening, with the audience full of well-dressed folk of wildly disparate ages- mainly female and in very fine voice each time vocalist Patrick Monahan pulled a rock move or hit a high note.
Continue reading Train @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney Monday June 21, 2010 [Live Review]

Live Review : Rickie Lee Jones @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 31st May 2010

Review by Hannah Collins
Rickie Lee Jones
Rickie Lee Jones… um… who? She’s not on the regular radio rotation, nor is a household name, yet she’s been filling the air with her amicable sounds for the last 30 years. Her initial self titled album debuted at #3 on the US Billboard top 200; she’s received over 5 Grammy nominations and has featured on the cover of Rolling Stone.
Continue reading Live Review : Rickie Lee Jones @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 31st May 2010

Live Review – The Dillinger Escape Plan + Maylene and the Sons of Disaster at The Hi Fi, Brisbane 25 May 2010

Review: Hannah Collins

Following on from the destruction that took place at Sydney’s Metro Theatre on Friday 21st, Sunday 23rd of May saw the malicious line up on the The Dillinger Escape Plan tour park their vans and load their gear into the rear of Brisbane’s Hi Fi.
With both headliner, and second support bands touring off the back of their latest releases, they’ve come; ready blow the house away with an arrangement of toxically destructive yet undeniably distinct songs. Maylene don’t’ look like your typical metal band, because they’re not. Neither are Dillinger. Both acts are well known for their pioneering ability to create and mould new genres of sounds, encompassing an array of metal, jazz, blues, rockabilly, punk and screamo. The collection of sounds we’re about to hear are unique only to the bands who’ve created them. Maylene are drilling to the core of traditional rock and metal and intently injecting an air of southern flair, quite familiar to their place of foundation; Burmingham, Alabama. While Dillinger, a much earlier conception, incorporate their own blend of metal (progressive, thrash, hardcore, punk) and jazz fusions to have become, the pioneers of what critics and fans alike now know as “math metal”. With such a partricular combination of artists, the show will surely be, as mind boggling and utterly intriguing as the bands themselves.
Continue reading Live Review – The Dillinger Escape Plan + Maylene and the Sons of Disaster at The Hi Fi, Brisbane 25 May 2010

Live Review: Ben Sherman Big British Sound 2010 @ Corner Hotel, Richmond 6 May 2010

  Review: Lachlan Sadler

Fashion label Ben Sherman have always had a special relationship with up and coming bands. They have been known to invest heavily in new musicians, and have developed strong relationships with the likes of New Order and The Clash.

The idea of ‘Big British Sound’ was launched in Britain a while back, but this is only the second year that it has taken place in Australia. Essentially, Ben Sherman organises a lineup of impressive Australian acts, they all play a gig together, and each act covers a British song that has influenced them.

Realistically however, it’s just a chance to see some great Aussie acts perform together at the one show.

Melbourne was the first stop for Big British Sound 2010, and The Corner Hotel was the chosen venue. Instead of alternating bands between the venue’s two stages, the organisers opted to have the smaller stage allocated for a DJ that would play between acts on the main stage. Ultimately this decision worked well, providing a bit more of a party atmosphere or- dare I say it- an underground British club feel. Continue reading Live Review: Ben Sherman Big British Sound 2010 @ Corner Hotel, Richmond 6 May 2010

Live Review: The Cult, The Black Ryder @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 5 May 2010

By Denis Semchenko


[Photo by Charlyn Cameron]

The black is the new black and has always been. With The Tivoli already three-quarters-full with classic rock fans, the suitably monochrome-clad openers The Black Ryder roll out a tight neo-shoegaze opening set. Tonight being the Sydney-based band’s biggest support slot to date, principal leaders Miss Aimee Nash and Scott von Ryper (both former members of New York-through-Melbourne combo The Morning After Girls) command the show with their detached, deadpan presence.
Continue reading Live Review: The Cult, The Black Ryder @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 5 May 2010

Live Review: Hoodoo Gurus, The Break, The Gun Street Girls @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane 29 April 2010

