Warm reception as The On and Ons welcome us aboard

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By The Barman

The Barman

01 September 2017

Hits: 5833

T_{he On and Ons Glenn Morris and Jon Roberts with guest guitarist Murray Cook . Shona Ross photo}

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, this was a night of three contrasting but not dissimilar bands when The Smart Folk, Loose Pills and The On and Ons weaved their guitar pop web over Marrickville Bowling Club. It was also the album launch for The On and Ons' wonderful CD "Welcome Aboard".

These sorts of night are infrequent in Sydney these days. Ones where the bands on the bill complement each other and the venue doesn't turn people off, so they turn out in good numbers.

You’re here to read a live music review? Hang in there. There's a bit of preaching to go through, first...

• alive
• loose pills
• sydney
• clyde bramley
• the on and ons
• murray bennett
• the smart folk
• marrickville bowling club
• welcome aboard
• glenn morris
• brian morris
• jon roberts

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Ain't that cool? Another Aints show, supports announced

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By The Barman

The Barman

01 September 2017

Hits: 5101

The Aints Play The Saints (’73-78) national tour in November led by Ed Kuepper and an all-star band is selling out all over so new shows have been announced.

The gig at Melbourne's Caravan Music Club has joined Sydney’'s The Factory Theatre as a pre-tour sell-out.  Limited tickets remain for the other Melbourne show (November 18 at the Corner Hotel) and all other shows in Perth, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Due to demand, Sunday, November 26 has been set aside for a performance at Aussie World on the Sunshine Coast and tickets are on sale via aussieworld.com

• Medew
• saints
• ed kuepper
• tour
• australian
• the aints

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Leave Home Deluxe Edition – Ramones (Rhino)

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By The Barman

The Barman

01 September 2017

Hits: 4678

Contest the claim if you like, but there isn’t a better Ramones album than “Leave Home”, their second long-player.

Yes, the debut was retrospectively ground-breaking and a beacon for rock and roll’s shift back-to-basics, but “Leave Home” surely should have been the point where “punk” (at least as America knew it) crossed the line, converting from Cult Curiosity to Mainstream Soundtrack.

High-tensile guitars, off-colour humour, melodies and energy live large within its groove. Bubblegum, doo-wop, pop and rock bundled into the perfect musical package, married to an image of teen rebellion, leather jackets and shades. What the fuck is there not to love?

• rhino
• deluxe
• new york
• ramones
• punk rock
• leave home

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They Just Want Their Fun: Why Exploding White Mice will walk again

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By Ronald Brown

Ronald Brown

29 August 2017

Hits: 11205

Exploding White Mice burst on to the Australian musical landscape in 1983. They formed in Adelaide = the so-called City of Churches – and toured Australia constantly, releasing their “A Nest Of Vipers” EP in 1985.

Originally Paul Gilchrist on vocals, Andy MacQueen on bass, Gerry Barrett on guitar, Craig Rodda on drums and Giles Barrow on rhythm guitar, they made an immediate mark with their mix of Radio Birdman-meets-the-Ramones punk rock.

• adelaide
• exploding white mice
• jeff gilchrist
• jeff stephens
• noise for heroes
• craig rodda
• andy macqueen
• david bunney
• jack jacomos

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This is the Modern World

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

29 August 2017

Hits: 4919

Ho to The Gov in Adelaide once more, for Vic of Mr V Music and the organiser of tonight’s barney headlined by Young Modern (pictured right), has kindly placed my name on the door.

As you may know, The Gov is opposite a vile concrete pissoir with the flashing lights known as the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, which also reminds me of a huge birthday cake concealing a rather unpleasant surprise for the party-goers. 

Which is one more reason why going to the Gov is so enjoyable, because it is a haven of hospitality, pubby goodness, good cheer and competent and friendly staff.

There have been times when I’ve been at the Gov and seriously considered not crossing the road to see whatever humungous stars await inside the concrete barn, but simply to stay in the cosiness and get cosily and happily fuddled instead.

• live
• the gov
• safari set
• young modern
• the dust collection

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Love is a Gamble - Steve Wernick Band (RPM Records) & Cold Mother Night - Tom Redwood (Walking Bird Records)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

29 August 2017

Hits: 4385

Both discs get five bottles. That’s really all you need to know. Go get them, here’s the contact details for Steve Wernick and Tom Redwood. 

Good. Reviews completed. Payment in the usual manner, please Barman, used notes in a brown paper bag round the back of the cistern, third cubicle on the left, usual pub.

No? Bugger, you readers are a demanding lot.

Oh, all right then. Both albumss here deal with love and loss, despair and joy, isolation and continuity. There are a few similarities with the music, although really… both travel in different directions. Let’s begin with … 

• tom redwood
• steve wernick
• love is a gamble
• rpm records
• walking bird records
• cold mother night

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Rarebits - Fast Cars (Methodmusic)

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By The Barman

The Barman

25 August 2017

Hits: 4841

It's been mentioned here before that Fast Cars are a 1980s Sydney mod band, revolving around the creative core of Di Levi (vocals, guitar) and Fabian Byrne (guitar), that reformed a couple of years ago to make more music. This EP is their second since re-convening and was compiled for the “15th Dream of Dr Sardonicus Festival” in Wales earlier this month.

Mod is a label that suggests Union Jacks, sharp clothes, Vespa scooters and The Who, but Fast Cars aren’t constricted by the genre’s straight jacket. “Rarebits” comprises four old tracks and two new ones and takes the band deep into psychedelic pop territory.

• mod
• australian
• fast cars
• rarebits

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Oh My! b/w The Silent Birds (First Take) - The Golden Rail (self released)

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By The Barman

The Barman

25 August 2017

Hits: 4596

Melbourne-via-Perth power-poppers The Golden Rail have released this as a taster to their forthcoming album. With a cv that includes playing with Header, The Rainyard, The Jangle Band, DM3, The Palisades, and Showbag, you could suspect it’s going to be good - and it is.

“Oh My!” Is lilting jangle-pop with with a sweet chorus reminiscent of a Robert Forster song. Written by the band’s creative core of Jeff Baker and  Ian Freeman, it sounds like it dropped right out of the sky during paisley pop’s mid-‘80s heyday...right after the Go Betweens had seeded the clouds. 

• melbourne
• dm3
• perth
• monsters of jangle
• the golden rail
• the pallisades

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Welcome Aboard - The On and Ons (Citadel)

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By The Barman

The Barman

21 August 2017

Hits: 7401

Great guitar pop is timeless and that’s what Sydney’s The On and Ons have delivered (again) on their second long-player. 

Well established on the strength of their 2015 debut, “It’s The On And Ons Calling”, Morris and Co have doubled down on the pop factor on “Welcome Aboard”. The rock is turned down just a tad and (to these ears at least) it takes a few more listens for the songs to take hold.

Truth-be-told, I almost marked it down half-a-beer for not rocking as much as the debut - but the pop smarts won out. 

• Citadel
• powerpop
• the on and ons
• barbarellas
• screaming tribesmen
• hoodoo gurus

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