![Penny Ikinger's Marbles](/images/assets/penny-marbles-web.jpg)
Pioneering female guitarist Penny Ikinger began her musical journey in Sydney’s Wet Taxis in the 1980s, alongside the late Louis Tillett.
Since then, she’s collaborated with an eclectic range of musicians in Australia including Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman), Kim Salmon, Sacred Cowboys, Charlie Owen, Dave Graney, Clare Moore, and overseas with Dimi Dero (France), Vinz Guilluy (France), Masami Kawaguchi (Japan) and Donovan’s Brain (USA).
Melbourne-based, she's taking her full band, Penny Ikinger's Marbles, north for select dates at in Sydney and Canberra.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1887
![](/images/assets/matt-munster-2023.jpg)
- Collingwood- having done these Top Tens at the Bar for a few years now, I had to make a best team category, just so I could get my beloved Pies in. Now we won the flag, no need. The Magpies take their rightful spot as the best of the best of 2023.
- Test Cricket- great series of cricket from the Aussies in India and England, and a ripper series between England and New Zealand, as well as the Kiwi’s against Pakistan. And while some controversy dominated the headlines (Johnny, what were you smoking?), at least people are talking Test cricket again.
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- By Matt Ryan
- Hits: 2834
![Bob Short](/images/bob-short-2023.jpg)
El, Top Ten list in no particular order.
A lot of folk around the Bar profess a love of professional wrestling often adopting a pastiche of suitable attire and somewhat dubious accents and title belts. But most of them talk about wrestling like it was something that happened 40 years ago. Like their record collections really.
But wrestling is currently in a golden age with many of the highlights arising from the women's division (which has really dragged its way out of the two minute gimmick match that used to stink the joint out).
Here's my Top Ten of favourite wrestling related moments and people. I know some of you folks will be yelling “But Bob! It’s all fake.” To which I say thank fuck for that. If people really did stuff like that, you’d have to arrest them.
And besides, both the Stooges and the Dictators happily acknowledged their love of professional wrestling. Who am I to disagree?
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- By Bob Short
- Hits: 1962
![the beasts alive tour proko shot](/images/the-beasts-alive.jpg)
The Beasts are back. The band whose core membership is drawn from surviving members of The Beasts of Bourbon is undertaking an Australian tour...and have revealed that it’s under doctor’s orders.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 3708
![richie weed gigs poster](/images/assets/richie-weed-live.jpg)
Richie Lewis is branching out from his best-known day job - that'd be frontman for Tumbleweed - to record his first album, under the name Richie Weed. He's delivered the first taste of the recordings with a digital single, "Pure Evil", that you can stream right here.
While Tumbleweed continued to write, record and perform, Richie spent a large chunk of last year concentrating on solo endeavours, curating a captivating show titled "Spirit Songs and Stories", and recording.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 2044
![The Skids](/images/skids.jpg)
More than 45 years since they first formed during the froth and frenzy of punk in Scotland, the Skids are coming to Australia for the first time for a “greatest hits” tour.
I lived overseas and saw them quite a few times in the 2010s, and each gig was a triumph. The last time I saw The Skids, in December 2019 in Glasgow, was the best of the lot.
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- By Don Simon
- Hits: 3743
Ross Knight.
COSMIC PSYCHOS
+ ZEKE
Metro Theatre, Sydney
Saturday, January 13 2024
Nice Day To Go To The Pub? Aren’t they all during an Australian summer? Tonight in Sydney it’s muggier than a brickie’s armpit and there’s no reason to break convention, but, fuck me, The Sir John Young Hotel on Sydney’s George Street sure has changed.
It’s been re-named “The Resch” (gee, wonder where they dug up that one), the front bar has been opened up and there’s not a TV set in sight. All that polished concrete makes for a brutalist existence. Of course, it lacks live music, with a DJ setting up while we sip our beers, and the usual crowd of pre-Metro gig people absent. The schooners have not unexpectedly crept up close to the $10 mark. That’s life in Sydney!
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 2371
I have been making lists and, damn, it has been a huge year of music for me; so many records and so many gigs. I cannot think of a year so jam-packed. I could have made a Top Ten list by August this year. Best that I don’t count these off or it could be limiting.
1. Loud Hailers at the Hollywood Hotel, Surry Hills, NSW
Ben Fink is one of the most tasteful and sonically powerful guitarists in town, evoking Blind Lemon Jefferson and Jimmy Page. Then there’s drummer Jordon. And vocalist Christa Hughes, who mixes it up, referencing everyone from Nina Simone to Lydia Lunch to a deranged Lisa Minnelli. Confrontational and soulful. Their gigs at the Hollywood set the place on fire. The Sydney inner city band to catch in 2024.
2. Fabels at the Hollywood
Ben Alyward and Hiske Weijers have been making music together for 13 years and have developed a cult following both in the inner city and Europe. It’s a creative, surreal form of shoegaze with a huge palette of influences. They sit in their own space and avoid the pub rock tradition, forging their own identity and sound.
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- By Edwin Garland
- Hits: 2875
The Barman on tour in Japan at Mr Death's Crampstore with The Grand Wizard of the Psychotic Turnbuckles.
Top Ten Albums and Other Things In No Particular Order (with a qualifier that I never review gigs promted by the Bar but, fuck that, it’s my Top Ten.)
Ten Albums
1. Dark Country – Sonic Garage (self released)
This turned up on the eve of an overseas trip so a full review from yours truly isn’t among the glowing tributes already posted. A step up on the debut (which was pretty good in its own right) with lots of weaving guitars and classy keyboard textures. Sydney Old Man Rock and Roll. Just buy it.
2. Hackney Diamonds – The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones Records)
You might have wanted to hate it. Lead “single” “Angry” was so-so but turned out to be one of the parts of a sum that’s much better than it could have been. There's a formula here but it's not a negative when it's in the hands of its inventors. Trust your own ears: It sounds contemporary but this is still The Stones being the Stones, even without Charlie.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 3770
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