The Victims sign-off in Melbourne and Sydney

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By The Barman

The Barman

20 September 2023

Hits: 3833

Legendary '70s Perth punk group The Victims - who introduced the world to both Dave Faulkner and his original drumming partner in the Hoodoo Gurus, James Baker – will say a final farewell with shows in Melbourne and Sydney in early December. 

The announcement follows the release of a new and final Victims single "Girls Don't Go For Punks"/"Victim", on esteemed Los Angeles label In The Red.

Since regrouping in late 2014 with uber  fan Ray Ahn of the Hard-Ons on bass, The Victims have released two vinyl records (an E.P. and the new single), as well as an anthology of their '70s classics, all on In The Re. They have also played a handful of shows on the Australian East and West both coasts. But now the time has come to say goodbye. 

A Perth farewell show, played in front of hundreds of heaving fans at the Rosemount back in June, was so great that plans were put into effect straight away to get the group over to Sydney and Melbourne. It just wouldn't have been fair to fans in both cities otherwise - including a new generation of '70s punk loving kids who need to see what the fuss is all about. 

The Victims play Brunswick Ballroom in Melbourne on Friday December 1,and the Crowbar in Sydney on Dec 2. And then they're done. Joining the band in both cities will be Wollongong's fantastic Chimers.

THE VICTIMS - LAST SHOWS
with special guests Chimers
DEC

1 – The Brunswick Ballroom, 
Melbourne
w/ Lice Trays
Tix on sale now
2 – Crowbar, Sydney
Tix on sale now

• melbourne
• perth
• sydney
• james baker
• ray ahn
• the victims
• dave faulkner
• final shows

Black Flag bring their War back to Australia

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By The Barman

The Barman

18 September 2023

Hits: 3143

Iconic punk rock pioneers, Black Flag, will tour Australia for the first time in a decade in December, playing two sets a night.

Four shows have been announced and Black Flag will reprise its 1984 album, “My War”, in full over the course of one of them. 

Black Flag is built around founding guitarist Greg Ginn and vocalist/pro skateboarder Mike Vallely, and are joined by Joseph Noval on bass, and Isaias Gil on drums,

Ironically, Vallely stepped up to the mic and assumed the job in Perth on the final show of the band’s fractuous 2013 Australian tour after Ginn sacked then incumbent Ron Reyes onstage.

One of the harbingers of the Southern Californian punk scene since forming in Hermosa Beach in 1976, Black Flag has had a string of frontmen including Keith Morris and Henry Rollins. 

Tickets are on sale here.

Black Flag December 2023 Australian Tour
DEC 

7 - GOLD COAST, Mo’s Desert Clubhouse
8 - BRISBANE, Mansfield Tavern
9 - SYDNEY, Factory Theatre
10 - MELBOUURNE, Corner Hotel

• tour
• australian
• black flag
• 2023
• greg ginn

Rockin' great art show springs up in Sydney

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By The Barman

The Barman

17 September 2023

Hits: 2692

Some of Austrealian rock and roll’s best-known underground artists fwill be featured in an exhibition opening in Sydney next month.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll High School Art Class of 2023” runs at Ambush Gallery at 4 James Street, Waterloo, from Friday, October 13 until Sunday, October 15 from noon until 4pm.

Described as “a group show by artists that rock and rockers who art”, it will show art from the likes of Reg Mombassa (Mental as Anything), Warwick Gilbert (Radio Birdman), Glenno Smith and Gina Monaco (Hellebores), Mike Foxall (Sick Fizz, Neptune Power Federation), Celia Curtis (White Knuckle Fever), Ray Ahn (Hard Ons), Ben Brown (Hellmen), Link Meanie (The Meanies), Rick Chesshire and Simon Day (Ratcat).  

You’ll find the Facebook event here. 

• ray ahn
• radio birdman
• warwick gilbert
• neptune power federation
• mike foxall

Get Up Close and Personal with The Johnnys next Friday night

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By The Barman

The Barman

17 September 2023

Hits: 1700

• the johnnys
• white knuckle fever
• the strike-outs

Datura4 takes their Jam to Europe

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By The Barman

The Barman

14 September 2023

Hits: 2127

After a brief sweep up the Australian East Coast and a farewell show in home state Western Australia,  Stems mainman Dom Mariani's boogie-psych powerhouse, Datura4, is embarking on its first European shows since 2019.

