Review by David Jackson
Having covered a number of these 70’s to 80’s artists over the last couple of years I am cautious when it comes to expectations. In my experience, all the hype does not always deliver the goods. Last night at Revesby Workers Club, Rick Astley opened his Australian tour. Everyone remembers Astley from the 80’s, young bloke, big coat, and deep voice. In the 80’s Astley sprinted out of the Stock Aitken Waterman stable with a few hits and took the world by storm. Five years later he disappeared or in his words “retired from the music industry”. Come the new millennium and Astley was back with a vengeance. But in the land of type specific pre-written and arranged music can the guy really sing?
Continue reading Live Review | Rick Astley @ Revesby Workers Club – November 19, 2014
Tag Archives: Review
Live Review | Radio Birdman @ The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle – October 31, 2014
Review and photos by: David Jackson
Last Saturday night in Newcastle one could be confused and think they had ventured into a time machine. Travelling back to the year of 1974 when founding Radio Birdman members Rob Younger, Deniz Tek, and Pip Hoyle with Jim Dickson were taking the stage for the first time in a sweaty pub in Sydney, armed with an array of attitude and a brand of unique music about three years ahead of its time. This type of music surely had no place in the Australian pub scene? The hell it doesn’t. This is every bit a part of music history as any other Aussie pub icon band in the last 40 years.
Continue reading Live Review | Radio Birdman @ The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle – October 31, 2014
Live Review | Augie March @ Howler, Melbourne – November 1, 2014
Review by Ben Connolly
A five year hiatus may have done wonders for revitalising Augie March’s creative juices, but its live show continues to be a beautiful chaotic mess. With a mix of false starts, bum notes, front-man wincing and a particularly rowdy audience member to deal with, night three of its five night return to the live arena had all the elements of a legendary Augie event.
Continue reading Live Review | Augie March @ Howler, Melbourne – November 1, 2014
Live Review | The Church @ Old Museum, Brisbane | November 1, 2014
By Denis Semchenko
It’s been some time since I’ve visited the Old Museum, and it’s pleasing to see that the concert hall’s spacious natural reverb is still there. In hindsight, The Church couldn’t have chosen a more apt venue for the Brisbane launch of their new album Further/Deeper than the Old Museum: a stately red brick building that indeed resembles a place of worship.
Continue reading Live Review | The Church @ Old Museum, Brisbane | November 1, 2014
Live Review + Photos | Thirsty Merc @ Wests, New lambton – October 22, 2014
Review and photos by: David Jackson
Give me twenty good reasons, well to be honest after last night I could give you four hundred. That was the size of the crowd that ventured out on a Wednesday night and witnessed this unique three piece last night on stage in Newcastle.
Continue reading Live Review + Photos | Thirsty Merc @ Wests, New lambton – October 22, 2014
Live Review | The Tea Party @ Palais Theatre, Melbourne – October 12, 2014
Review by Ben Connolly
The Tea Party set kicks off with a new album (“The Ocean at The End” ) sandwich of The L.O.C. and The Black Sea (with a filling of perennial favourite The Bazaar) highlighting just how crunchy the new offering is. Gone is the flowery bloat and overly-earnest emotive slather which marred the late-career albums, in its stead a return to the screeching wail of a well-throttled Les Paul backed by a thumping backline.
Continue reading Live Review | The Tea Party @ Palais Theatre, Melbourne – October 12, 2014
Live Review | Hot Chocolate at Wests New Lambton – October 15, 2014
Review and photos by David Jackson
Sipping hot chocolate on a cold night is anyone’s idea of pleasure, watching one of the most successful bands of the 70’s play live is perhaps double this.
With a career spanning some 44 years and a huge catalogue of hits, Hot Chocolate entered the stage. Lead by relatively new singer Kennie Simon (Simon joined as lead vocals in 2010) and followed by original members Patrick Olive (Bass), Harvey Hinsley (guitarist) and Tony Connor (drummer), they opened the set with “Everyone’s a Winner”.
Continue reading Live Review | Hot Chocolate at Wests New Lambton – October 15, 2014
Photos and Review | Spiderbait live at the Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin NSW – October 4, 2014
Photographer: David Jackson – Winding Creek Photography & Art
Words – David Jackson
Aussie rockers Spiderbait, consisting of the original trio of bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark “Kram” Maher and guitarist Damian Whitty, took to the stage at the Deni Ute Muster with plenty of attitude.
