(Vale) Top Ten
10. Star Crazy. Great, rockin’ live band, cool humans and for me without doubt, the award for earworm of the year:."Egging Me On". Check ‘em out.
9. Hellnation 3, an event by Dogshot Productions was a pearl of a day. An incredible effort. Run well, great crowd and a sweet line up. Plans for Hellnation 4 are already underway. The venue is the Lass O’Gowrie Hotel in Newcastle. The date will be April 2024. If you’re a true punk rocker, clear your calendar and dust off ya leather jacket.
8. Piledriven, hammer locked, eye gouged, battered and bruised by The Psychotic Turnbuckles two times in one year. We so nearly made it three times until I got squirrel gripped by the ‘rona and pipped at the post but still, what a thrill. Submission. You won’t be so lucky next time Jesse!
7. Cousin Betty’s self-titled album released in May this year is a keeper. A musical magnet that has ripped through time picking up post punk, new romantic, grunge, desert rock and even some 2020 Ozstraliana Sh#t C@nt mastery along the way. There is something about the album that emotionally reminds me of Killing Joke and even Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel. I don’t know why. It’s not that it necessarily sounds like that, it just transports me back to those days. Maybe it’s the pure originality these three bands have. In some of the softer moments I’m even transported to the very first time I heard Bronski Beat.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s no nostalgia record. It’s 100 percent here and now. So if this has sparked some interest, have a listen, better still buy it, but what I like most of all about Cousin Betty is they are a cracking live band. If they’re in your town you really should make the effort to see them. A super talented and an extremely entertaining outfit.
6. “We’re a Happy Family” - a couple of shows brought to you by Evil Tone Records, featuring three of the label's stable mates. Smitty & B.Goode, The Dark Clouds and The Strike Outs. Two nights of non-stop Ramones tunes. So much fun, so many cool punters. Let’s do it again in 2024. You should come, and bring ya leather jacket.
5. The Stripp released a corker of a record late in 2022 and hit the road promoting it early this year. They rock hard. We saw them turn it up in January. Wollongong was fun. The Duke in Enmore was exceptional. So was a kick arse performance microwaving the crowd for the Supersuckers at the Crowbar in Sydney. Hard working, gritty, sexy Aussie rock band. Give ‘em a like, buy their merch because… it Ain’t no crime to Rock n Roll.
4. It feels like I’ve mentioned C.O.F.F.I.N in every top 10 I’ve ever submitted. Be it them, setting the bar on how it should be done during Covid to their latest release “Australia Stops”. These guys have officially reached cult status in my books. Keeping it dark since 2005. Imagine if Lobby Loyde ever got his hands on this mob?
3. Drumming for The Dark Clouds is an extreme high pressure system. The arrival of Cyclone Scotty B to the DC family has been nothing short of atmospheric. Hail, hail rock n roll…
2. Where’s jimmy. My lord. What an outfit. What a front man. What a live show. Totally infectious. Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra and Peter Garett’s love child amped up to 11. Part Cirque du Soleil, part Olympic gymnast. It’s CIVIC on Oxyshred, Orange juice and rocket fuel. Just bloody brilliant. You’ve heard it from me. These guys are destined for greatness. You must see the Power Stance!!!!
1. As a massive Dictators fan sadly we say R.I.P to the real Top Ten. DFFD!
Special mentions.
This year's “Bucket Bong Award for Best Stoner Band” goes to Robot God. Thoroughly entraining live act. These guys deserve to be playing stadiums. You need to check them out.
The “Music is in Safe Hands Award” goes to Acid Amora. Another rock band that will not disappoint.
Rock n Roll ain't dead, it's on a one way ticket to Sweden and if it lives or dies is up to you. Support Live Music. There is plenty out there.
