The Living End @ Metro Theatre Sydney 16/05/25

G’DAY AFLIE

Oi, take a look any this cracker of a gig why don’t ya! Aussie punk rock pioneers and all-round bloody legends in the Aussie music scenes history, The Living End, have surprised fans, me included, with the news of a new song titled ‘Alfie’, the first new music in a whoppin’ 8 years. To celebrate, the band have announced two intimate shows, one in Melbourne and the other in Sydney, just in case this reviews title of where the show’s at confused anyone. The living end have been an integral part of my life in the concert scene, and I was only introduced to the amazing life of live music in 2008, these guys have been an integral part of so many more folks lives for a lot longer, putting on unforgettable high-energy rock shows.

It really is like reconnecting with an old mate after several years, so let’s see if time much has changed between us and our good ol mates…

so first off, this gig sold out well before the show, even with only having a week’s notice, so there’s a lot of us looking forward to reconnecting with good ol’ Uncle Harry, and this is confirmed by the packed line outside the venue of fans eagerly awaiting doors to open and then to fill the dance floor, not that you really “dance” at a sweaty pub rock gig like this.

Photos by Jif Morrison

The band start with quite frankly, a bloody-ripper ‘Roll On’. This song is met with the whole venue singing along to every word like no time at all has passed. The band are also exactly on point in sound and energy like they were always when they played at every festival, back when festivals actually existed in Australia, as well as pumping out there own albums and tours from what I can ascertain, but the night is still young.

Without giving us a single second to finish cheering roacusly after ‘Roll On’, the band charge straight into fan favourite ‘Second Solution’ kinda ironically named second song of the night. Still, no fault from the band dishing out the gritty pub rock vibes like the old days, and the crowd reciprocates nicely!

ok ok, there needs to be a bit of give in the energy at some point right? Nah, well kinda, as the band tear through their vast catalogue of hits like ‘All Torn Down’, ‘White Noise’ and’Bloody Mary’, the musical energy, and so too the bands, changes yeah, with being more extreme and crunchy at-Peanut Butter at times, to levelling out slightly in other songs, so the band don’t bloody pass out I guess, the over-all energy even from those ever-so slightly tamer songs like ‘Bloody Mary’, still exude a potent presence, adding to the nights climate.

All of this is while the band, lead by lead singer Chris, interacts with the audience on a personal level, like reading out aa girls in a wheelchair’s sign saying it was the first time she’s seen the band, and she’s loved them ever since she was 2. Chris talks to the hardcore fan, then to us, telling us stories about their career as a band, and of course performing their new track ‘Alfie’, which even though it only came out yesterday, everyone’s singing along too as if it’s a golden oldie from the band.

One very impressive classic move from The Living End, is Chris climbing up onto bassist Scott’s big double bass during the bridge section of cult classic, ‘West End Riot’. I was wondering if the band would still pull it off now, I mean c’mon, they’ve been at this for a time or two, pumping out the hard yacker, but they don’t disappoint, and better yet, don’t fall on their asses!

Now all good things have to come to an end, and a high velocity rock gig can only stay high velocity for so long, and I think if they dragged it out any longer I personally would’ve started losing enthusiasm, so finishing off the show with Aussie rock anthem ‘Prisoner Of Society’ then to cap it all off on a cracker of a feel good anthem, ‘Uncle Harry’ (I’m sure it was certainly a feel-good moment for old Uncle Harry, pissin in the bath after a few too many), it felt like a very satisfying gig!

Even though a few of those lower energy tracks might not’ve been my favourites, in an objective way I can’t fault the show, I only wish the band chucked in ‘Who’s Gonna Save Us’ and ‘Wake Up’, but there’s so many classics from these lads some are bound to miss out.

I absolutely love how you can go a few years without listening to some songs, but as soon as they start pumping, it thrusts you back in time as if no time has past, just like reconnecting with old mates!

Just grab a beer throw your arm around that mate, raise your glass and you’ll be right mate!

Pier Street Party, Frankston 24/02/2018

LET’S PARTY!

Pier Street Party, Frankston VIC Australia 24/02/2018

Come party down where the city meets the sea, right near the magic fountain, here in Frankston for this year’s Pier Street Party! With a line-up featuring Aussie hip-hop heavy-weights Thundamentals, party favourites Art Vs Science, garage indie-rock legends Gyroscope, alt-rock escape artists The Getaway Plan, attention demanding indie-rockers Rackett and fresh hip-hop artist Jesswar, I’m sure today will make us all feel alive! .....the bar near by may contribute to that as well.

Ready or not, here we go!

To my surprise, Rackett are up first instead of originally intended opener Jeswar, so upon entry to the party, I’m a little anxious as we’re slightly late for when Rackett are scheduled to start. Luckily however, the bands haven’t started yet for some reason, then I realise that this is likely due to the absence of people in the party as yet, which is unfortunate for Rackett as they’re a band not to be missed! Just as I stroll to the front barrier and get set up, the band now start to wow the small crowd that turned up early! Lead singer Bec starts the set by saying hi to us, which normally at a show deflates the hype, but in such a casual intimate setting as this however, it goes down well to connect with us from the get go. As the music is launched in the first song, the musical energy is powerful and with Bec groovin’ around the stage straight away, it awakens our attention nice and early. Unfortunately however, the sound mixer has done a poor job mixing the vocals, so hearing Bec’s dynamic voice is a challenge sadly!  Moving further along, attention is demanded even more, with the sound changing from pop-rock with catchy vocal hooks, to a more pop/punk vibe with slightly clearer vocals likely thanks to Bec putting more force into them, plus killer guitar riffs, and as the vibe reaches it’s peak nearing the sets’ end, Bec jumping off the stage, sitting on the barrier next to a certain super-attractive blind guy, which Bec must agree with, seeing as she sings to me, I mean him, while caressing his face with her free hand, then leans down and kisses me, stimulating my full attention in all sorts of ways. Bec goes on to share the love around with the rest of her audience, running a random girls hand down her front, singing with people and just busting a move in front of the barrier, demanding everyone’s attention, and drawing people closer to the front.

Now all my blood has returned to it’s regular parts of my body, I’m going to go take a wander and scope out this place. The area is small, and basic which is good as far as me navigating it, with a few typical festival food options (burgers, pizza, hot dogs etc) a bar and a merchandise stand surrounding the standing area with park benches at the back to chill out and eat at, and if this isn’t good enough for you, we are right outside Pelly Bar, with more beverage and seating options. This may surprise you, but I am only human, so now would be a good time to sample some of the food and alcohol on offer here and chillax while Jesswar take to the stage, before the big guns come out and I park myself at the front barrier like a true groupy.

Jesswar’s gangster rap is getting peoples’ attention as they continue to enter the event, but for me, it’s getting a little repetitive and isn’t living up to the hype that Rackett left. 

After refuelling, I’ve returned to the front barrier ready for The Getaway Plan, which is lucky as the crowds are really starting to roll in and near full capacity. The Getaway Plan too start the show with a greeting to their fans, but while an eery bass carries Matt’s voice, keeping the excitement high. The Getaway Plan put on a brilliant high-energy performance filled with awesome guitar riffs and hooks and the band all rocking out on stage enthusiastically, but unfortunately, the sound mixer has again stuffed up, making Matt’s incredible voice which differs in range and dynamics very hard to hear hidden below the rest of the bands’ sound.... I honestly think people can probably hear my singing more clearly then Matt’s... those poor sods. The Getaway Plan’s set features a brilliant blend of old and new hits, flowed well to vary the energy levels at strategic intervals, plus the addition of the song ‘Lovesick’ which the band haven’t played live since their 2013 ‘Lovesick Tour’ to my knowledge, and got the crowd rocking out and energised, but the poor sound mixing with the vocals let the otherwise epic set down dramatically to my deep disappointment!

Now for Gyroscope to ride the hype The Getaway Plan left for them. The crowd is starting to get quite rowdy with the occasional random drunken statement being shouted at the band and peoples’ balance getting a little unstable, this’ll be interesting! The band start the set with a bang, with the bands’ energy at a blazing hot high, but the sound mixer has done an even worse job mixing the vocals for Gyroscope sadly! This hasn’t let down the excitement in the crowd around me though, it’s still extremely positive and lively, made even more-so when the bassist jumps off the stage, stands on the front barrier step, leans back against the audience and continues to play, bringing the excitement up to climactic levels! .....to be honest, I really don’t know which band member it is leaning against the crowd holding a guitar of some sort, for all I know with my limited sight, it could just be a security guard that’s nicked a guitar from the band and felt like putting on their own show? Whoever that party animal is, it raised the hype well in the first song that’s carried throughout the bands’ set! As the set goes on, we are hit with some easy to dance to beats with enticing guitar hooks and seriously muffled vocals, which I can’t properly comment on sadly, as I can’t freakin’ hear them! Oh there they are! I can now JUST hear the vocals in a couple of songs, luckily being my two favourite, but even still, it’s far from level with the other sounds and beyond being able to comment analytically on. Even with the lack of vocal clarity, the audience still manage to sing along... somehow, and the easy to dance/jump to vibe is exploded with the band flowing one of their songs into Midnight Oil’s ‘Beds Are Burning’ in the songs’ bridge before returning to it’s original song, being a definite crowd pleaser!  The lead singer now throws an energy grenade into the audience, as he jumps off the stage in the bands’ last song, and proceeds to stand on top of the front barrier in an instrumental section, grabbing peoples hands in the audience riling everyone right up for a big finish! I can’t help but notice seeing as the lead singer is standing on the barrier right next to me, that his pants are down a little with his nickers showing slightly, and I’m so tempted to slip a business card in the top of his undies just above his ass for him to discover later. 

Now that everyone’s here and got their party hat on and are filled with obscene amounts of grog, Art Vs Science with their party-anthem hits should go down nicely! For the first few songs, the bands’ energy is a little withdrawn to my surprise, as I was expecting the energy to start wild and get all sorts of crazy as the set progresses. Oh wait, here we go, it’s taken a few songs, but  the band are really starting to bust out some moves now, with the lead singer shakin’ his tail feather around across the front of the stage, and instigating clap alongs to get the crowd involved and right in the palm of the bands’ hands! Thankfully, the sound mixer has done a much better job with the vocals this time, and are only slightly not loud enough, which makes the music so much more enjoyable! The band keeps things interesting throughout the set, from playing an awesome cover of Muse’s ‘Knights Of Cydonia’ which gets the crowd jumping and resembling a full-on mosh, closing any space I once had here at the front, to flowing a classic Art Vs Science favourite into The White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army’, which gets the whole crowd singing the iconic bass hook and really rocking out hard! When the band finishes their set filled with exciting retro grooves, rock hooks, and anthemic party tracks, it’s left us all wanting more, and wishing the band had another few songs to give us!

Now that the sun has set, and the only act left for the party is headliners Thundamentals, the crowd is really getting rowdy and a little too enthusiastic in anticipation for these growing hip-hop masters, that a lot of people came to this event especially for! The band start the show with the energy elevated straight away to then be sustained for the rest of the set. The sound mixer has done well for Thundamentals’ sound, and their skills as a sound mixer are obviously intended for hip-hop rather than rock, because both rappers, the DJ and the drummer’s sound are all set evenly and at a nice level! The band connect with their fans brilliantly, instigating clap alongs and sing alongs in songs, and talking to us between each, giving us insight into the songs’ story/meaning and revving us all up with “are you f***in’ with us?!” And “give it up for our DJ/Drummer!” Etc. The songs in the set flow nicely from gangster rollers to cruisin’ smooth-criminals, to up-beat party-poppers that keep the audience singing along all the way from the start to finish. Randomly after one song, I’m greeted with someone standing right in front of me on the other side of the barrier saying hi to me, and asking if I’d like him to sign that (I’m assuming referring to my note pad). Again for all I know it could be that cheeky security guard that wants to take advantage of my lack of sight and pretend to be a part of the band? I’m a little stunned, and really didn’t see this coming.... in any way shape or form, so I turn to a new page in my note pad and let the guy autograph it, hoping I don’t read some random security guards signature later. The band continue to deliver high-intensity hip-hop anthems that get everyone bouncing and throwing their raised arms from side to side at the bands command, and gets the girls all sitting on random peoples’ shoulders for a better view, filling the area with incredible amounts of positive energy! Even as Thundamental's sound isn’t my preferred style, when the band finish up, I’m glad they give us just one more to close the night on a high and leave me feeling satisfied!