By Denis Semchenko

Hoodoo Gurus
[Photo: Stuart Blythe]
  Tonight’s triple bill at West End’s Hi-Fi is more Aussie than Paul Hogan’s thongs, Merv Hughes’ handlebar or Rolf Harris’s wobbleboard – and all the more fun for it. Specialising in no-bullshit, classic pub rock, Gun Street Girls provide an invigorating start to the evening as the predominantly middle-aged, ’80s-weathered punters fill the venue. The erstwhile Dallas Crane dynamo, frontman Dave Larkin hammers a very cool Gretsch White Falcon and belts it out like one of the best screamers in Oz-rock that he is. Barnstormers How I Roll, Right Under The Wind and powerpop-tinged Party In Hell get the heads nodding and feet stomping; I consider myself nicely warmed up for the next sonic wave…

…which duly hits as The Break – an instrumental rock combo comprising three former Midnight Oil members and Violent Femmes’ bassist – open with a crunchy Ventures cover.

Continue reading Live Review: Hoodoo Gurus, The Break, The Gun Street Girls @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane 29 April 2010

Live Review and Photos: Angus & Julia Stone, Boy & Bear, Lavelle Collins @ The Palace, Melbourne 25 March 2010

By Luke Sutton
Click here to view photo gallery

Click image to view photo gallery
Angus & Julia Stone

[Photos: Anna Kanci]
  Brother and sister duo Angus & Julia Stone are making their mark on 2010. With a new album, Down The Way having just been released, the Stone siblings embarked on an Australian tour to promote this wonderful new release for a wide circle of fans. The stage had been decorated into a furnished room, which lamps, old cameras, and a backdrop made of wallpaper decor’ and old photo frames. The term ‘Intimate gig’ could not have been truer, despite being played at the Palace.

Opening up the night in Melbourne was local singer songwriter Lavelle Collins. Playing solo with only his guitar in hand, Collins played a somewhat generic folk set.

Playing an acoustic set due to two of Boy & Bear’s band member’s being on tour with Laura Marling, Boy & Bear was comprised of a trio tonight. Reminiscent of the UK’s Mumford & Sons, Boy & Bear are such a wonderful band to watch perform. Such being, it was incredibly disappointing to see the three remaining members having to compete with the chatter of a crowd who really did not care. Many moments of perfect harmonies were blown away by the chatter of some stoned/drunk girls in the front of the floor area. Regardless of this, paying attention to the band, we were treated to a strong, honest and wonderful set which was closed with the excellent Mexican Mavis. Boy & Bear have an EP released in stores and online soon.
Continue reading Live Review and Photos: Angus & Julia Stone, Boy & Bear, Lavelle Collins @ The Palace, Melbourne 25 March 2010

Live Review: Devin Townsend @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 12 March 2010

Review by: Hannah Collins
Devin TownsendWhat do you say about a person that seemingly has everything, can do anything, and pleases mostly everyone with his never-ending display of musical prowess? >Devin Townsend is such a man. At almost 40 years of age, his list of achievements both in and outside of the music industry, have never ceased to amaze us. His list of albums and sprouting projects is as long and lustrous as his hair once was, with their both differentiating and intriguing sounds as diverse as Devin’s facial expressions. He was once dubbed the “boy genius” by Steve Vai at only 19 years of age and 20 odd years later, he’s definitely lived up to the hype that precedes him.

In his early days, Devin debuted his original works as the founder, songwriter, guitarist and vocalist for hard hitting, extreme metal act “Strapping young lad” (whose debut album “City” was declared to be; “possibly one of the best metal albums of all time”).
Continue reading Live Review: Devin Townsend @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 12 March 2010

Live Review: Emilie Autumn @ The Metro, Sydney – 18 March 2010

By: Bek Grealy
Emilie Autumn

Last night, we encountered Emilie Autumn and her Bloody Crumpets at The Metro theatre, Sydney.

Emilie Autumn’s performance was a two-hour theatrical extravaganza, a conceptual wing-ding that has only a tangential relationship to the normal procedures of rock ‘n’ roll. I recall Emilie’s My Space page a couple of years ago, which included portions of a predictable rock line of attack, and depicting evidence of this in the future events, with the maintenance of two support bands. It was, basically dubbed, a gig.

