descendents

Back in Australia for the first time since 2012, punk rock pioneers Descdents are touring next month in support of their new album, “Hypercaffium Spazzinate”.

Many say that the Descendents invented pop punk. t. They perfected the warp-speed amalgam of adolescent angst, snotty attitude and championship melody infesting the airways today. They took a genre that was about spikes, chaos and anarchy, and brought it to earth, singing about girls, growing up and food.

_{Andreas Heuer photo}

You heard about the body of a murdered man being found in Goodwood, South Australia?

After the gig, me, Ocky and Robert Stafford (of Meatbeaters fame) were perched at the back of the tram as it lurched and whined its way homeward. This is Adelaide, not Melbourne, and we can only afford one tram. So it whines.

Anyway, we’d got through the city and were on the last stop before the parklands when suddenly there were cop cars everywhere, zig-zagging before parking on the tram tracks. A crim ute appeared, and a rather scary-looking Alsatian as one cop ran up to the driver while others peered in at us with a worrying hopefulness.

_{Jo Forster photo}

PETER BLACK/ TIM STEWARD @Frank’s Wild Years…two of my local faves doing an intimate  double header.

LUCINDA WILLIAMS/ STEVE EARLE @Enmore Theatre…a master class in Americana from two of the best.

THE DELINES @The Great Club…Portland county soul comes to the Sydney Inner West, featuring one of my favourite authors aka Willy Vlautin.

JENNY DON’T & THE SPURS @Enmore Hotel…speaking of Portland, retro rockin, honky tonkin’ good times always guaranteed. Don't miss them when they return!

AMENDS @Mary's Underground...walked into a bar on a quiet Sunday night & these western suburbs kids blew my head off! Kinda like Husker Du meets Drive-By Truckers...the Los Angeles headliners were like lukewarm water in comparison. Bonus points for the singer rockin' a Flying V.