Monday, August 23, 2010

Meredith McHugh has gone to Baltimore

but she gave us a going away present.

Opals & Poole is Meredith and Adrian Diery on ukes and guitar with percussion. Quite beautiful.
Opals & Poole - Live @ The Hanger - 20 Aug 2010

Big Nation is a mixture of BigStrongBrute and Carry Nation.
Big Nation - Live @ The Hanger - 20 Aug 2010

Seja has help from Meredith and Renae on drums.
Seja - Live @ The Hanger - 20 Aug 2010

Hear Turnpike rehearse many of their famous songs
Turnpike - Live @ The Hanger - 20 Aug 2010

Seaplane also played up.

PVT, Seekae, and Axxonn

PVT launched their latest CD at the Zoo. An impressive set from Axxonn featuring songs by golly instead of one piece with a couple of movements.

Seekae were hot and cold for me. The songs with live drumming were the best. A couple of purely synth tracks were fairly aimless and sounded like collections of riffs with nowhere to go.

PVT were great. Some complained that the new material is weaker than the old stuff. I thought it was pretty much all up to their old standards.

Axxonn - Live @ The Zoo - 19 Aug 2010

Seekae - Live @ The Zoo - 19 Aug 2010

PVT - Live @ The Zoo - 19 Aug 2010

Pretty Boys CD Launch at The Prince of Wales

Support band Perhaps Maybe are purveyors of Pony Rock. Still not sure what that is. Seems to be a mixture of nu-metal, punk, hardcore and soft toys [all of them ponies].

Perhaps Maybe - Live @ The Prince Of Wales - 13 Aug 2010


Pretty Boys played most songs they know in the style we all love; loud, wet, and fast.

Pretty Boys - Live @ The Prince Of Wales - 13 Aug 2010

Dave McCormack at The Vanguard

Courtesy of Mr McCormack here is a recording of his set at The Vanguard last month.

Dave McCormack - Live @ The Vanguard - 29 Jul 2010

Darren Hanlon

Darren Hanlon played at The Globe. Gympie came to town to cheer him on. I really like Darren Hanlon. He writes with humour and intelligence about the big things and the small things ad he has nice tunes.

Darren Hanlon - Live @ The Globe - 07 Aug 2010

Monday, August 9, 2010

The Grates Go To The Ekka

For out-of-towners the Ekka is the local Agricultural Show/State Fair or Exhibition shortened in the Australian way to Ekka. So to attract the youngsters they have a concert series and last Friday night The Grates were in town taking a break from writing their next album in an undisclosed location somewhere in the USA.

The new stuff sounds pretty good. So does the old stuff. Pae's voice takes a few songs to warm up she is then in good form for not having performed much at all over the last few months.

Local youngsters Ball Park Music have some good songs and are great support.

Ball Park Music - Live @ The RNA Show - 06 Aug 2010

The Grates - Live @ The RNA Show - 06 Aug 2010

Young Liberals and Dollarbar at The X & Y Bar

Dollarbar don't play very often so when they do it's worth going. Tonight it's the cut down version featuring Dale Peachy, Scott Brique, and a/the? Peachy brother. Cute Girls Have the Best Diseases and Red Cars Go Faster finish off a fine set.


The Young Liberals - Live @ The X & Y Bar - 05 Aug 2010

Dollarbar - Live @ The X & Y Bar - 05 Aug 2010

Splendour In The Grass Day 3

Mess Hall have a great festival set. For some reason a lot of people bad mouth We Are Scientists and Ash. No idea why. They are both perfectly fine pop bands. Surfer Blood should be as entertaining. Broken Social Scene don't feel tired at all. Passion Pit were a lot better than I expected. Mumford & Sons do nothing for me I'm afraid. The Pixies still have it. I'm glad I came. I hope I make it back to the tent.

Surfer Blood - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 01 Aug 2010

Mess Hall - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 01 Aug 2010

We Are Scientists - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 01 Aug 2010

Ash - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 01 Aug 2010

Broken Social Scene - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 01 Aug 2010

Passion Pit [Last 3 Songs] - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 01 Aug 2010

Mumford & Sons - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 01 Aug 2010

The Pixies - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 01 Aug 2010

Splendour In The Grass Day 2

Band of Skulls were my find of the festival. The Drums really ought to re think their stage act. Tame Impala are great. The Strokes are actually quite good. If I drink enough mid strength beer will I eventually stop feeling my feet. God I hope so.

Band Of Skulls - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 31 Jul 2010

Philadelphia Grand Jury - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 31 Jul 2010

Tame Impala - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 31 Jul 2010

The Drums - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 31 Jul 2010

Wolfmother - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 31 Jul 2010

Florence & The Machine - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 31 Jul 2010

The Strokes - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 31 Jul 2010

Splendour In The Grass Day 1

Woodford is a great site. But it is big. And the roads are long. So I ended up spending longer stretches at the Main Stage than I might have at Byron Bay. Today however I got to all three stages. Skipping Girl Vinegar started dead on 11.00am which as chance woulds have it is when the bars opened. I missed their first song.

A language warning on the Foals or Seven Bells recording. Some pilled up bogan wandered back from the front and decided I would be the perfect person to appreciate his dance style which mainly involved elbowing and generally knocking me around no matter where I stood. And believe me I tried to move out of his way. Anyway I eventually told him to go away. He did. I leave it in for that full sensurround experience.

