Datura4 takes their Jam to Europe

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By The Barman

The Barman

14 September 2023

Hits: 2112

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: 5531

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: 4485

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: 2104

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: 6830

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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Charlie Owen brings a guitar case full of stories to Sydney and Canberra

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 September 2023

Hits: 4420

Legendary Australian guitarist Charlie Owen is playing select solo shows in Canberra and New South Wales in October that will reflect on his career of amazing collaborations. 

His band history includes Beasts of Bourbon, the New Christs,  Tex ,Don & Charlie, Tendrils and Working Class Ringos, and he’s collaborated with Paul Kelly, Chrissie Amphlett and Louis Tillett.

His show “Searching for Charlie Owen” involves him playing and talking his way through his own back pages and shows why he’s regarded as one of our greatest guitarists.

Charlie will be joined on the bill at Smiths Alternative in Canberra on October 28 by special guest Penny Ikinger, the former Wet Taxis member and a solo artist in her own right.  Tickets are here.

And the show at MoshPit Bar in St Peters, Sydney, on Saturday, October 29 will also involve a support bracket from Penny Ikinger, again in solo mode. The line-up will be opened by MD Horne and Matt Allison. 

Tickets numbers for Sydney are capped and are available here.

• beasts of bourbon
• new christs
• wet taxis
• charlie owen
• tex don and charlie
• searching for Charlie owen

The King of Vice

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

06 September 2023

Hits: 4323

_{Richard Sharman photo.}

The label "Elder Statesman" doesn’t do Ed Kuepper justice. His career started in 1973 and spans the Saints, Laughing Clowns, The Aints! and scores of bands bearing his own name. His solo work explores a wide range of musical styles, including punk (whatever that is), folk, rock, blues, and jazz. 

His landmark solo records, "Electrical Storm” (notably his first) and "Honey Steel's Gold" (his break-out effort) were recently re-mastered and re-issued. Sounds like a good excuse for an Australian tour, not to mention an interview at the hands of Robert Brokenmouth. Here’s how it played out. 

• saints
• ed kuepper
• laughing clowns
• the aints
• rowland s. howard
• australian tour
• electrical storm
• honey steel's gold

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It's Time for Pocketwatch

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

31 August 2023

Hits: 3573

It’s Time - Pocketwatch (self released)

Pocketwatch sprang out of the garage and onto the Sydney music scene just on a year ago, and within months were a “must see” with their infectious and full-on energy shows.  

Capturing the spirit of 1977 and the melodic British punk of The Jam and The Clash, they had lashings of melodic hooks. Their youngest member was only 15-years-old which limited the venues they could play. Despite that handicap, they had a work ethic - and it showed. They became tighter with every gig and delivered some blistering shows.

Songwriter Angus Ross emerged out of his bedroom with a batch of songs he’d been creating for a fews years and teamed with the amazing rhythm section that is Jamie Woodward on bass and Sam McInerney-Wand on drums. 

• pocketwatch
• it's time
• Angus Ross
• sam mcinerney-wand
• jamie woodward

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Those Hollywood Nights are winding down

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

24 August 2023

Hits: 5910

The Loud Hailers.
Hollywood Hotel, Surry Hills, NSW
Thursday, August 14, 2023 

Photos: Nick Bleszynski 

Sydney was once a dangerous place.

As a teenager from the bush, I had read about live music venues like French’s and The Southern Cross Hotel; actually being there was a baptism of fire. 

It was the music that attracted me to the inner city in – particular, Surry Hills. It was the heart of a city where there was a pub with music on every corner, and where you could see your first band at 8pm and move from one venue to the next. You could still be watching a band at 3am in Kings Cross – even on a week night.  

It was dangerous yet romantic, a place of beauty with a view of its Harbour but one with a dark undercurrent of lawlessness, corruption and gangs that went back to the Rum Rebellion.

• loud hailers
• christa hughes
• hollywood hotel
• doris goddard
• ben fink
• Ivan jordan
• Catherine Gregory
• Surry Hills

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