You want me to write a year in reflection? Well, where and how to start? I will bang on these keys and most likely bang on in my usual stoic warm way.

Mind you, I rarely write about music these days. I look back and reflect on the shit I once wrote and it seems all so naïve, sycophantic almost. But here’s a try and since it’s not the 10 best gigs, nor the 10 best recordings, I have license to mix it up.

Best thing that happened – helping out with the band bookings at MoshPit, a small unpretentious little bar down the south end of King St which now fits 120 people. Yes, it’s small, and don’t go there if you feel paranoid or claustrophobic as you’ll probably hate it. But, in the vein of CBGB’s in NYC, Frenches which was on Oxford Street (Darlinghurst) the Old Bar in Melbourne, and its local counterpart Midnight Special in Enmore, this place oozes fun.

Where else can you put on your favourite bands and liken it to your best ever lounge-room party. There’s a whole range of yummy booze, great staff, the co-owners Pat n Wax, + two sound people who know what they’re doing within limitations. Nunchukka Superfly, Thee Evil Twin, Face Command, White Knuckle Fever and Los Monaros are just some of the great local acts that graced there in 2019. We was lucky and their goodwill was priceless. Sydney needs venues like these so in my unbiased best, please support.

Best things I listened to – newish stuff from Pallet, Small Town Incident, White Knuckle Fever, Sounds Like Winter, Syntax Error, Joseph Leonard, Wreckless Enterprise Recordings volume 1 and 2 – compilations featuring Dirty Slutz, Babymachine, Leftards, Minor Surgery, Space Bozzies, Bitchcraft, Piss to Eme.

_{Band to watch: Rubber Necker.} 

Saddest thing – the loss of Sue Telfer (RIP) – Sydney’s own saviour of rock and roll, this human made going out worth a lot – real conversations, good laughs, always encouraging, always supporting people she believed in. Sydney has lost a lot – a real fan that can’t be replaced.

Best venue – Marrickville Bowling Club. Always warm and welcoming because of people like Heather and Billie (behind the bar), Monica at the sign-in desk and Richard Ball – the king of sound. Best stage, ever with those very cool retro ceilings.

_{Stone Cold Fox at the Gasoline Pony.}

Live gigs – I am pretty biased but who isn’t.

Jan 2 – Nunchukka Superfly, White Knuckle Fever, Beijing Bikini at Moshpit

April 12 – Space Boys (Wollongong), Australis Uber Alles, Fangin Felines, oWo (single launch), Beijing Bikini

July 14 - John Davis (ex Blues Implosion), Peter Black (Hard Ons), Syntax Errror, Donna Amini, Geoff Towner at Gasoline Pony in Marrickville

September 1 – Lisa Caruso (Union Hotel)

November 30 – White Knuckle Fever (album launch), Baddies, Garry David, Rubber Necker

December 15 – Stone Cold Fox, Dirty Slutz, Syntax Error, Joseph Leonard and Dog Wonder, Piss to Eme, Sideprojects

Bands to watch in 2020

Stone Cold Fox, Rubber Necker, RMM and Bin Chickens, Loose Fit, Uncle Pit.

Bob Blunt is a Sydney promoter and singer in Beijing Bikini. He's the author of “Blunt - A Biased History of Australian Rock”.