Skipping Girl Vinegar - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 30 July 2010

Joy Formidable - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 30 Jul 2010

Violent Soho - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 30 Jul 2010

School Of Seven Bells - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 30 Jul 2010

Foals - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 30 Jul 2010

Midlake - Live @ Splendour In The Grass - 30 Jul 2010

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Omg It Was Heavy

Sunday night and I should be in bed getting ready for work. But hell, really loud heavy noise is on offer. Except for Lichens who has to be heard to be believed. Om were not as Psych as I thought they would be and were almost trancelike in places. Really good show from all of the acts

No Anchor - Live @ The Hi-Fi - 18 Jul 2010

Blarke Bayer w Black Widow - Live @ The Hi-Fi - 18 Jul 2010

Lichens - Live @ The Hi-Fi - 18 Jul 2010

Om - Live @ The Hi-Fi - 18 Jul 2010

Then on Monday night after 4 nights in a row I fell over before Lichens began but did get Andrews, MacManus, & Stern and a very distorted 'look ma, no instruments' set from Die On Planes.

Die On Planes - Live @ The Step Inn - 19 Jul 2010

Andrews, MacManus & Stern - Live @ The Step Inn - 19 Jul 2010

What a weekend.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Can I Get More Rock In My Foldback

Actually, No, I don't think you can.

With this Brisbane set Violent Soho finished their short Australian tour before taking off back to the US for Lolopalooza and a few other shows. They could not have gotten any tighter than when they left for the US last year but the experience of months solid touring combined with a backline** provided by Tym's Guitars gave them a whole new dynamic. They were frighteningly good. So I have it here for you now. The supports I got [part of the Butcher Birds and Scul Hazzards] will go up later.

So grab it, headphones on, turn it up and go.

Violent Soho - Live @ The Zoo - 24 July 2010

If this link does not work please let me know

**As Tym said
"My good friends were playing a sold out show upstairs from my shop in Ann st, Fortitude valley in Saturday night so we decided the only way to go was to set up a full backline of Tym speaker cabs.
We had 7 guitar 2x12's, 2 bass 4x10's, the 6x10 and the full Lemon 120W with matching 4x12 cab on stage with a silverface Bassman 100, a Mesa Boogie Mk III, a Marshall JCM800, a Marshall JCM 900 and an Ampeg SVT1000 .......... ALL RUNNING.
The sound was incredible , really. "

And it was.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Bursting With Super Wild Goodness

Friday and Saturday night were bigger than big at Burst City and The Hanger. I am now convinced that the top five bands in Brisbane are Blank Realm, Loomer, Kitchen's Floor, No Anchor, and yeah, your band.

So on Friday night at Burst City we saw

The Seizures - Live @ Burst City - 16 Jul 2010

The Sips - Live @ Burst City - 16 Jul 2010

Southern Comfort - Live @ Burst City - 16 Jul 2010

Blank Realm - Live @ Burst City - 16 Jul 2010

Best sets I have seen from The Sips and Blank Realm. The Seizures are promising. Southern Comfort were better tomorrow night and while the start of songs was a bit slow they usually got into a nice groove by the end.

On Saturday night at The Hanger we got

Kitchen's Floor - Live @ The Hanger - 17 Jul 2010

Loomer - Live @ The Hanger - 17 Jul 2010

Southern Comfort - Live @ The Hanger - 17 Jul 2010

Super Wild Horses - Live @ The Hanger - 17 Jul 2010

Super Wild Horses play snappy tight tunes, look fabulous and if there is any justice they be a big thing.

Sunday and Monday nights were rather more brutal as you will see. And no I'm not happy with the headline either.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Happy Birthday X & Y Bar

I like the X & Y Bar but then I'll like any place that supports local music but it helps that the sound is OK, the beer is cold and the A/C works.

I missed the Thursday night show with Sulphur Lights, Birds of a Feather, and Otto's new band Grateful Beasts who apparently were very good.

Did get there on Friday night for sets by Seja and Dave McCormack.

Seja - Live @ X&Y Bar - 09 July 2010

Dave McCormack - Live @ X&Y Bar - 09 July 2010

And on Saturday night Phil Smith & The Lights supported Dan Kelly & His Dream Band

Phil Smith & The Lights - Live @ X&Y Bar - 10 July 2010

Dan Kelly & His Dream Band - Live @ X&Y Bar - 10 July 2010

House Party

at Latrobe Tce.

First up a solo set from Glenn Schnau, of Per Purpose and Kitchen's Floor. I liked this a lot.

Glenn Schnau - Live @ Latrobe Tce - 03 July 2010

A short sharp set from Gutters who reformed for the weekend.

Gutters - Live @ Latrobe Tce - 03 July 2010

Science in a lounge room is really loud and the drum sound is really loud. I'm looking forward to recording them in friendlier surroundings.

Science - Live @ Latrobe Tce - 03 July 2010

Conwae of/is Extra Foxx and his material is pretty good solo or with backing. It sounds simple but it isn't. Well maybe it is, whatever. Lots of audience interaction. We all had a real good time.

Conwae Burrell - Live @ Latrobe Tce - 03 July 2010