But now, it’s a show, and the difference is distinct. Emilie Autumn has taken a decisive step towards theatre. No support bands tonight – just an elaborately dressed stage, some equally elaborately dressed Bloody Crumpets, and Emilie Autumn the queen of the performance.
Continue reading Live Review: Emilie Autumn @ The Metro, Sydney – 18 March 2010

Live Review: The Kill Devil Hills, Mexico City and The Blackwater Fever @ The Zoo, Friday 5th February 2010

By: Lana Harris

The Kill Devil Hills   The hazy, swampy chamber that is The Zoo in summer is a perfect match for the mettle of the bands tonight – a mash of blues, rock, and country fermented in the practice rooms of Brisbane and Fremantle. It’s a largely desolate frontier that welcomes The Blackwater Fever to The Zoo tonight. The Brisbane duo move slowly at first, floating pared back and mellow bluesy tunes. The third track brings some rock to the room, and some bodies are now bravely leaving window seats to move into the space in front of the stage.

Blackwater Fever slide from sludgy depths to rock and roll heights with a fullness of sound that challenges your eye sight: is it really just the two of them up there, making all that noise? Andrew Walters is a laconic drummer, while vocalist and guitarist Shane Hicks sings, slides and on occasion growls his way across the set. They finish with ’Taking Its Toll’, which it seems like it does, the track finishing the set with slow, deep melodies.
Continue reading Live Review: The Kill Devil Hills, Mexico City and The Blackwater Fever @ The Zoo, Friday 5th February 2010

Live Review | Lamb Of God @ Riverstage Brisbane 11 December 2009 w/ Devildriver, Shadows Fall and High on Fire

Author: Lana Harris
Lamb Of GodThe afternoon brought with it dark clouds that took away the light but not the heat, and those of us wrapped in black shuffled through the cyclone wire fence that surrounds Riverstage dripping with something a bit more corporeal than anticipation.

High on Fire began as soon as the gates opened, which meant they finished while I was still trying to fuel up on full strength beer before entering Riverstage’s mid-strength terrain. High on Fire are rumoured to have a huge sound, structurally destructive to smaller venues, and I had been keen to watch that sound explode in the open air of Riverstage. But with four bands scheduled, and only four hours to fit them in before Riverstage’s 10pm curfew, I should have known better.

Shadows Fall were second up, and put on a short, powerful set which showcased the blistering guitar solos the band are known for.

Continue reading Live Review | Lamb Of God @ Riverstage Brisbane 11 December 2009 w/ Devildriver, Shadows Fall and High on Fire

Live Review | Dream Theater @ Brisbane Convention Centre 3 December 2009 with Pain of Salvation

By: Hannah Collins

With the Majesty symbol out in force, The Brisbane convention centre slowly begins to fill as fans old and new await a set of mammoth proportions.

Dream TheaterThe venue is still relatively empty as support act, Pain Of Salvation (Sweden) begin to play. The 5 piece, consisting of Daniel Gildenlöw (vocals/guitar), John Hallgren (Backing vocals/Guitar) , Fredrik Hermansson (synthesizers) Léo Margarit (drums/backing vocals) and Per Schelander (bass guitar/backing vocals) announce themselves as “A Swedish band, with a French drummer… somewhat like Meshugga, but with notes”… an interesting analogy.

Their sound comprises of powerfully accentuated guitar work, progressive yet full, with a large and differential vocal range, being contributed to by the excessive use of backing vocals from three different members of the band. Although submitting to be a backup vocalist only, Hallgren seems to have a larger more substantial vocal sound, not only contributing to backup but taking whole sections of songs to claim as his own with his husky larger than life undertones.
Continue reading Live Review | Dream Theater @ Brisbane Convention Centre 3 December 2009 with Pain of Salvation

Live Review and Gallery: Island Vibe 2009 – North Stradbroke Island : What a fantastic weekend!

Review: Cody Alexander and Jon
Photographer: www.codyalexanderphotography.com- Cody Alexander

Island VibeFriday: The weather gods have smiled upon us, after a week of much needed rain the clouds have parted and the sun is beaming down on a collection of camper vans, cars and kombis, most filled with reggae fans eagerly waiting to be loaded on to the Stradbroke Ferry. Island Vibe 09 awaits!

As the ferry pulls away from Cleveland port there is a collective sigh of relief & one’s first taste of what Straddie’s Island Vibe Festival has to offer is found sailing across Redland Bay meeting fellow festival goers. I can hear three different cars pumping reggae beats whilst other passengers take in the fresh air and scenery. Cars are packed to the rafters with tents, hammocks, pets and kids.
Continue reading Live Review and Gallery: Island Vibe 2009 – North Stradbroke Island : What a fantastic weekend!