All in all, the sound mixers shoddy mixing in the most parts was quite a let down, but even still, today was a bloody good time, and even with everyone getting a little loose and intoxicated, there were no issues/incidences to ruin a good time! Art Vs Science were a definite highlight for me, and if the sound mixer did a better job for Rackett, The Getaway Plan and Gyroscope, it would’ve been an absolute ace of a day.

Lawrence @ Metro Theatre, Sydney 22/01/25

TIME FOR SOME FAMILY BUSINESS

Welcome to the family business right here with the soulful pop sensation that is, LAWRENCE.

Let me break it down for y’all, lead by siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence, this eight-piece pop/soul bands use of smokey, seductive and even moving use of brass and Clyde’s voice combined with dazzling ,energetic keyboard-lead pop elements with the funkiest of beats from drummer Sam, topped-off by Gracies incredible voice is testament to why despite this being the first time the band’s performed in Australia, both Sydney shows completely sold out well before these shows

The venue fills very quickly once doors open, and judging by the shrill excitement buzzing around me on the dancefloor, I’d normally expect this to be an indication of lots of pushing and getting all-up and personal with those around me, which I mean, if dinner and a drink is offered I normally don’t mind, but we’ll see. Luckily however, everyone around me is really polite, in good spirits and respectful of one another, it's a very good starting canvas for tonight!

So let’s start adding some colour and ‘zaz’ to that canvas shall we?

I honestly was dragging my feet a bit to bring me to the show tonight, I guess I just had a bit of start-of-year exhaustion, but straight away in opening song, touring album title track, ‘Family Business’ brings all those elements afore mentioned in my opening paragraph, and honestly, I can’t not smile and shake my booty, most likely to the horror of those behind me, but seriously you can’t not move to this funky music!

Clyde and Gracie interact with their audience from within their second song, and sustain the connection throughout the set, which is quite a lengthy one, filled with a beautifully curated blend of all the bands elements, highs, lows, sass, bite and everything in between.

I honestly am new to the bands’ music so I’m not too familiar with a lot of their tracks, but it really doesn’t matter, my interest, fascination and bum-wiggle stays throughout!

The sound you ask? Honestly, I can’t fault it, both from the sound mixer and the band! Both Clyde and Gracies vocals are nicely highlighted at the forefront of the sound, and I’m in awe in particular of Gracies voice! Going from happy, uplifting, attention-holding, to sassy, seductive, smokey, to larger than life brow-raising highs and deep serious melancholy.

The only somewhat negative thing I could say about the show, was I didn’t see a lot of movement of the band members. My friend did say after the show that Gracie did move around a lot, but still within her section of the stage. To be honest though, being an eight-piece band who need as much of their breath/energy for their instruments/vocals doesn’t leave a lot of space for moving around I wouldn’t imagine.

At the end of the day, the best most accurate thing I can say about one of Lawrence’s shows, is you can’t help but smile, get lost in the infectious blend of stunning sounds and dance shamelessly, ‘cause everyone else are too!

Definitely keen for the band to return to Australia, and I just hope wherever they perform, the venue has enough space for me to bring some of the friends to really well and truly break-out the dance moves!

Kane Brown 'In The Air Tour' @ Qudos Bank Arena Sydney 19/11/2024

GAME ON!

U.S country-pop superstar, gamer and all-round winning-guy, Kane Brown, has landed back down-under for his biggest Aussie tour yet, for his upcoming album ‘High Road’.

This champion was last here in 2022 for his headlining spot at Brisbane’s CMC Rocks Award Ceremony, plus a few extra stops around the country which launched Kane’s Aussie following straight up the high road to incredible heights, resulting in fans demanding his return!

I’m not usually into country music admittedly, but when my best mate saw him in 2022 and played his music for me, it intrigued me and caught my attention, so I guess I’m kinda like the villain in this game.

Let’s see if I can be turned from the dark side of the musical force…

So let me lay out the battlefield for y’all, I’m at the front barrier along the catwalk coming out from the middle of the main stage, well and truly impressed and warmed up by supporting artists Katie Bell and Cemeron Marlo, particularly Katie, as are the rest of the audience by the level of enthusiasm around me, and then it’s Kane’s turn.

Ima break this down into aspects, I guess kinda like Lego blocks.

First, the sound. At the front barrier of a concert, I opt for wearing my custom earplugs with their live music filters to both take the distorting edges of the sound to balance things out and make things generally more enjoyable, and of course, to protect my ears from damage. Tonight, yes, I do have my ear plugs in, but loosely, I ALMOST don’t need them. The sound is uhm, a bullseye, K.O, killshot, basically just insert whatever gamer adjective suits you. All sounds, Kane’s warm seductive vocals, the drums, piano, guitar and violin are all even and really well balanced for optimum enjoyment which, at the end of the day, is the most crucial aspect of a concert, the music.

But wait, THERE’S MORE! More? Yes Oliver Twist, more. Judging by the heat off to my right at parts, and that influx of light, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that’s pyros coming up from the main stage. This, added with confetti blasting a couple of times and screens and pretty lights, it adds a nice layer to complement the music just like the graphics of a game, so that’s pretty awesome.

Thirdly, throughout the show which is nicely flowing from song to song for its energy and feeling to rise and fall strategically in parts, without losing the crowd's attention even in the lower parts, which I was honestly thinking that would happen for me as I’m not exactly a “country” fan, but no, it’s keeping even my attention… wait, where was I going with that, my attention span isn’t good sorry. 

Oh that’s right, even throughout the strategic song choices, it’s not just Kane strutting up and down the catwalk in front of me, apparently the guitarist and violinist are too, and not just once. I really like this, as a lot of the time it’s just the lead singer making use of the catwalk at shows and the rest of the band are back on the main stage left in the background, relatively unappreciated.

And finally, Kane’s nicely connected with the audience pretty constantly during and between songs, not personally connected with individuals that make some rare concerts truly special, but it’s far from fake with the way he connects with us.

All in all, the sound was pretty damn on-par, the stage setup and effect/niceties added a nice frosting to the cake, the length of the set was satisfying without dragging it out past the audience's expiration date, and the stage presence from Kane and his band were pretty damn ace too!

AND no cliche planned encore, just playing all the songs and telling us/getting us all pumped for the actual last song.

So, in summary, for someone who’s not really into country music, I’m actually going out of my way to play Kane Brown on my speakers now and finding it quite enjoyable, he balances country with pop and rock nicely! 

So I guess you could say this is that scene in Return Of The Jedi, where Darth Vader sacrifices himself to save Luke from Palpatine, ending his dark tyranny for Luke.

Amaranthe ‘The Catalyst World Tour’ @ Metro Theatre Sydney 30/8/2024

The Catalyst Is Here!

The Catalyst is nigh, bringing forth the Drop Dead Cynical essence of Swedish heavy-metal mastery in its primal form that is Amaranthe! Amaranthe have been unleashing their glorious multi-genre-infused metal in all its ferocity, upon the Digital World since 2008, building up a strong, everlasting army of fans far and wide, but have yet to bring the Viral force down under… until now.

The feverish excitement is palpable throughout the venue as the band emerges shrouded in a mist of cinematic sounds and light, as they charge full-headed into opening songs, ‘Fearless’, my personal favourite ‘Viral’ and fan favourite ‘Digital World’. These songs ignite a fierce intensity of energy both on stage musically and in the wild blur of movement, and in the crowd's response. 

Despite the rowdiness of the fans and the “undesirable nature” of a couple of them that I perceived from their carrying on before the show started, and the way everyone rushed into the venue yelping and squealing like wolves (which made me opt for off to the side of the front row rather than smack-bang in the middle, since I do value my bones not being shattered), the crowd are all really, well… unexpected.

I’m reminded of how despite what most may think about the heavier genre’s, fans are generally respectful of one another and all just want to have fun, enjoy some expressive, powerful music and release some stress and quell some inner demons and the general shit of life, because in one way or another, we all have them, and metal music is the perfect way of coming together with loved-ones and complete strangers to connect and share the burden on day to day life, picking up everyone if they fall, and giving a jolly-big grin and your middle finger up at life.

From start to finish, the way the band all feed off each other's energy, amplified by us in the crowd and vice versa is nothing short of mesmerizing! Especially the synchronicity of all three vocalists, Elize, Olaf and Mikael, all shining in their own glory, with Elize like a hauntingly beautiful yet no less fierce primal goddess, soaring around the intense wrath of Mikael’s draconic roar, searing our senses. Finally, charging and prowling between these two enchanting powers comes Olaf with his surging, power-hungry commanding vocals, like a wicked bloodhound wolf… I promise you, I am not on drugs! Although, there were “sprinkles” on the doghnut earlier and it is Friday night in the middle of Sydney so who knows.

One thing that is often hard to harness, is a clear even sound at a metal show, especially from a band with so many musical elements as Amaranthe. Luckily, I can’t fault the sound mixer, they’ve nicely highlighted all three vocalists, without over-bearing one or another (usually the harsh vocals can drown out the clean vocals) but tonight, nor have the drums, bass or guitar been set out of proportion, it’s like the perfectly blended cocktail, shakin’ not stirred.

As the show finishes with fan favourite ‘Drop Dead Cynical’ and the crowd goes crazy, I notice that the show only went for 75 minutes or so instead of the typical 90 minute headlining set. I don’t feel unsatisfied or left needing more though, the high energy performance with the first ten songs being the more energetic powerful hits, then the last nine being a mix of more emotive slower songs, with the band being connected with the audience no matter what the feeling in the music, was anything but unsatisfying!

I very much look forward to when the fates allow Amaranthe’s glorious return to Australia, likely in larger venues after this memorable visit!

San Cisco @ Florida Beach Bar, Terrigal NSW Australia 24/03/2018 written by Brendan Lewis

LET’S GO THE DISTANCE

Throw your dancing shoes on, whip out those awkward bumblebee sunnies, rock that retro perm and let’s disco with San Cisco! No more waiting for the weekend, for the weekend is now here.  Tonight, these wild things are bustin’ an old-school magic groove, proving that these kids are cool still, as they do their thang in super slow slo-mo, and go the distance.

Let’s par-tay! ….which glittery dress do I wear?

After settling on a dress with the perfect balance on classy and slutty, I’ve shimmied my way to the front on this dancefloor to join the charged up high-spirited crowd, ready to boogie as a synth-based auramatic intro, filled with anticipation starts as the band walk out on stage here at “The Beery” …...side note... seriously people,  how the hell did you get ‘The Beery’ from Florida Beach Bar???

The band start this party off with ‘Did You Get What You Came For?’ off their latest album, followed by ‘SloMo’. The first of these two grooves is very strong in the 90’s synth-pop force, and as clear as Jordi’s lead male vocals are which is always a relief, the over-all sound isn’t as loud as I would’ve expected, and is very focused on vocals, synthesisers/keyboards and drums. On top of this, there’s not a lot of movement on stage to catch my limited sight, which may be due to the may-be faulty sound mix making the band struggle with their sound, or the fact that the audience hasn’t started shakin’ a tail feather yet, or perhaps, the fact that the band aren’t overly energetic is what’s causing the lack of energy in the audience? We now reach the songs’ bridge section, which features a crowd-pleasing guitar solo to help get the crowd moving, but still, this isn’t the big bold kick-off song I normally expect at a show… wait for it…

Next, ‘SloMo’ is far from it, with it’s up-beat tempo, that the catchy-as-funk vocal melodies in the chorus and the attention-grabbing guitar riff dances on. It’s great that the guitarist gets its’ turn in the the spotlight and shine brightly as they rightly should, and this songs’ classic disco-anthem vibe is extremely colourful like a mirror ball reflecting all the psychedelic lights, and easy to get down to and get my slut on, I mean, dance on. This does prompt the crowd to start drearily bopping and singing along, but the energy is still quite withdrawn.

The band now say a quick hello and thank you to the audience before the next swagger of songs ‘About You’, ‘Beach’, ‘Magic’ and touring track ‘The Distance’. ‘About You’ features a far more chilled-out vibe with calm honest female-lead vocals, with hook melodies in the chorus that get stuck in your head….. Or at least it sounds like female vocals…. If that is still you Jordi, my bad, and well, take it as a compliment, you’re pulling off a chick’s voice too! The fact that people are singing along more attentively now indicates that this is a fan favourite and is further drawing peoples’ attention which is good, but the absence of musical and on-stage energy doesn’t raise the nights’ vibe sufficiently at this point…. Wait for it….

