Debbie and Patti in a Tale of Two Dieties

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By Bob Short

Bob Short

12 April 2017

Hits: 6724

_{Blondie and her session men plus Clem Burke (obscured).   Dean Ertl photo}

I come at this review as a fan.  Since 1976 (earlier if you count the Dolls and the Velvets), I have been enamoured of that New York New Wave sound.  It's a broad church.  Suicide could thrash synthesizers and Television could probe the stratosphere with spiralling lead guitar lines.  The Ramones could make dumb look smart.

The Talking Heads sounded nothing like the Heartbreakers.  The Fast sounded nothing link Mink DeVille.  But the scene was still recognisable as a whole.

Blondie lived in the spotlight of eternal summer despite spending a lifetime dodging sun rays.   You could be walking through the Lower East Side, see a boy you liked and say hello.  Even if you found yourself charged with solicitation, everything would be all right because you are young, beautiful and in love.

• live
• sydney
• blondie
• patti smith
• debbie harry
• horses

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A Sunny Afternoon looms with Sydney's The Smart Folk

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By The Barman

The Barman

10 April 2017

Hits: 4705

• the smart folk
• marrickville bowling club

The night Rickie-Lee was one of us

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By Robert Brokenmouth & Mandy Tzaras

Robert Brokenmouth & Mandy Tzaras

10 April 2017

Hits: 3708

Heads up: Rickie Lee Jones was magnificent. As well as being a great gig, it was quite a strange evening.

So, ho! Once more to the magnificent Governor Hindmarsh Hotel (aka The Gov), to which I have been arriving in all sorts of moods to see all sorts of bands since I think 1979. No Fixed Address (many times), Drum Poetry (once), The Birthday Party (the last of three memorable nights in Adelaide). And so on.

Actually, because the Gov is such a great venue, if you are coming to Adelaide, it is one of a handful of ‘I gotta go there’ venues. Thankfully it’s not a toilet like CBGBs or the 100 Club used to be: the Tonkin family have long-since revamped and reworked the place into a rather wonderful, cosy, recreational area for grown-up. The food is always good, bar or restaurant, the staff always fit into their team (I’ve never encountered a shit or indifferent staff member) and the place seems comfy and perfect even on Adelaide’s famous disgustingly hot days.

• live
• rickie lee jones

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Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol by Steve Jones (William Heinemann) & Anger is An Energy. My Life Uncensored by John Lydon (Simon and Schuster)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

04 April 2017

Hits: 5785

Here are two books from people whose names you may know that are essential purchases.  

This is from “Lonely Boy”:

… all bands are basically the fucking same. The reason I still - to this day - love watching documentaries about bands like the Eagles … is that I can totally relate to them. The personalities involved and the reasons for the tensions between them never seem to change.

The singer - because the job requires the kind of person who wants to be in the front going ‘look at me, look at me’ - will almost always be very insecure, and usually a bit of a cunt. Then there’s the guitarist, who wants to get all the pussy, and there’s always at least one weird introvert…

Lead Guitarist Syndrome and Lead Singer Syndrome are terms you don’t see in the Macquarie, or the OED. But they exist, in fact if not in print.

• sex pistols
• john lydon
• steve jones
• anger is an energy
• lonely boy
• sid vicious

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Going Back To Wurstville - King Salami & The Cumberland Three (Off The Hip)

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By Ron Brown

Ron Brown

04 April 2017

Hits: 4002

Three days, no brakes, something to celebrate. That’s the state I’ve found myself in after constantly playing King Salami & The Cumberland Three. This is what music is all about: Transcending barriers that are put up by the music snobs.

How the hell do you get a Japanese punk joining forces with a French punk and then finding a Caribbean tennis teacher for oral scintillation? Then they come up with a name that covers a love of sausages, calling themselves “the best party band in the British Isles” And they pull it off. How?

The answer is Music, pure delightful music. Music that you dance to. Music that you can surf to. Music that you can chop wood to. Pure music.

• punk
• rock
• garage
• english
• king salami
• cumberland three

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Chris Masuak and his Harbour City Wave Riders cut a swathe

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 April 2017

Hits: 4199

• radio birdman
• chris masuak

Watch "I Can Control Your Mind" from James McCann and The New Vindictives

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By The Barman

The Barman

01 April 2017

Hits: 4093

• penny ikinger
• james mccann

Iconic Rock and Roll markets stage Sydney support show

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By The Barman

The Barman

30 March 2017

Hits: 3122

Sydney Rock ‘n’ Roll & Alternative Market has hit a roadblock and is taking a detour. In place of the usual market on April 2, a huge support concert for the much-loved market is taking place at The Factory Theatre, Marrickville. 

Featuring a stellar line-up over two stages of Market favourites, including The Allniters and The Detonators, this is a one-off and unmissable show.

For six-and-a-half years, Sydney Rock’n’Roll & Alternative Market has brought Sydney a mini music festival every two months, with a vast selection of unique and carefully curated stalls and an all-day entertainment line-up of interstate, local and international bands and DJs.

Hit with some very trying weather conditions over the last nine months, organisers decided to stage an almighty concert rather than fold their tent.

• rock and roll markets
• allniters
• detonators

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Celibate Rifles put rumours to bed and make a claim for greatness

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By The Barman

The Barman

21 March 2017

Hits: 13336

_{Damien Lovelock leads the Celibate Rifles.    Shona Ross photo}

It was a big week for rumours - and that’s not a reference to that awful Fleetwood Mac album being on high rotation.

Celibate Rifles were playing two successive nights in Sydney. A Friday at the near dormant ‘80s venue Carmens at Miranda in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, and a Saturday at one of their local stomping grounds, Narrabeen RSL.

It was about a fortnight before that the gossip started to fly.

• leadfinger
• narrabeen rsl
• circus chaplains
• kent steedman
• celibate rifles
• damien lovelock
• dave morris
• paul larsen-loughhead
• carmens miranda

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