“I know we have a lot of country artists here Deni but are you ready to rock?” yells Maher to the crowd and it’s obvious that they are.
Continue reading Photos and Review | Spiderbait live at the Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin NSW – October 4, 2014
Album Review | Augie March – ‘Havens Dumb’
Review by Ben Connolly
Within seconds of the first chords of AWOL, the lead track off Augie March’s return opus Havens Dumb, one thing is abundantly clear: just how large the Augie March-sized hole in the Australian musical landscape had become.
In just five short years, the band’s ‘hiatus’ had all but slipped into that permanent mode many seem to become; save for an ambling solo album from frontman Glenn Richards, a few non-descript side-projects from other band members and a couple of choice late-night Facebook rants, the band had seemed to slip by the wayside.
Continue reading Album Review | Augie March – ‘Havens Dumb’
Live Review + Photo Gallery | Sepultura + Graveyard Rockstars @ Manning Bar, Sydney – October 5, 2014
Live Review | Sepultura + Malakyte + In Death @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane – October 4, 2014
Review by Stephen Goodwin
The Brisbane chapter of the Sepulnation (if that’s what one calls Sepultura fans collectively) is out in force tonight to catch their heroes at the Hi-Fi in West End.
Best of all for openers In Death, many have shown up early — the venue’s lower level feels cosily fullish even as the local five-piece punch out half a dozen or so of their best at a volume so piercing it almost hurts. They come off a little statuesque, but the impressively gravel-like death growl of frontman KrugTown and the chunky elegance of the band’s riffing certainly hit the spot.
Continue reading Live Review | Sepultura + Malakyte + In Death @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane – October 4, 2014
Album Review | Cold War Kids – ‘Hold My Home’
Reviewer: Wezzy Cruze
In the past decade, there’s been a dynamic shift in the way the music industry works. With more music based reality television shows taking the primetime slot, and contestants being handed record deals like they’re going out of fashion, we’ve seen the indie bands being placed on the back burner – some going bust, some barely hanging on. So one question remains: Whats the key to an indie band staying afloat in a world dominated by generic, autotuned, reality show produced popstars?
With a change in the line-up consisting of two new members joining the team and a brief stint with a side project called French Style Furs, Long Beach indie-soul rockers Cold War Kids return to the fold with their fifth album release, ‘Hold My Home’.
Continue reading Album Review | Cold War Kids – ‘Hold My Home’
Album Review | Bear’s Den – ‘Islands’
Reviewer: Wezzy Cruze
Folk rock, or folk music in general, has a lovely and delicate way of popping up every now and then, pushing aside the likes of Katy Perry, Macklemore or other popular mainstream artists and taking a place high on many music charts around the world. And there is no denying that when a folk song makes its way there, that people get on board with it. Case in point, ‘Little Lion Man’ by Mumford & Sons, ‘Skinny Love’ by Bon Iver, or ‘Ho Hey’ by The Lumineers etc. I’ve made my point…
Andrew Davie, Joey Haynes and Kevin Jones are three gentlemen who are likely to join the ranks of their folk music peers, as their band, Bear’s Den, release their debut album in October, ‘Islands’.
Continue reading Album Review | Bear’s Den – ‘Islands’
Live Review | Reece Mastin – ‘Wolf In The Woods’ Tour @ Newcastle Panthers – September 26, 2014
Review by David Jackson
The Newcastle Panthers auditorium was full of young eager fans on Friday night ready to rock out with Reece Mastin.
Supporting Reece is three piece outfit “The Kin”. This band is solid and entertaining, the fact the drummer does not use sticks, they have no bass and the band opted to move the show to the floor which looked more like a religious chant than a concert only added to the night.
Continue reading Live Review | Reece Mastin – ‘Wolf In The Woods’ Tour @ Newcastle Panthers – September 26, 2014
Live Review | Ball Park Music + Millions + Pluto Jonze @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney – September 26, 2014
Review by Scott Singh.
The night was young and many punters needed a musical fix, one that would take them to their highest highs and in the next minute bring them back to earth. Luckily The Enmore Theatre was housing a trio of musical talents that could perform such an act.
Continue reading Live Review | Ball Park Music + Millions + Pluto Jonze @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney – September 26, 2014