The energy on stage starts creeping up at last in ‘Beach’, with Jennifer now on keys grooving away judging by the blurry shape of wild curly hair moving around, and the/a guitarist (Jordi?) starting to bust a noticeable move, closer to the front. The atmosphere in the venue is changed to a high-school prom/formal dance feel with a chorus of girly sing alongs, like in that movie, you know, that movie with the daggy high-school prom. (you mean every soppy teenage romances ever made?) exactly! As cheesy as this vibe is, Jordi is showing off some sparkly vocals full of diversity, with both crisp highs and smooth lows.

After the musical and audience’s energy is dropped in ‘Magic’ despite more on-stage energy from the band, with seductive retro-funk female lead vocals. (I’m quite certain this time they’re female). These vocals build up to an even more seductive vocal hook at the songs’ end, Jordi now says hi and asks how we’re all doing, and spruces up the positivity with a quick engaging chat to raise the energy for ‘The Distance’. ‘The Distance’ raises the energy nicely after that half-time rev up from Jordi, dual male/female vocals and smooth walking bass lines, now people are starting to get their groove on and I can finally unleash my super-dorky moves in this hyped up crowd!

For the rest of this night of getting my slut on, I mean, dance on the band serve up more tasty retro treats like ‘Awkward’ (how I’m feeling as I try and sing along to the incredibly infectious vocal hook, and sadly fail) but ‘Hey Did I Do You Wrong?’ really? Well, if so let’s ‘Wash It All Away’ with loads more energy which is climaxing to sweaty levels, as ‘That Boy’ on stage continues to fire us all up as he totally shows me up with his disco dance moves! All these songs are filled with unique disco-synth vibes that are highly uplifting and get the crowd moving and jumping to the point where it’s starting to resemble an actual mosh-pit which, side note, thank god I have the barrier to hold on to, because the floor is EXTREMELY slippery due to sweat and spilt drinks and would be rather tricky for even patrons with full range of vision. But, all good things must come to an end, after the band engage us more and share quick stories between songs, they now announce that this is the last song. The lucky last song tonight is ‘Fred Astaire’ with its up-beat shakin’ verses, and slow nostalgic choruses and the guitarist to my left (again, quite possibly Jordi) party-rockin’ out up close on stage, and regardless of the band having to pause the song to check if someone in the audience who obviously was injured was alright (slipped on the dangerously wet floor maybe?) this song ends the night on a high!

You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here….. Just kidding, there’s an encore. The band give in to the intoxicated roars from the crowd demanding an encore and give us two more songs ‘Run’ and fan favourite ‘Too Much Time Together’ thus capping the energy off with a band and making the crowd go wild and jump/get their slut on more fiercely than previously!

Now for the hardest part of the night, coming down from the hype of energy, coming home and slipping off those heels exposing blistered feet, scrubbing off mascara and getting out of that sparkly classy/slutty dress and looking back on the night I just had, and my god, I can imagine that would be a right pain in the ass if I weren’t pulling your leg and were actually wearing that sparkly dress. (which I could totally pull off btw)

It took a little while for the show to creep up and get everyone energised and draw their attention, and the mix of sound seemed a little unsure, but when it picked up it really picked up and was a truly fun retro disco vibed night in the end, filled with anthemic hooks and infectious vocals and synthesiser melodies!

Meg Mac "Matter Of Time" album tour Sydney 15/04/2023

It was only a matter of time

Meg Mac @ Enmore Theatre Sydney 15/04/2023

We all know that great music from truly talented arts will Never Be snuffed out of this world by harsh times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and if you thought the hiatus of music from artists like this, and my quirky reviews of their gigs, was a sign of the end on both fronts, well, you Should’ve Known better….you ain’t ever gonna shut me up! 

It was only a Matter Of Time until truly talented artists such as Meg Mac graced our stages again, we just had to Ride It out. Tonight, our anticipation has been met with Meg Mac bringing her ‘Matter Of Time’ tour to Sydney’s Enmore Theatre.

Tick, tock, tick…

The ticking of the clock on the speakers detonates into Meg Mac emerging on stage to open the set with album title track, ‘Matter Of Time’. This song brings forth a dark, warning minor-toned power surge, with Meg’s vocals sitting perfectly in the mix of crystal clear sounds, even when a massive bass-drop rumbles the theatre, Meg’s power-house vocals soar above the fray perfectly!

‘Matter Of Time’ is nicely flowed into the next song ‘Turning’ which brings with it a contrasting soulful, heart-aching essence full of emotion and confidence. This song is followed by ‘Every Lie’ and ‘Maybe It’s My First Time’. These songs lift the atmosphere with their rise in positive energy, as Meg really spreads her wings and sends her powerful voice soaring all around the theatre with precision, grace and control. While Meg’s voice flies around the venue, twirling, dazzling and gently lifting our spirits, supporting harmonies  help put more force behind Meg’s vocal flight, as if a flock of birds are trailing behind Meg. At this stage as my friend next to me reads this, she’s probably looking dubiously at the bar wondering what the f*** they put in my cider! 

Meg thanks the crowd and briefly speaks to us, quite shyly and void of the confidence she so elegantly displays in her music. I do remember Meg telling me in our interview in 2017 that she can be quite shy and withdrawn, and it’s through music that she’s really free, or along those lines at least, c’mon, it was six years ago you can’t really expect me to remember word for word!

Sitting here, enjoying the cocktail of delicious sounds so perfectly mixed together (shaken, not stirred) not clashing or overpowering one another, even when we get bone-shaking bass, I’m truly impressed with how Meg so beautifully transitions the flavour of her vocals from serious, dark warning, to soulful heart-aching, to sweet, bouncing joyful, to sassy, and everything in between. she could probably even pull off heavy-metal screams if she wanted to! 

These attributes are scattered across genres such as Pop, Indie, Alternative, Motown, R&B and Gospel, all held together in the one body like the vivid colours on a bird… yes we’re back to the birds thing.

Just to mess you around with the whole bird analogies, as the show goes on, Meg’s confidence and stage presence starts a freshly hatched bird, but then grows and takes off, chasing her musical confidence and power, quickly catching up to then merge into one being, let’s say a stunning, burning Phoenix, exuding both fearsome power and exquisite grace! 

Meg tells us stories with more and more confidence, such as how she scrapped a whole album because it just wasn't right for her to the point of keeping her up at night , so she scrapped it and started all over again to eventually become the album that has become “Matter Of Time'' with the opening track “Is it Worth Being Sad?” representing her feelings about starting fresh. 

Meg then goes on to tell us how she played the song ‘Don’t You Cry’ in Africa, I think she said? Before playing the sweet acoustic track, then onto talking about writing and performing before playing songs like the intense drum pulses and vocal hook of ‘Grace Gold’ then the heart-filled emotion of ‘Letter’, with Meg demonstrating her talent on the Piano, with the songs nice blend of block-chords, broken-chords and melody.

As the show nears its final flight, the energy in the venue is palpable and electric with the crowd seeming to feed off Meg’s energy and giving it back to her to further aid Meg’s Flight Of The Phoenix that she’s become! The 'final' song for the evening is fan favourite ‘Never Be’ which has a more defined powerful drum beat lifting Meg’s voice even higher, like hard flaps of wings to push the main body to new heights!

Well that’s all folks, yep, go home… Oh wait, there’s an encore that totally doesn’t happen at ALL shows, that we NEVER  see coming and totally isn’t written out already on the band/artists setlists!

The actual final song is breakthrough massive hit, ‘Should’ve Known’ which as Meg tells us how this year marks ten years since she flew onto the music scene with an audible smile on her face, makes the crowd go nuts and is a perfect way to land the show back down to earth but not before the house is brought down with the crowd singing along to every word in full captivation!

This show tonight was a real treat, with its musical diversity, emerging stage presence and perfectly balanced sounds!

Just like a Phoenix rising from its ashes time and time again, I have no doubt Meg Mac will rise and take flight again, soon!

Hilltop Hoods 'Show Business' Tour - Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney 03/09/2022

LET’S CHASE THAT FEELING!

Tonight, I’ma Chase That Feeling down here at the front barrier of Qudos Bank Arena in The Nosebleed Section, because Aussie hip-hop icons Hilltop Hoods are Still Standing after the involuntary hiatus on the music scene caused by the pandemic, and Hilltop Hoods are ready to party and remind us why we need to hold on tight to live music and why they’re at the top of the Aussie hip-hop scene, on the bands’ ‘Show Business’ Tour! 

Now, if you’re familiar with my reviews you’d know I normally take my readers through an in-depth, song-by-song analysis. Tonight though, I don’t feel that’s necessary and I’d just be repeating myself… a-lot! No no, it doesn’t mean this show is repetitive and anything short of special, quite the opposite.

The energy, excitement and sheer fun-happy vibes skyrocketed straight away with opening song ‘Leave Me Lonely’, with a notable suspense-building sudden stop in the bridge section to raise the impact for the final chorus, then straight into one of my all-time favourites, ‘Chase That Feeling’. Which I should note, that for the live experience this song features an extra ‘synth’ sound added into the songs intro.

Now, picture this, you’re in the crowd at Qudos Bank arena, if you’re not wearing protective ear-plug down here at the front of the standing crowd (I am THANK JEEBUS!) you’re bombarded by bones-rattling bass, but luckily, astonishingly, it doesn’t even come close to drowning out the vocals and other musical layers, I mean, there could be a smidgen more mid-range in the mix, but that’s me looking for any gaps, but by the sheer excitement emanating from fans around me from the band racing around the stage, feeding off our energy and each others on stage perfectly surrounded by a dazzling light show, you’d think this is as good as it gets and that it’ll be more of the same throughout the performance right? You know, fans sing along at the top of their lungs… in my ears, the band revs us up between songs, we clap along to beats, jump when the band tells us to, maybe a bit of confetti for us to bat-away from our faces like cats etc etc.

Well yes, that does all happen as I described but with a few key differences that make this show truly special and memorable. First off, after the band play ‘Chase That Feeling’, they ask “has anyone here not seen us before?” which the young girl to my right calls out that she hasn’t, it’s her first time. (you never forget your first) Then, the band member who asked the question pointed the girl out and ask what her name is, “Mia!” then the band say hi to Mia, thank her and the rest of us for being here, mention Mia a few more times as the band rev us up leading into ‘The Nosebleed Section’, which was perfect for the songs’ lyrics in the chorus “I fell in love with the people in the front row”... but apparently my blind eyes missed one little, iddy-bitty detail. After Mia called out her name and one of the band members confirmed it, he unfastened his watch and gave it to Mia! No, I doubt it was a $10,000 Rolex or anything, more likely one of the custom Hilltop Hoods G-Shock watches, which if anything I think is better!

But the special moments don’t end there! After the band play ‘I Love It’, one of the band members “where’s the blind guy with the sign?” (yes, me) and wants me to hold it up for him to read out. Apparently he has it shown on the big screens for everyone to see while he reads it out, calls me a bloody legend and asks “who reckons I should give him a drum stick” which he does. And he calls ME a bloody legend?! Then a couple of songs later, after nearly burning my eyebrows off with pyro-technics and covering us all in confetti (definitely not the last time for either!), the bloody-legend who gave me the drum stick and gave Mia his watch came off the stage to connect with us in the front row more personally, including giving me a hug during one of their song.

Now I could go on and on about the insane energy from start to finish, the perfect flow of musical energy from one song to the next, being absolutely covered in several rounds of confetti, not to mention losing my eyebrows and beautiful Irish-red beard to at least three separate occasions of flames shooting up from the stage about five metres in front of us here at the front, and how the band performed each song perfectly, but the most important thing to point out is this.

It’s one thing to talk to the crowd at an arena concert with roughly 22,000 fans, rev us up and what not, but Hilltop Hoods have shown, no scratch that, proven to us that their fans do really mean so much to them and they will go out of their way to connect with us even in a massive venue with rules, regulations, precise time restriction, complex stage set ups etc. They perfectly blended the intimacy of a small venue like they played at in their early days where they could be closer to their fans, and a full-scale arena show with all the fancy trimmings and effects.

This night, finished with the grand finale of ‘Cosby Sweater’ which Hilltop Hoods brought Elsy Wamaro and A.B Originals on stage to do some extra parts and join in on the fun, was truly a special, fun happy celebration of the music we all love, being back to witness it live on stages again, and sharing it with fans, friends and loved-ones alike, venue sizes and limitations be-damned!

I Love It!

Amy Shark 'See U Somewhere Tour' @ The Art House, Wyong June 29 2022

THE LOVE MONSTER IS BACK!

