cam butler

It should be no surprise that Ron S Peno and The Superstitions have delivered their most fully realised album yet in “Do The Understanding”.

With 12 years and three previous long players behind them, they’re a crack outfit of experienced Melbourne players, fronted by a vocalist who made an indelible mark with Died Pretty.

Everyone has a COVID-19 story, and musicians are doing it harder than most.

But Ron Peno’s own experience was preceded by a diagnosis of esophageal cancer, followed by chemo and radiotherapy, and then remission. A much-delayed Died Pretty national tour in April this year was sandwiched between lockdowns.

“Do The Understanding” has a prolonged and disrupted gestation stretching back to its formative writing in 2018, but it’s a contender for best Australian album of the year.

It’s a record full of drama and delicacy; a superb collection of songs underpinned by soulful playing and (arguably) the best vocals of Ron Peno’s career.

“I really pleased with it. It's taken a while to surface but we're really pleased with the seven songs,” a dapper Peno says over a Saturday afternoon Zoom connection.

“I think it's seven wonderful songs. Nice, strong, rather than putting too many tunes on there.

“It's just an hour. It's seven songs. Nobody says you have to have 10 songs. It's a little journey…start here, you finish there, drift off into the distance, you know, and if it's  too short…play it again. Take the take the journey again.

The Stress of Leisure…Eruption Bounce

Go Go Sapien …. Love in Other Dimensions

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard …Sketches of East Brunswick

Rebecca Barnard… Music for Relaxation

Grey Lotus …   Acacia

Georgio “The Dove” Valentino…. The Future Lasts a Long Time

Charlie Marshall and The Curious Minds… Sublime

Julitha Ryan…The Winter Journey

Ross McLennan…. All the colours print can manage

Cam Butler…..  Find your Love

Jim James … Eternally Even

In no special order:

1. The Damned at The Triffid, Brisbane, March 15
A school night: Wednesday. The Mesmerisers go on at 7.30pm to a packed house. We carve, the crowd makes us feel like they are there to see us. The Damned 's tour manager remarks that he has never encountered a support band being granted a bottle of Gordon's gin as part of their drink rider: another milestone ticked.

The Damned play for two-and-a-half hours - brilliantly. They are a big hit with the audience - and with Captain Sensible back in the band, they could hardly miss.

2. Perfect Match
Now I do know where she comes from: Banyo. I’ve got a Date with a Banyo girl, tonight.

3. Died Pretty, Radio Birdman and The Mesmerisers at The Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane, June 23
The crowd have all turned up early and turn on to us straight away. Died Pretty get better every time I see them. They always were a fantastic band.

4. Perfect Purchase
My Zoom H5 portable recording device does everything i wanted it to.

5. Gap Farmers Markets, Brisbane, June 25
Andrew Ross and Co sure know how to put on a festival . We go on before dusk. I wear my sunglasses for half the set. Michael again chooses the right shirt for the occasion.

Take the tip and don't miss Ron S Peno and The Superstitions when they play their first Sydney show since 2017 at Marrickville Bowliing Club on Saturfday, November 12. Tickets for the show, presented by The I-94 Bar, went on sale this mormnig here and are moving very quickly.

Supports are Fabels, Nothing But Dust (featuring Died Pretty bassist Steve Clark) and MD Horne. For health resons, Ron and The Superstitions will play early at 915pm, and the night will be closed by MD Horne.

Ron S. Peno & The Superstitions are fronted by one of Australia’s greatest and most charismatic performers, Ron S. Peno, whose voice is as instantly recognisable as it is arresting.

Ron came to prominence as lead singer and principal co-composer with Died Pretty in the 1980s and 1990s. With Died Pretty, he achieved Top 30 success with multiple albums, received numerous ARIA nominations, made many Big Day Out appearances and enjoyed years of Triple J support, as well as great national and international critical acclaim.

Ron and The Superstitions' first and third albums, "Future Universe" (2011) and "Guiding Light" (2017), were both long-listed for the Australian Music Prize, and they have toured through Spain, Italy and France.

“Searching For Charlie Owen”
Charlie Owen
Cam Butler
Pete Ross and the Sapphire
Django Bar, Marrickville
Friday 16 August 2024
WORDS: Edwin Garland
PHOTOS: The Barman

The Camelot Lounge and its smaller cousin Django Bar, really are the most unheralded venues in Sydney’s inner-west. They’re in a great location, directly opposite Sydenham Railway Station, with Django holding about 120 people and the other about 200.

There has been a lot of love and attention to detail put into the fit-out with all sorts of antiques and obscure paintings on hand. Food and bar prices are reasonable, the sound is immaculate and there’s loads of atmosphere and vibe.  In a time when it’s a struggle for venues to keep themselves alive, big kudos to the owners.

_{Ron Peno with his most recent co-writer Cam Butler at his last Sydney show with The Superstitions in November 2022.}

Died Pretty, The Superstitions and Darling Downs frontman Ron Peno passed away at his Melbourne home on Friday night after a four-and-a-half-year fight against cancer. He was aged 68.

Died Pretty announced the news earlier today. The band’s statement reads:

With great sadness we announce the passing of our singer Ron S Peno who left us peacefully on Friday evening in the presence of his loving wife Charity and his son Zebadiah, at his home in South Yarra, Melbourne. 

For the last four-and a-half-years as he battled cancer, Ron displayed a resolute positivity and a profound depth of character that has proved inspirational to his fellow band members, manager and many friends. In the face of adversity he was towering.