Review and photos by Peter Coates – www.facebook.com/InsideEdgePhotography
ELECTRIC MARY
Support – BAD MOON BORN
The Factory Theatre, Sydney
May 31st, 2025
This was to be to final Sydney show for Australian classic rock stalwarts, Electric Mary, who announced three final shows in Australia of which this was the first.
There are a few shows in Europe in September, including the Rock N Revel festival run and managed by one Brad Marr, once of the Melbourne scene with Massive!
An unfortunate diary clash meant that a number of potential punters would have been up the road at the Enmore seeing a band who formed a year or so after EM, but who have not seen anything like the consistency of line-ups – and who you will be able to see several more times in the future – in my view that will be their loss.
The Factory had a healthy crowd who were all there for one reason only – not to be seen, or to be in the right gig as an influencer, but to be part of a significant event in our Australian musical heritage.
Bad Moon Born are 10 years into their journey, and have developed a solid reputation in the 6 years since Jordan von Grae took over from Frank Lakoudis as the vocalist just before they headed around Australia in support of the Hardcore Superstar / Buckcherry double-header in 2019. The band took a personal break in 2023, before re-igniting themselves with supports to Candlebox, The Struts, and Skillet, and a bunch of Sydney dates, and they were an ideal opener for the show, although Ned Koncar was not available, so good mate Matt Piper stepped in on lead guitar duties and played a blinder.
We got a set list that kicked off with Promised Land and Chemical Lullaby from the debut 2016 EP that both reminded me of the good old days when Audio Slave and Velvet Revolver were a thing, before the doomy Witch Trials showed off the quality of the PA tonight. Voya remains a killer guitarist, and Shane Robinson lays down a mean bassline in tandem with the rock-solid John Ezilmez behind the kit. A brave choice for a cover would be any song where David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes are involved, and Stormbringer would be high up the list of foolish choices – and Jordan and the band absolutely crushed it! Then it was on to Drowning, and Let Me Out featuring lead vocals from Matt Piper, before closing the show with Alive?, the solid grungy riffing of Dogs and Carry On to finish it off.
Now under the Silverback Agency team, we look forward to seeing the band get more exposure with bigger touring bands, and get the chance to put it all together in the studio for a full album release before too long.
Electric Mary was the product of a lightbulb moment for Rusty while in Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady studios in 2003, and the following year saw him pull the first incarnation of EM together who worked their collective backsides off supporting the likes of Judas Priest, Whitesnake, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple and Glenn Hughes – giving you a fairly good idea of the genre EM was seeking to appeal to!
The band have released 5 Eps and 5 full albums, one of which was live, through to the last release, Mother in 2019. EM is a straight up rock’n’roll band – twin lead guitars, pounding drums and rock-solid bass, and the raucous, gritty vocals delivered by Rusty with 100% intensity and emotion every time! In Pete Robinson and Brett Ward the band has two extraordinary lead guitarists who bring something slightly different to the sound, but can astound in equal measure.
So in a two-hour set which flew by, the opener was a storming version of Welcome To The Otherside, followed by a blistering Gasoline & Guns, and the punch of Gimme Love from that last album, which is a must for any self-respecting rock fan. Then it was Love Me, and the final single, Shaun, dedicated to long-time collaborator Shaun Gardener. No One Does It Better Than Me rolled around next, and then after a brief pause, we got Sorry Baby and after a bluesy intro, and some harmonica from bassman Alex Raunjak over the Quo-like riff, it was Sweet Mary C from The Last Great Hope album. There was no let up, with The Dealer and all-time classic One Foot In The Grave seeing both guitars let rip, while Rusty paces the stage restlessly, delivering the purest roughest vocal lines you could wish for.
Rusty took some time to talk a bit about the band and the history, before announcing that they were going to play “the best song I’ve ever written” – could not have done it without Pete and Brett of course! That was something I picked up throughout the set, that these guys really feel deeply about their shared musical goals, as well as being great mates – the connections were palpable all through the show! The Sabbath-style riff that opens up Already Gone makes it way through to a great solo from Pete, followed by a jaw-dropping solo from Brett, who also threw some vocals in to boot.
We got Woman and One In A Million, before the set closed with the song that almost sounds like an Aussie rock band in My Best Friend, with a bit of a drum solo from Spyda (former and current EM drummer), and some band introductions and cameos, and that was it! There was nothing left on the set-list and the stage was empty!
After a fair bit of noise from the politely unruly crowd, the band were back, and we got a killer version of O.I.C. with its incessant crunching riff and Pete’s ripping solo, before the absolute closer of Let Me Out which put the perfect full stop to the performance.
Electric Mary should be a band that we are still referencing in 20 years, and that younger bands should be looking to emulate – not just in the songs, but the determination and utter professionalism that is obvious in every aspect of the band.
If I had the chance to get to Adelaide and Melbourne for the last two Australian shows, I would certainly take it – we shall not see their like again!
Tour Dates and Tickets via https://www.electricmary.com/
ADELAIDE – The Gov June 21st 2025
MELBOURNE – The Croxton December 13th 2025
Website
https://www.electricmary.com/
Merch
https://www.electricmarymerch.com/