Tonight, we’re here to talk about love and intimacy, as after-all, this is the most intimate show yet on the tour. I’m sure this sensational Love Monster needs no introduction, but I’m sure she’d love one anyway, and if not, well, tell her I Said Hi. So C’Mon, Everybody Rise like the excitement and anticipation here tonight for…

Amy Shark! …or at least that’s the name on the neon sign as the stage’s backdrop my friend tells me, just in case we had any doubt of who we were here to see. This reminds me of the beginning of an adult film warning that the following film may contain sexually explicit content… uhm, may?! Moving right along, even before the lights go out and Amy and her band take over the stage, the energy in this intimate theatre is electric and full of keen anticipation, made even greater I suspect, from the concert dry-spell thanks to COVID.

Will tonight meet our expectations and alleviate our musical-frustrations?

When the lights finally go out and the action begins, we’re assaulted with a colossal burst of full-band energy that sends the energy up to 11 straight off the starting line! I’m left, however, with a fear, “oh no, I can’t hear Amy’s vocals, have they messed up the sound mix?”... Then Amy apparently walks out onto the stage to start the first song… by the way, did I mention I’m blind?

Amy opens with a fan favourite with the perfect opening attention-commanding essence, ‘Everybody Rise’. The sound mix? No, they most certainly did NOT mess it up! I’m blown away with how not just good, but incredible, clear and balanced the sounds are with Amy’s potent voice penetrating the audience and resonating throughout! Starting off softly and slowly clearly isn’t Amy’s vibe, not with the way she prowls the stage with ease and confidence like a lioness, leaving the audience her obedient purring kitties, ready to do her bidding, like when she riles us up in the bridge section, to build up for a climactic finish!

After the second song, Amy greets us and talks us through what she’ll do to us tonight and that this isn’t your typical concert! (I do love a girl who’s straight up with what she’ll do). She tells us how there’ll be highs, lows, happiness, sorrow and then she’ll pounce when we’re not expecting it… or at least along those lines.

The next few songs do pretty much that, we’re dropped into nostalgic bittersweet depths with ‘Miss You’, then charged full-force out of the depths with ‘Blood Brothers’. ‘Blood Brothers’ is bright, playful and sweet like cherry blossoms… if you think that’s a weird thing to say then you really are new to my writing! Then Amy tops off the elevated vibe perfectly with some vocal cheekiness to get a reaction from us.

Then Amy tells us how every day when she wakes up, she just knows what kind of day she’ll have, and this next song was about one of those days when she woke up and “I just knew that today was going to be a shit day”. ‘Worst Day Of My Life’ keeps the musical energy ramped up pleasantly, whilst giving a somber lyrical paradox, which transitions nicely into the next song before introducing an enticing dark swagger feel, then stripping everything down for ‘Never Meet Anyone Like Me Again’ with Amy on an acoustic guitar which, wow! Her voice is so incredibly potent and beautiful and is perfectly demonstrated in this song!

I find that if an artist/band talks after every song it often tends to mess up the rhythm and flow of the gig. Amy however, talks to us in a perfect mix of rehearsed stories, and natural chatting, like how the next song, ‘Psycho’, (I didn’t know Amy wrote a song about me?) features Mark Hoppus from Blink 182 who is like, her all time favourite band! This is followed up by another song featuring a member of Blink 182, this time, one of the greatest drummers of all time, Travis Barker in ‘C’Mon’. Amy informs us that sadly Travis isn’t here, he’s with the Kardashians, then, just to soften the blow to her drummer uses this opportunity to introduce her band, including one of the best drummers in Australia. This is a little like a woman saying to her partner “baby you did great, really, you did”. I’m no drumming expert but I am very fond of the song ‘C’Mon’ and I honestly think the drummer tonight out performed Travis and put that extra heart-wrenching force behind the lyrics that drove the emotion home that much harder! As for ‘Psycho’ Amy played Mark’s part perfectly which didn’t leave any empty spaces in the song for not having Mark, and having these two songs back-to-back, as different as they are, go down perfectly with the audience!

You know how we’re talking about intimacy tonight? Well it’s not JUST me being a cheeky dork, the show tonight really is intimate, from the venue to Amy sharing hilarious, personal and serious stories about herself between her lyrically and musically emotive songs, you really do get a feeling of getting to know Amy in-depth, which really does make tonight feel special. Even to the point where Amy confesses that she doesn’t like encores, she find them a little bit cheeky, so she tells us that she’ll tell us this is the last song, then they’ll walk off stage, have a sip of beer, catch their breath, then we’ll all chant her name because it’s good for her self esteem, then they’ll come back out and play three of the biggest songs she’s ever released. Again, I love a woman that’s straight-up with what she’ll do!

The “encore” plays out just like that and is hilarious at how accurate to other concerts it is! What’s also hilarious is Amy’s story of not-so casually dropping how she recorded with Ed Sheeran “no big deal, Eddie, as I’ve got him saved in my phone”, into the story of winning over an Aunty-in-law who previously despised her, that she recorded a song with the Aunties Kyryptonite Keith Urban, and suddenly the Aunty was next to her at the table leaning in, “about to make-out”. And yes, Amy finishes with her massive hit ‘I Said Hi’ which after the incredible energy build up leading to this moment, has us all singing along at the top of our lungs and on our feet!

For me personally, this show was just what I needed after a stressful few days to take my mind off everything and leave a smile on my face! I honestly can’t fault the show tonight. The sound was incredible from both the venue and the performers, the setlist including placement of songs for the flow of energy and Amy’s charisma!

If anyone disagrees and has anything negative to say about the show or this review, well… 

Just tell them I Said Hi.

The Rubens 'Live Loud & Local' - Coogee Bay Hotel Sydney 03/02/2021

AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE!

The Rubens ‘Coopers Live Loud & Local’ @ Coogee Bay Hotel 03/02/21

Much loved Sydney soul-pop/rock connoisseurs, The Rubens just released the Masterpiece of a fourth album that is ‘0202’... on 12/02. To bring their live music back to fans after the forced hiatus from COVID-19 lockdowns and to get fans excited for the album with a taste of new music, The Rubens, brought to you by Live Nation Australia and Coopers Beer (the latter supplying a generous amount of their products to the band, who in turn gave me full access to when I interviewed them before the show, Hallelujah!).

Free beer, catching up with an awesome bunch of musicians for an awesome interview and live music after so long, understandably I’m feeling like a Million Man!

Free beer aside though, Masterpiece indeed…

Like all masterpieces from the likes of Van Gough, Da Vinci and those Ninja Turtles ones, each piece has its own complexity and layers, this show is no different.

Let’s start with the background, a simple uncrowded, modestly spaced canvas in which each stand-out focal point, in this case, the band members both individually and as a whole, are highlighted by simple, but highly effective lighting of differing colours and pattern which literally highlight each member, being more-so effective as each member has their own designated space, diffusing their own personal touches of complementive splashes of movement to the musical colour.

You know when you look at a piece of art, and something nags at you, a finite, subtle detail that may or may not have been intentional? Well, when the lights go down, and the chosen song for the band to walk out to blasts out of the speakers, building up the excitement to a fever pitch, the next few seconds that follow (the crucial elevated point in which to grab and carry) are filled with silence? This could be intended, as the opening song ‘Muddy Evil Pain’ paints the mid-ground of the shows canvas in a cooling, exciting, bright (and for those of us with Synesthesia) blue synth pallet for Sam’s warm, and I say this in a completely manly analytical way, seductive vocals

I find that the effectiveness of the use of colour and how they contrast, largely defines a painting. In the concert scene, likewise does the effectiveness of how all the sounds in a performance are balanced. My first reaction to the balance of sound is “wow! Sam’s voice sits perfectly in the mix, but wow that bass is a bit overwhelming” but when I really think about it, yes, the bass is very prominent, but thankfully all of the other musical elements still shine through adequately and so as the show progresses, my focus is drawn to the bass at times like the raspy guitar and bass hooks in ‘Best We Got’, but in a pleasant way. Although the guitar and bass riff do risk drawing my focus away from Sam and his passionate voice.

This masterpiece is not a conceptual piece, it has true authenticity throughout it! Each song is bang-on to the way it was recorded, new and old songs alike. Not just the sound has true authenticity though, the way Sam talks to us between songs expressing how he was nearly brought to tears of joy as he walked out on stage at the start of the show, to the funky wiggles and dance moves he whips out during some of the more seductive songs, like ‘Go On’, ‘My Gun’ which Sam adds slight personal expressive adjustments to the rhythm of his vocals in the verses, which gives the song a more unique to the night feel, and of course, ‘Hoops’ which isn’t actually at the end of the set. That brings me to another important aspect of this work of art.

A lot of concerts and paintings alike, will display a bold exciting element at the start to draw the viewers attention and raise excitement, then save the best finishing touch to last, but in some cases, if you look at all the details in between, it dips and curves, which don’t get me wrong, in some instances is effective yes, but I’m in awe of how the show tonight is like a painting of a speeding train, it just keeps building up momentum as it travels which is largely done through the placement of the songs in the set, being so placed for the flow of the songs energy regardless of popularity, which even though smash hit ‘Hoops’ does of course raise the energy in the crowd, the energy just keeps rising in the proceeding songs!

Ah now for the actual song ‘Masterpiece’! Sam very excitedly prompts the crowd to stand up at our COVID-friendly seating positions, getting caught up in the moment, which is a brilliant burst of colour in the middle of the set and as intended, raises the energy level in the room immensely! A lot of that energy is from security racing around ordering people to sit back down, not just in ‘Masterpiece’ but here and there for the rest of the show especially in ‘Million Man’… whoopsy! To be fair, Sam does apologise profusely to security after ‘Masterpiece’.

This show from the dazzling colours and textures of electronic-pop mixed with indie-rock, soul, funk and pinches of gospel flavour truly does leave me with that feeling like when you lay eyes on a true masterpiece that will stand the test of time, and leaves you entranced and mesmorized in it’s beauty! 

A message to The Rubens… Better get your musical and performance brushes ready guys, ‘cause after that masterpiece, you’ve left a large anticipatory canvas to fill on your album tour in April!

Atreyu 'In Our Wake' Album Tour, Sydney, February 27 2020

THE TIME IS NOW!

“Everyone leaves a legacy no matter how big or small”, so when our time’s up, what will we leave in our wake? With the earth being plagued with recent pestilence (the deadly strand of Coronavirus), war, famine and ultimately, death, not to mention the recent catastrophic bushfires then flooding in Australia, you’d think the four horseman have risen and it really is armageddon!

So it’s a good thing U.S Metalcore godfathers Atreyu have raised the question of what will we leave in our wake with their latest album ‘In Our Wake’.

You may not think now is the time for such questions, but yes, the time is now... 

In all the chaos in the wake of this concert, I’ve had time to reflect and put this show into perspective. When I recently spoke to drummer and vocalist Brandon (listen to the full interview here) and asked, “when you come out onto the stage, what do you give fans that other metal bands don’t?” Brandon told me “for us music is a place where we can go and let our guard down, and kind of, be vulnerable, kind of, show our insides a bit, we want people to be able to do the same thing at our shows. I think a lot of metal shows or heavy music is very serious and whatever, we’re very lighthearted on stage it’s a very fun atmosphere I think that, we want to give that open door for people to just come and lose their s***”. So, was shit lost?... figuratively, not literally.

For starters, before doors open, I notice that the queue of fans waiting to enter isn’t exactly extensive, and those of here seem quite calm and unsurprisingly, I hear talk of VOCID19, so has this scared fans away and put a damp blanket on the night?

Secondly, this venue plays host to many heavy genre performances, and I’ve got to know the typical sound here, it’s like a natural ruby, red-hot, dense, has many layers but can often bare too many imperfections (in this case commonly too much bass) and generally is clear, but still gritty.

Thirdly, typically the opening song will be the first song off the bands’ touring album, and the grand finale will be their greatest hit, so in this case, ‘In Our Wake’ and ‘Becoming The Bull’ respectively?

So, is this a clear but gritty little gem that makes us lose our s***?

In a nutshell, yes, much s*** was lost! The band did not however, fulfill my prediction of the opening and closing songs however, instead, they chose the placement of the songs throughout the show according to the rise and fall of energy it would seem, which is in my opinion, a far more effective move, as if you’ve paid to see a band who has more than one “hit”, chances are no matter what, everyone’s gonna stick around until the very end anyway, whether you leave your best to last or not. So when they open the show with ‘The Time Is Now’... any guesses as to what was lost?