• dm3
• datura4
• dom mariani
• european tour

Everything he's got belongs to us

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

14 September 2023

Hits: 5545

The Exploding Universe of Ed Kuepper
+ DC Cross
Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood, NSW
Saturday, 2 September 2023 

Photos: Vic Zubakin / Look Sharp Photography

Ed Kuepper is a deep thinker.I imagine he puts a lot of time into considering his next detour, which is usually unpredictable and highly creative.

Ed annually tours with a re-invention of something from his past. Tonight, he’ll show off  this year’s model - and add another chapter to his almost five-decade-long career.

The post lockdown tours of 2021- 22 with The Dirty Three’s Jim White were notable for re-invention. Those shows were dark and adventurous, exploring some obscure tracks and well as better-known Laughing Clowns material. The performances were all about atmosphere, and full of light and shade.

Prior to that, we had The Aints! tours, with Ed re-staking his claim to his roots in proto-punk, while giving a nod to Crazy Horse. 

• saints
• ed kuepper
• peter oxley
• laughing clowns
• the aints
• alister spence
• exploding universe
• blue mountains theatre
• eamon dilworth
• mark dawson

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Klondike re-surfaces with new Spanish band and EP

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By The Barman

The Barman

13 September 2023

Hits: 4497

The newest band for former Radio Birdman guitarist Chris Masuak, Los Revelators, were born in a garage behind the ancient Roman walls of Lugo in Galicia and raised on a diet of scratchy seven-inch singles. 

With members from three continents, Los Revlators are a band with international bloodlines and bound by a shared love for hard-edged ‘60s and ‘70s rock and roll. They play it hard and fast, churning out mostly original songs steeped in psychedelia,   surf, garage rock and punk and laced with intricate guitar and the unmistakable tones of a Hammond organ.

The debut EP "Revelation" is available here.

• spain
• chris masuak
• garage rock
• los revelators
• revelation
• los contentos
• los zorros

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feedtime and Chimers a match made in Marrickville

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By The Barman

The Barman

11 September 2023

Hits: 2127

Gigs by seminal Australian blues scuzz band feedtime are increasingly rare so drop whatever you’re doing and make a beeline to Marrickville Bowling Club in Sydney’s inner-west on Saturday, September 16.

feedtime will play two sets with a bracket by Wollongong’s amazing duo Chimers sandwiched in-between.

Chimers are one of the must see acts in Australia today with praise from judges as esteemed as Henry Rollins among the acclaim. Formed in the lockdown by Binx (drums) and Padraic (guitar and vocals) and with one self-titled album firmly under their belt, they’re edgy, compelling and intense - and therefore a perfect match to feedtime.

feedtime’s unique brand of stripped-down urban blues and feedback-fueled dissonance remains a singular experience.

Their last outing at Marrickville Bowlo sold out in quick time and there’s no reason this won’t do so too. Grab a ticket here.
 

• feedtime
• marrickville bowling club
• chimers

He's a Woking class man

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By Steve Lorkin

Steve Lorkin

07 September 2023

Hits: 6860

The first thing you hear when the stylus drops on Radio Birdman’s “What Gives?”, “Aloha Steve & Danno”, ”Descent Into The Maelstrom”, “Do The Moving Change” or The Visitors’ “Hell Yes” are the drums.

Solid, to the point, perfectly simple, lots of swing and dead on the money, That drummer’s name is Ron Keeley, who also played with Radio Birdman precursor The Rats (with Warwick Gilbert and Rob Younger), The Other Side (with Rob Younger) , The Hitmen (with Chris Masuak and Warwick Gilbert) and Comrades of War. 

I wanted to hear Ron’s story first-hand and have a beer or three with him in his adopted home of Woking, Surrey,l just outside of London. It's only a short, 17,000-mile trip from Sydney, Australia. We met in The Crown, a wonderful old-style “wet pub” (no food, no gambling, no TV - just drink, so what’s not to like?) in July 2023.

Read on at your own peril.

• james baker
• radio birdman
• deniz tek
• chris masuak
• the visitors
• tony thewlis
• ron keeley
• warwick gilbert
• pip hoyle

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