I-94 Bar regular and Beat magazine contributor, Melbourne
1. Patti Smith, Hamer Hall, October 2008. Counter intuitively, the older I get, the less inclined I feel towards the reverential treatment of the bands I loved in my formative years (which possibly puts me at odds with many Bar patrons). I hate – with unbridled passion – the myopic dismissal of contemporary bands as pale imitators of artists of yore (with notable exceptions, of course). So it was in that context that I wondered if Patti Smith could hold a candle to her legendary status. And, by fuck, did she. At age 62, Ms Smith can still rock out with the best of them, with all the punk rock empathy she brought to the stage 30 odd years ago.
2. Dolly Rocker Movement, Birmingham Hotel. Killer gig from arguably Australia’s premier psych outfit. It started out good, morphed into excellent half way through the night, and by the end of the evening had reached stratospheric levels of quality. Only a member of the Frowning Clouds inadvertently causing a blown fuse curtailed the set. The third Dolly Rocker Movement album – due early 2009 – promises to be one of the premier releases of 2009.
3. Flip Out! Festival. We were in the midst of a flu break-out in the house, but I dragged my sorry arse out of bed to ride to the Corner in the early evening. I missed half the festival, but it almost didn’t matter. The bands were fantastic – Beaches, MOTO, King Automatic, Deaf Wish, Eddy Current Suppression Ring – and the inter-band house music (courtesy of Leon from Sailors/Ooga Boogas) was the perfect foil. What better choice to follow King Automatic than George Michael’s Careless Whispers? Culture jamming rocks.
4. Beaches. As a concept, five women playing psychedelic freak-outs is enough to make a cocaine ravaged PR flack ejaculate in a storm of superlatives. If there’s a criticism to be made, it’s that the songs could be longer, and the sets stretch way into the evening. Bend it like Garcia.
5. Johnny Casino, live and on record. There’s a temptation to become blase about the man born John Spittles – even on a bad night, the bloke shits all over his closest contenders. Forget ‘the Australian Greg Cartwright’ – Greg Cartwright is the American Johnny Casino.
6. Ooga Boogas, Romance and Adventure. The leading Australian garage rock release for 2008. I’m an Ooga Booga, and my cock’s made of wood, it drags on the ground, yeah and it still tastes good. Shakespeare, Keates, Shelley, take your pick – the Ooga Boogas do it all and more.
7. Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, Tote. The purists moan that it’s not the ‘real’ Surrealists without Pola and Hooper (Sportsbet is taking 100000-1 on a reunion of that line-up) – and if you ever want to pick a fight with Mr Salmon, tell him that to his face. But the Surrealists was always a sound, and a feel, and Kim has found his Surrealists voice again. Watch out for the new Surrealists album on Bang! in 2009.
8. Deaf Wish, whenever. The vitality of youth in its perfect punk rock guise. In 20 years time these guys will all have done shitloads of other stuff, and people will wax lyrical about the halcyon Deaf Wish days. See ‘em while you can.
9. Extreme music nights. Two examples: firstly, Tina Arena at Hamer Hall, followed by Hitmen at the East Brunswick Club. Possibly the most bizarre night of music I’ve ever encountered. Secondly, Bon Jovi at Myer Music Bowl (I never thought I’d find myself in a crowd of 5000 people seeing Living On a Prayer), followed by a night of psychedelia at the Esplanade Hotel. Gold nights, both of ‘em.
10. Los Dominados, Pet Head album launch, Public Bar. In front of 50 punters, with Cooper’s ale on tap at flattering prices, Los Dominados tore the place to pieces. Helen Cattanach (Escape Committee, Moler) and Mike Alonso (Jape Squad) deserve more recognition. But no-one ever said we live in a just world.
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