Despite my observation earlier of a laxed queue, the venue is absolutely packed now thankfully, also thankfully, people are politely and respectfully losing their s***, they’re dancing, jumping and singing along, which the latter does render the sound mix hard to hear the bands’ vocals at times, but all in all is a pretty top-quality sound mix. Even when a band member steps off the stage and onto the step of the barricade to engage fans, people are still letting everyone around them, you know, breathe and stay alive.

Currently as I write this two weeks later, thinking back over the concert going over my notes, it brings a smile to my face and gives me a warm refreshing respite from the stress and gloom of the COVID19 outbreak, which has been making me lose my s*** in a whole other way.

So whether it is the anthemic sing alongs, the intense energy the entire band dished out from start to finish, the flow of energy from song to song or the addition of a brilliant cover of Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’, which brings the singing along to a whole new height, or all the above, Brandon was true to his word and gave us all the open door for us to let our guard down, and lose our s***. 

Now that's what sets Atreyu apart from other heavy metal bands!

Missy Higgins @ Sydney Coliseum Theatre, February 28 2020

WHAT MAKES A CONCERT SPECIAL?

What makes a concert special? A truly satisfying and memorable event? When you go to as many concerts as I do, simply going to a concert in general, is not necessarily special. So what does make one special?

Is it perhaps that this is the first concert in a brand-new state of the art venue since it’s official re-opening? Maybe the fact that Missy Higgins, a household name in the Australian contemporary pop scene is giving this new venue a whirl? Is it the staff and accessibility of the venue, or perhaps none of the above, and just simply the performance and sound and nothing else?

Now because this review is, well, special, I’m going to do things a bit differently. Because there’s a lot to cover, I’m going to pick and choose selecting things to treat you to, like a gourmet meal, so bon appetit! 

First, the staff and venue accessibility entrees. As soon as I enter the Eastern foyer, staff, namely Patricia, greeted me to assist with signing in and then gave very specific and helpful directions to my companion. When this venue was in it’s planning phase, it was described as “the West's answer to a second Opera House”. Quite a tall order! Now, we all know and love the iconic Opera House, but as far as accessibility goes, it isn’t without fault, seeing as the venue was built in a time before elevators I suspect, or at least before a great need for them. As a result, despite adaptation over the years, there is at least one instance in which stairs are unavoidable. This venue on the other hand, has been built in a time where elevators and OH&S regulations are required, so as a result, getting from the Eastern foyer to the theatre is not only easy thanks to constant support from staff along the way, but also because there are completely level walkways and elevators throughout the venue, regardless if you’re ticketed to sit at the back of the balcony. This has an effect much like a sweet and succulent entree to warm and invigorate the taste-buds before the main meal.

The main course, being the performance of course, is a complex one, so I’ll break it down into four parts. First we have the ingredients, which in this case are the songs Missy chooses to play and the talking and crowd interaction throughout the set. Second, there’s the quantity, so at the end of the show, are you feeling satisfied, or are you left still hungry for more, or are you bloated and feel the meal was too big. Third, you have the sauce and seasoning, which is the sound from the band, acoustics of the venue, and sound mixer. And finally, how well was everything cooked? If you can’t put that metaphor together yourself, pretty much, did Missy and her band perform each song well?

The songs and talking/crowd interaction; Normally from what I’ve experienced at concerts, the most effective way to open a show is to head straight into the first song, which should be an energy lift, to raise the energy and get the crowd excited, and then after the first or second song, then talk to the audience. But this is a, well, special show (if you’ve made a drinking game from everytime I say well, special, you’re probably getting quite smashed by now!), so when Missy, and if I’m correct, only Missy, first walks out onto the stage, she greets us, not a shy or simple “hey Sydney, thanks for coming! This first song is X and goes something like…”, no, Missy slices through everyone’s expectation and breaks out well-rehearsed and tasteful humour! Example being “wow, what a beautiful venue! Honestly this is all I know of Rooty Hill”, Before introducing her first song, a delicate and raw song that is only her exquisite voice and well garnished piano playing which brings a more relaxed casual essence to the atmosphere in the theatre. This humour is spotted throughout the set after most of Missy’s songs, interacting with her audience in instances such as when a woman yells out “can my girlfriend sing with you?!” which Missy replies “uhm, that’s not really in the set, how loud is your voice?” and the absolutely priceless instance in which Missy combines a personal anecdote of her life and how the song links to the moment, in which Missy tells us how she was given the opportunity to record a song for a TV show on Foxtel, and how she’s not up with the whole Foxtel-y world but “I figured out a loophole. Sign up for Foxtel on demand, do the ten day free trial, watch the series in ten days, then cancel the subscription! Bob’s your uncle!” which is followed by an eruption of laughter! and how before playing a particular song, she told us the story leading up to it in which she went through a phase of not knowing if she could continue with the demands of the music industry, keep writing music so she “as cliche as it is, had to go and find myself, I went to India, got diarrhea etc etc and eventually it lead me back to music”.

Now as far as the songs go, after the first delicacy of the piano and vocals solo, Missy then introduces the rest of her band, including drums, bass, keyboard, guitar and backing vocals. These musical ingredients give the set a wide range of textures to play with! The set flows from one song to the next according to the rise and fall of musical energy more so than the most popular songs being last. This is the equivalent of a multi-course meal tailored to introduce each flavour one after the other in the most complementive way. Another noteworthy technique is adding a couple of acoustic solo songs roughly in the middle of the set, giving the palate a cleansing break to emphasize the the burst of flavours in the second half. One of these acoustic songs by Missy features her on a Ukulele giving a funky flavour twist to the typical pop music elements.

As far as the sound goes, the sauce and seasoning, there’s a few points that need outlining. The first, is this theatre is one, fully carpeted and by the sounds of it, has lots of sound absorbing materials and well crafted shaping of the roof and walls to best manipulate sound, A.K.A, good acoustics. The problem with the Opera House is that the Concert Hall I’m fairly certain, was designed for non-amplified sounds, commonly well, opera singing. So the Concert Hall’s design is to best carry and resonate sound throughout the venue, which can be tricky to tame for contemporary music of today. This venue however, was perfectly tailored for optimal performance from the sound system which brings a whole new meaning to loud and clear! This of course, is nothing without the sound mixer doing a good or bad job of the performers’ sound, which in this case, is superb! All sounds on stage are perfectly complementive to one another, whilst highlighting Missy’s vocals, and the backing vocals just shy of power to Missy’s. It also elevates and highlights the guitar solo’s in a few songs’ bridge sections, likewise with the piano solo’s in others. So does that answer the point of the bands’ sound? If not, let me spell it out for you… S, c, r, u, m, p, t, i, o, u, s! There is so much musical colour and tantalizing elements as I mentioned before, to the blues vibes in popular tracks like ‘Scar’ and ‘Ten Days’, which the latter has a more enriched blues energy for this live rendition, which is uplifting and delighting despite the emotional content of the song. Not to mention the contrasting darker feel of ‘Cemetary’ which paradoxically has a potent dance aroma to it.

And to sum it all up, am I and the rest of the audience satisfied? Did the show not have enough? thus were we left wanting more? Or are we bloated? Well, a little bit of all the above I guess! I’m thoroughly satisfied on all counts, and it was the perfect amount/proportion, but because it was so delicious, and I consumed it as much as I possibly could, I am quite bloated, but it’s the same feeling like when you’ve eaten a whole bunch of your mum’s homemade Baileys, white chocolate and Maltesers cheesecake… 

More please! That’s what makes a concert well, special and memorable! 

Fire Fight Australia, February 16 2020

AUSTRALIA, WE ARE WITH YOU!

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

A reason to celebrate, this is far from just

A nation in need, in devastations wake

We may be aching, but we will not break

World-class artists unite, and stand together

For one hell of a night we’ll remember forever!

Even as I arrive at the venue and check-in, wait no, even earlier when the organisers reached out to find out how best to accommodate me with my disability (lack of sight) at the event, I feel a warm, highly hospitable and sense of family from the event staff which emanates to all media guests, and I’m sure all disabled patrons alike, which I feel sets the organisers and promoters TEG Dainty and TEG Live, for today at the top of their class and worth recognition! Promising start indeed!

It’ll be very interesting to see how the flow of acts here today/tonight is, as I thought the positioning of artists on the scheduling was quite odd, for example, you’d think Queen would be on last right? Nope, not even close… (although I acknowledge the symbolism of having the mother and father of Australian singers, that is, John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John capping off the night) but wouldn’t most people just leave after Queen? And the sweet, bubbly indie-pop delight Amy Shark’s on straight after the good-ol’ creepy-crawlin’ theatrical-rock legend Alice Cooper, I mean, one extreme to the next! ...This shall be interesting indeed!

Up first is the country-rock swagger of Lee Kernaghan followed by the soulful serenity of Conrad Sewell and then the bouncin’ pimped-up beats of Baker Boy. For these three artists, although vastly different genres, each bring a similar and complementing energy. The country-rock swagger of Lee Kernaghan gets us all groovin’ despite the midday heat upon us, then the soulful vibes of Conrad Sewell cool us down whilst still lifting our spirits like a sweet frozen margarita! Baker Boy on the other hand, his catchy vocal flicks and fully loaded beats are more like a Jagabomb, you wanna down those beats as fast as you can and keep going, but if you’re not careful, they’ll knock you on yo’ ass!

Today it's already blatantly obvious that this is no ordinary event and yet there’s a paradox at play here. On the one hand, today brings the festival atmosphere, with over twenty performers over just shy of eleven hours. On the other hand, it’s made apparent to me as comedian, fund-raiser and presenter for today Celeste Barber and the other presenter talk to fans near the front of the stage and ask if anyone camped out, and yes, several people did camp out overnight to have prime positions at the barrier… like a normal concert… that happens to be broadcast live over several TV channels.

As Daryl Braithwaite performs the unofficial Australian anthem that gets 70,000 people all singing along to, ‘Horses’ and two other songs (yes, Daryl does actually have more than just that one song, shocking, I know right!) which is followed up by the heart-felt acoustic anthems of Pete Murray and the iconic rock-gritt of Grinspoon, no matter what music comes our way, the energy and mood in the stadium is the same, electric! And here’s why… Both Celeste with her cheeky humour and stunning costumes which change each time she emerges onto the stage, plus the other presenter,  remind people that although today is a happy occasion with world-class entertainment, the reason why we’re all here is to raise much needed funds for the recent devastation of the wide-spread bushfires, and although the recent deluge has doused most or all fires across the country (or at least in New South Wales), the damage is still there, lives have still been lost, infrastructure crumbled, wildlife depleted and crops, agriculture, businesses, all effected, and all needing help! And both presenters remind us to please buy a t-shirt which all profits go to bushfire relief and not just that, to simply just donate if you can! And the way they deliver these messages is sprinkled with humour and good-vibes which brings a buzzing air of comradery and sense of family, a family of 70,000! To add another special touch to the event, the male presenter brings out two volunteer firefighters to say a few words and have 70,000 appreciative fans applaud them for all their hard work! Plus what’s more, if all these incredible artists here today wasn’t heartwarming enough, several artists from around the world reached out to Australia via pre-recorded videos displayed here today, reminding us “Australia, you are not alone, we are here with you”.

Each performance throughout the night from Guy Sebastian (who dedicates ‘Battle Scars’ to all who've been affected by the fires), Jessica Mauboy, Ronan Keating (who steps off the stage and walks in front of the barrier high-fiving fans in his last song, all three songs in which take me back to the late 90’s), Peking Duk, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Delta Goodrum, Illy (the latter two who made especially crafty use of the full stage setup with catwalk), Amy Shark and Hilltop Hoods all bring a pure light to the event filled with an energy like none I’ve witnessed at any other concert event, you can feel how dedicated and strongly they’re committed to this worthy cause. Each artist/band connect with both the thousands of fans here at ANZ stadium, the probably millions watching on TV and those affected by the fires past and present in such a wholesome earnestness that can’t be faked!

As Australia's been devastated by recent bushfires, world-class artists and music fans alike came together for a massive concert for bushfire relief recently at ANZ Stadium Sydney, Fire Fight Australia! Brendan the blind guy was lucky enough to head along and had the opportunity to slip in a sneaky quick chat with iconic Aussie hip-hop pioneers, HILLTOP HOODS who donated their time to the worthy cause! Sign up to the Keen Eye 4 Concerts newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com

As amazing as it was to meet and do a quick interview with Hilltop Hoods, it did mean I missed Alice Cooper’s performance. Not to worry though, I have seen him live in the past and know it would’ve been incredible! 

Now for the main reason why a lot of people raced to get tickets and some camped out overnight, the legendary Queen + Adam Lambert! By this stage the energy isn’t quite as beaming as it was a few hours ago which is to be expected as things wrap-up but even with Queen and Adam being significantly later onto the stage than planned, the crowd go wild! Now of course experiencing Queen’s performance live is nothing short of special, but I have two minor let-downs personally (remember, I’m only one man’s opinion!) I was quite upset the band didn’t finish ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ instead flowing it into ‘Radio Gaga’ at the songs build up that makes everyone sing like a complete lunatic, you know, “I see a little silhouette-oh of a man, scaramouche, scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?” COME ON! WHY?!!! The other is really just my personal opinion. I thought as suitable as Adam’s voice is for the higher and some mid-range notes and yes he did do well, I don’t think he quite lives up to the legend of Freddy Mercury.

From rock to pop, to country and soul,

A beautiful energy, was brought from them all

The love and support from fans artists and more

Made this, for me and others I’m sure

One hell of a show…

We’ll remember forevermore 

The Amity Affliction - UOW Unibar, Wollongong NSW AU, January 24 2020

FEELING ALL F****D UP?…

How do you feel? Are you okay? What happens when you’re not? When you feel all f****d up, you think to yourself “all I do is sink into my impending coffin”....

What do you do?...

Even those at the height of their euphoria, surely are affected too as the dramatic war/death-march bang of the drums and underlining bass to flickering lights, floats over the audience in a pent-up frustration-filled mist, as the band makes their grand entrance. This sets the perfect tone for what comes next.

Joel’s rapturous screams and the heavy minor tones in the first two songs (the second of which I’m fairly sure is new single ‘All My Friends Are Dead’ off the band’s upcoming album) build up the heat and aggression exponentially, which the crowd seem to consume as intended! Cleverly, the first two songs are powerhouse slaughters, screams of desperation, whereas the third song still keeps the energy at a red-hot fever-pitch, with constant movement of stage from the band, weaving through and around complementing lighting, which gives an emphasis to the frustration/desperation/angst feelings of the music. However, this song introduces Ahren’s clean more-melodic vocals as well as some free-falling piano droplets in the chorus after the wailing guitar riffs and aggressive scream vocals in the verses. This I feel puts more emphasis on the desperation. I have a feeling I’m on the money with the intent of the essence one feels in this song, as in the more pleading desperation of the chorus, both Joel and Ahren support each other perfectly in both sound and on-stage charisma, which makes one another stronger. So when Ahren reaches out to the audience to offer a hand in singing in the bridge section, it hits home hard!

The aggressive screaming vocals, rapid pounding drums seeming to emulate a rushing heartbeat, thick commanding bassline and razor-sharp guitar riffs that cut deep. Plus the acoustics of the venue don’t seem ideal, as I took note of the shiny wood flooring in which my cane slid across as I entered, and from what I can see, it’s a rather large venue. I can tell this as I can hear the sounds echoing off the walls and up the back… recipe for disaster. Just like a glimmer of hope, a slither of positivity, a lifeline if you will, in a terrible situation, these speakers are capable enough to hit us with the full-force of the bands punch (musically) AND keep perfect clarity, even at such high volume! But the real saving-grace is the sound mixer, who clearly knows this venue and/or the bands sound! Despite the reflective surfaces which the sound bounces to-and-fro in their own invisible moshpit, but the sound mixer prevails to my immense relief!

The mood is shifted slightly to a more uplifting hopeful essence with ‘Shine On’ and its anthemic easy to sing- along-to chorus. But when after ‘Shine On’ comes ‘Ivy (Doomsday)’ it maintains an anthemic power in the chorus, uplifting the energy in the crowd, whilst still delivering a serious, overwhelming potency in the songs core.

Now that this reckoning is in full effect, the crowd is hyped up to extreme levels, making me very thankful I chose to steer clear of the centre of the barrier! (two metres to my left is all hell breaking loose!) The security can’t keep up with the constant flow of crowd surfers, especially in crowd favourite songs like ‘Pittsburgh’, ‘I Take The Weather With Me’ new hit ‘Soak Me In Bleach’ and the grand finale of ‘All F****d Up’, seriously, as I watch the line of crowd surfers exiting/walking in front of the barrier, it seems as though half a dozen all came out simultaneously! No wonder the heat in here is extreme!

Instead of going on and on with how the band smash out all the songs to perfection, well, I do believe Ahren struggled a little in one of the choruses of the later songs, but I’ll turn a blind eye, but all you need to know is this…

Consistently throughout the set I, and I’m sure the rest of us here, are reminded of the power of music, friends, family and everyone around us to help guide us through dark times. The band display this perfectly with the way Joel and Ahren lean on each other and complement each other, as well as the band reaching out to their audience to help with singing key lines, letting the crowd sing lead whilst Ahren sings harmonies in the verse of one song drawing near the sets close, and melodies in strategic intervals, bringing an uplifting positive power to the heavy somber darkness of the songs’ meanings, in a perfect paradox!

How do you feel? Are you okay? What happens when you’re not? When you feel all f****d up, you think to yourself “all I do is sink into my impending coffin”....

What do you do? Reach out, ask for help and draw strength, courage and support from those around you like The Amity Affliction.

Music brings us together...

Elton John 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road' - First State Super Theatre Sydney, December 21 2019

“WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD, THE WONDERFUL SIR ELTON JOHN!”

Can you feel the love tonight? And if not, are you ready for love? As we step into Christmas and 2019 comes to an end, so does an incredible 57-year adventure, but not before traversing through the spoils of this iconic path, before we say goodbye yellow brick road for the last time, and do the crocodile rock with the rocket man himself!

Slip on your tiny dancer shoes and click your heels together three times, “we’re off to see the wizard! The wonderful Sir Elton John!...”

As the lights go down, the mighty Elton John emerges onto the stage and we’re all thrust into a world of magic, filled with buzzing euphoria, the first stops on this adventure are the iconic ‘Bonnie And The Jets’, ‘All The Girls Love Alice’, ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’, ‘Border Song’ and ‘Tiny Dancer’.

I’m instantly mesmerized by the sound on all fronts! The sound mix supremely highlights Elton’s iconic vocals, which are so sharp and poised, in both the falsetto pitches and the grandeur baritone vocals, as if decades haven’t passed, and he’s still in his youth, only having written the songs yesterday! This with Elton’s dazzling star-spangled costumes, well-choreographed stage visual and lighting seems to sprinkle a mist of magic throughout the theatre, transporting us all back in time!

Opening with ‘Bonnie And The Jets’ followed by ‘All The Girls Love Alice’ perfectly introduces the musical characters and sets the scene/plot-line! ‘Bonnie And The Jets’ brings forth a cool, refreshing soulful, yet uplifting mid-tempo dance sway, to grab the attention straight away, but not charge at the energy like a bull to a red rag… oh hello, here’s the red rag!  ‘All The Girls Love Alice’ rockets the energy forward dramatically, as if introducing the big-bad-enemy in the story. But in all seriousness, very well executed, as both these songs display two separate, yet complementing essences. (cruisy sway-dance/upbeat and energetic foot tapping and head bobbing)

Elton now greets us all, like Dorothy introducing herself to all the characters along the way in The Wizard Of Oz, and Elton does it in a way that speaks to both the masses in the theatre, and everyone individually somehow! This sparks more feel-good magic in the crowd for the infectious blues of ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’ before Elton delights us with reminiscent stories of his career, before we encounter a ‘Tiny Dancer’ along the yellow brick road.

This may be a Tiny Dancer, but what’s not tiny is the number of people standing up to dance in this song! Although it can be quite annoying having everyone stand up right in front of you, being seated, I honestly can’t blame them! Just like it’s no wonder why The Wizard Of Oz has become a household name and an icon, it’s no wonder why the same applies for Elton! I’ve got goosebumps from how tantalisingly perfect his vocals are whilst playing the piano like... well, like Elton John. I’m a pianist myself and “great scott!” I wish I could play the piano like that, but to play like that at his age… of 21… while bopping away, pointing and waving his arms when possible AND singing like that? Yeah, I’m out!

I guess all of Elton John songs are iconic, so it’s hard to pick which one to really delve into without blabbering on ‘til the new year. So one, two, miss-a-few and, oh! Hello!...

After a grand blues-rock flurry of piano swishes and complementive lights and visual effects in the bridge section of ‘Indian Summer’, the continuity is kept perfectly, seamlessly flowing ‘Indian Summer’ into a theatrical suspense-building video, bringing forth quite possibly my personal favourite, ‘Rocket Man’. The smile on my face just widened immensely! It’s funny, Elton’s vocals seem more on the baritone end than the recording, but it honestly seems like it’s intended, not that Elton can’t hit the higher notes. As a result, it actually seems more quintessentially Elton… it’s hard to explain, but I feel like if he did do the really high notes in the verses of the song, it would just seem out of place now? And if you were thinking “well maybe he’s too old and can’t sing like he once did?” well, sorry, no. The way he sustains the note near the end of the song and controls the vibrato in both his falsetto and baritone vocals shoots that theory down hard! And just to add the cherry on the top, that extra dash of magic, Elton activates different sounds on his piano for the dazzling piano solo at the end… wait, is he on a rotating platform? I swear he was facing me when I last looked through my distance magnifier?!

As we head deeper into the forest of magical sounds, we encounter a ‘Candle In The Wind’ which is met with a sea of standing ovations, in which I join in on, holding up my sign “DRUM STICK 4 BLIND GUY PLZ?!” After ‘Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding’, to my amazement, someone from Elton/the band’s entourage comes up to me and hands me two drum sticks, informing me they’re from Nigel himself! Now, the reason why I mention this, is because it proves that it’s not just an illusion with how Elton speaks to several thousand people as if he’s only speaking to twenty-odd people, Elton and clearly his band are actually connected with the audience!

We’re in the second half of the show, and you might think people might be shifting in their seats, going to the bar, checking their phones etc? Well I doubt it, seeing as for example, the interest is perfectly maintained with honest, personal anecdotes from Elton, including talking about his own struggles with depression which he implores people to seek help when depressed, shattering the spell-woven illusion that Elton is some kind of God and not a human being like the rest of us. It’s also a little hard to drift off when theatrical dark, evil “wicked witch of the west” vibe wind and booming thunder claps (which I’m glad neither myself or my guide dog, with his heavy-duty dog ear-muffs on, have full bladders), along with call-and-response musical battles between Elton on the piano and Nigel on drums/percussion is peppered in the set!

But even the magical yellow brick road has an end. Finishing up (after profusely thanking us all and introducing/thanking his band of course) with the defiant power-punching whopper ‘I’m Still Standing’, followed by the infectious dance like nobody’s watching, sing-along crazily like the drunk-lady who’s pulled me up to join her in ‘Crocodile Rock’ and finally the final punch that vanquishes the evil witch in The Wizard Of Oz, ‘Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)’ which is capped off with a burst of confetti! BAM!!!

But just like in a movie, or book, there’s also the epilogue/wrap-up after the climax right? Even Elton John dishes out an encore which consists of ‘Your Song and finally, poetically, ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ as we too say goodbye yellow brick road!

The next day…

I may have 48 hours to publish this review, but I honestly can’t wait to tell the world of my thrilling adventures on the yellow brick road! I feel so incredibly honoured to have witnessed such a momentous occasion, and sitting here writing this review, I’m still awash in euphoric goosebumps!

Goodbye yellow brick road...

Walking On Cars 'Colours Australian Tour' - Factory Theatre Sydney, November 29 2019

“LIKE A KINDERGARTENER WITH A DULUX COLOUR CHART”

Imagine, if you will, a canvas of vast emptiness and thus possibility. Then just like the big-bang, bringing light, life and colour to the once blank canvas that is our universe. This is poetically fitting for this show tonight, because Irish alternative-rock band Walking On Cars are here in Sydney for the first time ever, to fill this blank canvas with their musical colour, in celebration of their second studio album, ‘Colours’.

And if for no other reason, this show will be memorable surely, seeing as lead singer Patrick told me in a recent interview (interview here) the band walked onto the stage at first, completely naked.

So well, “lads, let’s walk on cars!”...

I’m right up against the stage, there’s no barrier between the crowd and the band, so this could be very awkward if they do walk out naked. I feel rather conflicted that no, they are not, even I can see that thanks to Patrick coming right up to the edge of the stage, nearly standing on my hands, before launching into the first two songs, ‘Too Emotional’ and ‘Don’t Mind Me’.

I had expected the opening song to be the typical choice being the opening song off the touring album, in this case being the darkly wicked rebellion of ‘Monster’, but opening with ‘Too Emotional’ to a backdrop of dazzling lights brings a very suitable uplifting vibrant essence. Although I feel the bass is slightly too potent in the sound mix (only because I’m picking all the pieces apart analytically like Lego), Patrick’s brilliantly controlled falsetto vocals, even while he dances around the stage is the main focal point of colour. This song with it’s bright musical colour mixed with the visual colour in the stage lighting is like a kindergartener taking to a Dulux colour chart sample kit to my Synesthesia!

Although the tone deepens to a solemn deep blue in ‘Don’t Mind Me’, Patrick’s on stage charisma with him taking to a single electric drum pad to accompany the sharp, precise drum strikes keeps the energy in the crowd elevated nicely! This added with the increased urgency-filled cry of emotion in the last chorus caps this song off superbly!

Next we have splashes of colour, ‘Waitin On The Corner’, ‘Always With You’ and ‘Ship Goes Down’. In all three songs, Patrick maintains a high energy to his on-stage charisma, being the common thread that links each musical story to the next. For ‘Waitin On The Corner’, I’m filled with a rich pastel red glow emanating a dance provoking vibe, with all voices in the crowd singing in unison constantly throughout the song. The icing to the feel-good energy cake is Patrick taking to playing a guitar while captivating the audience with his voice. In ‘Always With You’, once my ears become acquainted with what song it is, I’m wondering where the piano intro is? Then I realise it’s there, just not prominent enough which is a bit disappointing. But again, Lego pieces. In ‘Ship Goes Down’ a refreshing cool ice-blue soulful mist settles on the aural palate, and with Patricks full-hearted honesty, the dancing melodies and Patricks on-stage charisma, I feel the atmosphere is quite reminiscent of The Script.

As the set progresses, I’m seeing a lot of blue as far as my Synesthesia is concerned, which is usually a pretty good indication of the songs key being in C, which I mean, come on, that’s pretty normal in mainstream music. However, this show is far from bland and typical! The way the band move from song to song, Patrick swapping guitars, taking to the single drum pad and dancing around the stage whilst perfectly controlling his vocals added with the general musical vibe, is of performance calibre of that of The Script, Imagine Dragons and OneRepublic!

For me personally, the highlights are how well Patrick moves up and down his vocal range, stretching his vocal chords like and accordian, whilst keeping perfect control especially in ‘Love Backs Down’, along with the burst of euphoric energy in ‘Two Stones’ which Patrick perfectly conducts the crowds energy and vocal hook sing alongs. Another crafty element to this song, is the nifty little vocal lick at the end of the songs chorus, being set to be triggered/played at the drum strike of Patrick on the electric drum pad. As well as the addition of female vocals from keyboardist Sorcha in ‘One Last Dance’ with it’s love-struck warmth and Imagine Dragons flavour!

As the show draws close to its end, dishing out deep emotional greens, pleasant bright yellows and pop-typical blues (musical colour I mean), blending a perfect brew of contrasting colours and thus emotions, with both solemn, heavy-hearted minor tones and bubbly, happy uplifting major tones peppered throughout, I’m feeling so glad I came out to witness this memorable show, because before too long, you’ll be paying big-bucks to see them in much, much larger venues, that, I have no doubt!

But all things must come to an end at some point, and the anthemic, rebellion of ‘Monster’ with its chorus hooks that demand full attention and singing along to, is a pretty damn good finish to a bloody good show!

But just like a painter never being fully satisfied with their work and constantly adding final touches, yep, there’s an encore, which is good seeing as we haven't yet witnessed the band’s greatest hit ‘Catch Me If You Can’ yet!

This encore starting off with ‘Catch Me If You Can’ which sprays beaming energy that gets the whole crowd singing along to, also features ‘Coming My Way’, ‘When We Were Kids’ and finally, to my delight, ‘Speeding Cars’. Although ‘Speeding Cars’ is a temptingly pleading song, the vocal hooks and the grand rock-out at the songs close is simply ace, and the perfect final touch to step back from the masterpiece that is this show, and admire with full satisfaction, even with the band not playing ‘At Gunpoint’ as I’d hoped!

Scene & Heard Festival Newcastle - Review & Interviews, November 10 2019

YOU ONLY THINK YOU’VE SEEN AND HEARD IT ALL!

Sometimes in life, you come across those times when you realise you’ve seen and heard it all before, but really, when a quaint little festival on a beautiful sunny, but not smolderingly hot day boasts a line-up featuring national rock legends such as Wolfmother, Eskimo Joe, Jebediah and Magic Dirt, plus international rock legends The Dandy Warhols, well… what’s the harm in a little bit of familiarity right? But that’s the thing, although I’ve seen most of these bands perform live before, will this festival bring a sense of familiarity?...

What better way to start the day, than by chatting to some Aussie rock veterans before catching the rest of opening band Even on the main stage!

I’m definitely feeling pumped and ready for the day ahead after that awesome interview, and keen to get up on stage and do the chicken dance with Magic Dirt! But for now, Even’s 90’s psychedelic/indie-rock tunes are rather refreshing and aromatic, like the scent of flowers that takes you back to your childhood home, which is quite a nice way to kick off the day!

I know it’s still early in the day, but so far the vibe is not that of most festivals I’m familiar with. Everyone, staff, artists and general festival goers are all relaxed, in high-spirits and the atmosphere is just generally pleasant! I mean even backstage, instead of people rushing around like headless chooks trying to keep to the schedule down to the second, stressing out and what not, everyone back here is calm, happy and relaxed, and yet everything is still professional and without incident! (what you don’t see behind closed doors right?!)

Now for Magic Turd, I mean Magic Dirt, this should be good! Adelita told me at the start of the day, how in the absence of Dean, who tragically passed away in the early 2000’s, which resulted in the bands hiatus, that getting back on stage now, they’re driven by Dean’s memory and although he’s not with them on stage, he’s like Ben Kenobi, he’s always with them, guiding them and make them stronger in the way of the musical force. And their performance today? Well, strong in the force, this one is! Even though I can’t see their body language and what have you, I can feel the raw honesty feeling they’re putting into their performance, and Adelita sounds like Ben Kenobi and the crowd’s positivity is filling her up, driving her. She’s belting out all the notes perfectly, as if she’d just written them yesterday, she really sounds like she’s having a ball! When she invites me plus a few others up to dance around in ‘Dirty Jeans’, then I can see Adelita’s and the rest of the bands positivity up close, and believe me, it’s radioactive!

I feel kind of famous now, with everyone passing me saying good on ya mate, I saw your daggy dance moves up on stage! Well, I mean they didn’t say daggy, but I’m sure they were thinking it! But no time to bask in the glory, ‘cause Sneaky Sound System is up next. I thought it was rather odd, that Sneaky Sound System, an electronic duo (singer and DJ) are on the main stage, amidst all these rock legends… this should be interesting! Somehow, Sneaky Sound System’s dance anthems may seem starkly out of place on the main stage, I mean you’d expect them to be headlining the smaller stage with some electronic acts for those who feel like boogying right? On paper, yes, but it somehow fits perfectly on the main stage to help lift the atmosphere even higher!

I must say, even as the afternoon crawls on, and the big-guns on the line-up start to emerge, Wickham Park is still spacious and rather easy to navigate, even if you’re blind-drunk or like me, simply just blind! On top of that, the vibe is still laid-back, easy-going and not obnoxious which is a much-welcomed contrast to a lot of festivals!, oh, it’s time to go chat to Even, then catch the last bit of Jebediah and first few songs of Alex Lloyd, before an impromptu unrehearsed chat with The Dandy Warhols… what could possibly go wrong? B.R.B.

...Ok, in my defense, 1; Alex Lloyd was playing on the main stage like, right behind the tent me Courtney and Brent were in. 2; I’m terrible with names and 3; I didn’t know who I was interviewing until I entered the tent.

After grabbing the biggest burger I’ve ever enjoyed at a festival for the normal festival price, if not slightly less, I get to just sit back, shake off the embarrassment from the interview with The Dandy Warhols and enjoy the last few bands!

As you could probably tell in the interview with Courtney and Brent, Courtney seemed a bit… uhm, well… spaced out? After fixing the technical faults at the start of The Dandy Warhols set, the band put on a really great set! Although, it did sound as though Courtney may not have been at his best. But still, the rest of the band kicked-ass! Some might say that the band’s two biggest hits 'Bohemian Like You’ and ‘We Used To Be Friends’ are a vast contrast to the rest of their hits, but live on stage today, the way the band flow seamlessly from one song to the next, and mix up the live rendition of ‘We Used To Be Friends’, brings nice continuity in the flow throughout the set!

Honestly, all the acts on the line-up kicked-ass and took everyone here, in the still spacious, easy to navigate, pleasant atmospheric park back in time, rediscovering their youth and giving you the nostalgic tingles! For me personally, hearing Eskimo Joe and Wolfmother live always take me back to my early teens, and hearing them today, it’s like being reunited with old class-mates from high-school in a way, and both these bands never disappoint in their live shows that’s for sure! Plus even though The Dandy Warhols are arguably the most established/successful band on the line-up and in that case, fitting to be put last on the schedule, putting Wolfmother last really blows the energy out of the park! But even with the spike in energy in the park, the vibe is still surprisingly laid-back and all-round ace!

At the end of the night, you may have seen and heard festivals like this, which too boast killer line-ups, but have you seen and heard a festival so enjoyable as a whole as this? I tell you, that’s a tall order!

Ali Barter - 'Hello, I'm Doing My Best' album tour, Sydney, November 1 2019

BREAKING NEWS OUT OF SYDNEY

THIS GIRL MAY SURPRISE YOU!

Put out your Cigarette and Please Stay focused. I Won’t Lie, This Girl Ali Barter has Big Ones of music (not talking about any Girlie Bits here, get your mind out of the gutter) instore for the Oxford Art Factory Sydney, on her ‘Hello, I’m Doing My Best’ album tour. This album and likely performance too, is full of Hypercolour, filled with exotic pop/rock flavours resembling that of which you would find at a Far Away Cocktail Bar in Tokyo.

As soon as Ali puts One Foot In the venue’s she plays at, the crowds are treated to a spectacular experience. Brendan the blind guy is at the Oxford Art Factory with the full scoop…

Brendan; “Thanks… I guess, me in the future? The atmosphere here at the Oxford Art Factory is well, electric, there’s no other way to describe it!”                     

Brendan; “When Ali walks out onto the stage to very enthusiastic applause, you’d expect the opening song to be the opening song off the album in which the tour is set around. When I interviewed Ali recently (interview here.) she told me that her performances have grown not just in fact that she’s gone from being a three-piece band, to now being a four-piece, but also in the sense that this being her second studio album, she now has a lot more songs to play around with in her set. You can tell Ali’s really put this into consideration with how she shapes the flow of energy in the set with what songs go where. Coming back to expecting the first song of the night to be the opening track off her latest album, that would be the soft, raw, delicate ‘Lester’, which flows straight into the edgy attitude-driven ‘Ur A Piece Of S**t’. But instead, Ali chooses not to even start off with anything delicate in the slightest, and instead hits the energy hard with ‘Backseat’ off her latest album, which really lands the energy at a running pace!”

“How does the crowd respond to this?”

Brendan; “The crowd absorbs this energy just as Ali would likely have intended, with maximum positivity. There’s no shortage of fans singing and dancing to this still quite fresh track, and when Ali follows up with ‘Cigarette’, the opening song off her debut studio album, then ‘Please Stay’ also off her debut album, the energy around me in the crowds seems to lift just that one step higher.”

“Sounds like it’s going rather well so far. So how is Ali’s performance?”

Brendan; “I can’t fault it to be honest! I’m finding her bass guitar is a little too heavy in the sound mix, but that’s not Ali’s fault, and it doesn’t smudge Ali’s vocal attack thankfully. Ali’s vocals from what I can tell are sharp and precise, a sign she’s poised, well-rehearsed and in her element. What’s more, she’s confident in her vocals as well as when she embraces her audience and shares personal anecdotes about her life that influenced particular songs. You know those times when you can hear the smile on someone's face when they speak? Tonight is one of those examples.”

(Ali informed Brendan after the show that she was indeed smiling all throughout the show).

"Are there any particular moments that stand out in the set to you Brendan?”

Brendan; “As a matter of fact yes there is. After the set is in full swing energy-wise and we’ve been riding the hype up to the rollercoasters peak, what goes up must come down right? Ali’s band take a break and now it’s only Ali and an acoustic guitar for ‘January’. Not only is this strategically well placed in the set to give a change in dynamics, but this song being stripped-back to being just vocals and guitar really highlights the sustained high notes Ali belts out near the songs close.”

“How does Ali bring the energy back up to the hype she commandeered at the start of the night?”

Brendan; “After Cooling-off with the acoustic rendition of ‘January’, not only does Ali raise the energy back up to it’s initial heights but exceeds it. To end the set on a high after more charming anecdotes from Ali, she charges into new single ‘Big Ones’ which is high velocity in itself, but given the huge contrast from the rawness of ‘January’, the energy level seems even more accentuated. After ‘Big Ones’, Ali then finishes up with the way I expected the night to start, with the folkish, raw, delicate ‘Lester’ which flows into the edgy fire-cracker ‘Ur A Piece Of S**t’, which really is the definition of going out with a bang!... figuratively, not literally of course.”

“It does seem like an excellent way to finish the set, but she hasn’t played her biggest hit ‘Girlie Bits’ yet, has she?”

Brendan; “That’s right, no she most certainly has not, and the crowd all know it and won’t let her leave without playing it. So of course there’s an encore which consists of a solo acoustic rendition of ‘It’s Not Real’ and last but definitely not least, ‘Girlie Bits’. The energy in the crowd for ‘Girlie Bits is quite extraordinary! I mean this isn’t the kind of show to push and go wild and act like complete buffoons, instead it’s a show that you simply sing and dance your heart out to, and that’s exactly what everyone’s doing.”

“Any last notes on the show?”

Brendan; “Yes, me personally, I think it may have been more appropriate to either replace ‘It’s Not Real’ or add after ‘It’s Not Real’, ‘Light Them On Fire’. The dynamics in ‘Light Them On Fire’ with the anthemic chorus and fiery yet intimate and relatable lyrics would’ve been a brilliant incline in energy to then be met with ‘Girlie Bits’ to take it even higher. But apart from that, Ali’s come such a long way in her career and all the effort and heart and soul she puts into her music and performance is definitely evident. I strongly recommend people to head along to one of Ali’s performances and support this Aussie talent!”

“One last thing, what inspires you to write your reviews in all these different and thematic ways? I mean you’re practically talking to yourself here”

Brendan; “Come on, if I don’t mix things up I get bored! And I mean hello, I’m doing my best here!”

Grinspoon - 'Chemical Heart Tour', Sydney November 2 2019

WELCOME TO CHEMISTRY 101!

Welcome to Chemistry 101 with your Champion teachers, Grinspoon. Seriously, I sucked at chemistry in school, like, to the point I honestly can’t remember doing it… wait, chemistry is what gives Black Rabbits their colour, and what makes Dogs Run right? Yet somehow, here I am, a somewhat teachers-aid, helping Grinspoon take you through all the Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills on their ‘Chemical Heart’ tour Tonight, which is sure to be Just Ace and a sure Hard Act To Follow!

Right Now, I have No Reason to keep on like this, so Ready 1, 2, 3 class is commencing now!...

For a change in perspective, and to rest my aching twenty-five year-old bones, I’ve opted to see what it’s like witnessing a Grinspoon gig from a seat near the mixing tower, via high-power binoculars. Especially too, as if you read my review of Grinspoon’s Newcastle gig in 2017, well, the crowd was brutal and got me a tad riled up, (come on, who tries snatching the drumstick that one of the band members hands to me out of my grasp?!), and that was a small venue… the Hordern Pavilion is not!

What I love about the Hordern, is the lighting and stage effects are always a real treat! What, a blind person can’t enjoy the aesthetics too? Well, a rush of electrifying lights and stage effects propels the energy sky-high for the band to catch, squeeze and thrash around in ‘DC X 3’ which is seamlessly flowed into ‘Lost Control’ and after barely enough time for the crowd to lose control with applause, straight into ‘Sickfest’ and then still no rest for the wicked, straight into ‘Just Ace’.

What does over twenty years of experience as Aussie rock ‘n’ roll professors (the band) provide one with? Well for starters, the band sure know how to conduct the energy and toy with it perfectly, manipulating the mood in the venue like a science experiment gone oh-so right! Honestly, I’m not a fan of ‘DC X 3’ much, simply because I’m a crazy cat guy, but that aside, Phil’s voice capturing both punk rebellion and gruff agro bite to call on, mixed with edgy guitar riffs and driving drum strikes lands the crowd right in the palm of their hands by the looks of things. (A sea of fists, and sporadic energy from the crowd, in response to the mass-movement on stage to a backdrop of fiery lighting). This aggression-filled rebellious track sends a chemical rush of savage pent-up aggression, met with excitement throughout the venue, it’s like a steroid/ecstacy hybrid! ...Please don’t try that at home… or anywhere for that matter!

‘Lost Control’ is a perfect follow-up to ‘DC X 3’ because, literally, the crowd have already lost control like they’ve submitted to a potent chemical… actually for all I know that could be the case? But seriously, this song keeps the hard-hitting rock brutality at 11, whilst presenting a more anthemic chorus to chew on and regurgitate simultaneously, with a fist pumping like the pumping motion will push it out of you! (that image? You’re welcome!).

‘Sickfest’ keeps the energy elevated, while giving a morphing beat drive like the most epic acid-trip ever, (that is what we learnt in chemistry right?), transforming from a whip-lash intro beat, to a dance-provoking strut in the verses and finally a sexy swagger in the chorus to Phil’s rough vocal bite. 

‘Just Ace’ is a rush of contrasting intense energy, it’s brighter, more uplifting, more up-beat. This is one of those short, sweet bangers that you’re glad doesn’t go for longer, or you’d probably faint from busting out the energy it invokes, well, that is if your fitness level resembles that of mine anyway. It’s a smart move putting this song after the previous three slammers, to keep the energy nice and high, but acknowledging the aggression in the previous songs’ energy, it gives a refreshing cool positive breeze, so not to start a full-blown brawl/riot!

Honestly, I could keep going on and on like this, but we’d still be here reading tomorrow evening. But the reason I went into a comprehensive assessment of these first four songs is that it perfectly paints the picture for the show! 

The energy is high all the way through the set, however the band conduct the precise reactions intended perfectly, dropping anthemic hook sing-alongs like my personal favourite ‘Hard Act To Follow’, plus instigating melodic sing-alongs with the crowd, all amidst a smokescreen of white-hot intensity. Then later in the set after everyone’s drenched in sweat, a refreshing solemn-hearted self-reflective track like ‘Better Off Alone’ which poetically is like that moment when you stop and really take stock of your thoughts and feelings. Plus to reel back in any drifting attention that may have gone astray, Phil pops-up at a small secondary stage behind the mosh pit for an acoustic solo track, which helps remind people other than in the thick of the mosh, that they’re a part of this moment too. 

But acoustic tracks and deep self analytical tracks are no way to end a rock show right? Despite this being the ‘Chemical Heart’ tour and said song being arguably the band’s greatest hit, it’s not a suitable grand finale, it’s an amazing track yes, but it lacks that spark to finish a set with. So ‘Chemical Heart’ is in the encore yes, but only before the band thank us from the bottom of their hearts and finish with ‘Champion’ and ‘More Than You Are’. Both these two last tracks restore any and all energy the show once had, with the psych-up egging-on fire in ‘Champion’ which is like a red flag to a bull, and the extreme thrashing brutality with Phil belting out raspy edge in both tracks! 

After all this, being seated I’m rather thankful I dodged the onslaught of crowd-surfers and just insane energy emanating from the mosh, it really let me enjoy the sound mixers handy-work with the set to its fullest, I mean it was just ace!

Right, time for grading;

Flow of songs/energy. A+

Interaction with crowd. B

Sound mix. A+ 

Band performance (solo’s, instrumentation, accuracy etc). A

All in all. One bloody good show!!!

DZ Deathrays 'Positive Rising; Part 1' album tour - Manning Bar Sydney, October 19 2019

MANNING BAR WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN

The night’s calm is broken, I’m pretty sure those in Melbourne can hear the cries and the tidal-wave of sonic energy, the earth shakes and Manning Bar is never the same again.

8:20pm.

A young blind journalist (me), is met with a steadily growing venue, with eager punters joining him at the front barrier. The spunky all-girl Sydney four piece punk-rock band The Buoys emerge to tame the night first up, to rowdy cheers from an obvious friend/fan or two.

These gals have attitude! Their sound is instantly alluring despite Hillary’s vocals being swallowed by the gritty guitar dominated mix. A few songs in, and after some seemingly shy talk from Hillary, more energy bursts free and gives the band’s performance a bit of edge. When the band close their set, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the still growing crowd, but of course fronted by the band’s friend/fan, who when our blind journalist asks the lovely lady “was that VOIID?”, thinking The Buoys sound does resemble that of VOIID’s and seeing as he’d never actually checked out The Buoys before, the girl retorts “uh-no! That was The Buoys!” as if how dare he not know, like we’d just seen Stevie Nicks.

9:00pm.

The venue is reaching its peak capacity, with the strong odour of alcohol hanging over the crowd like fog. Also all-girl band VOIID tries their luck taming the emerging beast of rowdiness and intoxication in the venue.

Like The Buoys before them, the sound mix is gritty, rough and guitar dominated, smearing the vocals. However, whereas The Buoys’ Hillary seemed a little shy, VOIID lead singer Anji fits the band’s skate-punk/garage-rock vibe perfectly! If The Buoys have attitude, than you better back the hell up now! I mean that literally, because VOIID’s feisty, edgy guitar shreds and infectious vocal hooks that aren’t completely swallowed by the sound mix, riles the crowd right up with Anji jumping around the stage nimbly like a monkey conductor. The crowd literally act like monkeys, the blind journalist is slammed against the barrier, with a sugary scented beverage, or what was left of it, now drenching his upper shirt. Snapping around, he’s met with a large group of men pushing, punching and egging on others. And seriously, what a waste of a drink?

10:00pm.

It sounds as if the venue is at maximum capacity, but there’s still room to dance on the dancefloor to our journalists appreciation, as the draw card that really enticed him to come along to this show is up now. To put this simply, Polish Club are practically impossible not to dance to! If you read the review of their headline show at The Entrance Leagues Club in June, you’ll remember I was having so much fun dancing to the feel-good soul/rock vibes that I abandoned the note taking, as they were really cramping my style!

Tonight is no different, lead singer Novalk dishes out some engaging banter to tame the monkeys in the crowd perfectly and keep everyone dancing, and even jumps off the stage to hug a girl and lean back against me, almost with Novalks head on my chest, while playing the guitar to spark the energy that little bit more. And to harness the good-vibes even more, the sound mix seems to be perfectly tailored to Polish Club’s sound!

Polish Club, making even a blind journalist who sucks at dancing hot and sweaty and needing a hit of sugar!

11:00pm.

No rest for the wicked, and my perspiration is made worse with any and all space I once had being filled with excited punters ready for DZ Deathrays. The night’s calm is broken, I’m pretty sure those in Melbourne can hear the cries and the tidal-wave of sonic energy, the earth shakes and Manning Bar is never the same again. The band’s first song might be eerie and somewhat anticlimactic, but from the second song onwards, a surge of white-hot energy erupts from the stage. 

The sound would be perfect, if not for the entire audience singing along and cheering constantly, but I honestly can’t blame them. The band have a raw natural energy to their music, which they demonstrate perfectly on-stage both musically and in charisma. I could go on and on about each song, but really these guys aren’t mucking around and mean business! A part of what makes this show so epic, I think, are the band’s before DZ Deathrays. Sure, a good support band helps the overall experience of a concert, but the line-up tonight was perfectly suited to build the energy in the venue to explosive heights. Another thing, is this has to be the best lighting display I’ve ever witnessed at this venue! I know, I know, it’s supposed to be about the music, but this is just a complementing cherry on top of this decadent rock sundae! How can a blind person see the lights you ask? Well, this is a mystery novel remember...

You know the band’s done a really good or really bad job when it takes you two days to get over their gig, and I have no doubt, after that onslaught of glorious energy.

It really is no mystery why Manning Bar will never be the same again...