The Strike-Outs – The Strike-Outs (Evil Tone Records)
The debut LP by Sydney duo The Strike-Outs is the duck’s nuts, the bees’ knees and all the other animal physiology that lies between. Twelve songs in 24 minutes, so brevity is at its core. But so are dynamics. a feral energy and a musicality that divorces it from standard two-chord thrash punk.
The Strike-Outs-are brothers Simon Vines on guitar and vocals and Adam Vines on drums. They used to be Thee Evil Twin until they shed a bassist. No bottom end? No problem. Simon’s tone and a kick drum high in the mix compensate just fine.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 1368
The Beautiful Black – The Beautiful Black (self released)
Before we start, perhaps I should explain. This article is not just a review, but a homage to Ross and Caz. As the Barman politely explains to me, “Uh, Robert. ...Who ...? Context?”
Right, then, context.
First, like so many other large Australian cities, Adelaide has had a strong and diverse music scene for decades. There was a distinct hand-over of the baton, too. You could see it in the composition of the audience which rolled out to see XTC on their first tour compared to their second the following year: the first tour, it was mostly older folks (I was 15, so everyone was older than me, but I'm talking 30+ here).
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 1480
Happy Hours Air Travel Club – O.C. Rippers (Ruined Records)
From what can be worked out their online footprint, OC Rippers are your typical punk rock band circa the 2020s: Feet firmly planted in their home turf (New Jersey), they’re not out to win friends or influence people and aren’t embarking on any world tours any day soon.
They’re not fussed being pigeon-holed because their influences are as varied as the quality of cocktails in a beer barn. They’re also realistic about their chances of hitting the heights because they’re aged (at a guess) in their 40s and not named Taylor.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 3555
Tales From Bad Drip – Bad Drip (Outtspace Records)
From out of Sydney’s Inner-West comes Bad Drip and they’re quite the thing if you’re partial to heavy blues jams. “Tales From Bad Drip” is only four songs but the vinyl-only EP packs plenty of punch.
The Inner-West Delta. It’s where Surry Hills’ survivors settled when gentrification pushed the inner-city rents up and the dole dried up. Some of them even got mortgages and have spawned kids. It’s a funny place, full of contradictions and probably ripe for urban renewal itself, but it’s also where most of Sydney’s music now lives.
A lot of those Inner-West bands sound like fey indie rock or hip slacker drivel with no songs. If the cliche is reality, Bad Drip is refreshingly atypical. A quartet that’s only been around two years, this is their first physical release. Of course, it’s on vinyl.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 1893
A Crowd Pleasing Extravaganza – Moot (Outtaspace Records)
It's a point hat has been made here before: Moot comes from the New South Wales Mid North Coast region and you’d struggle to think of a place with a more tenuous claim to being a spawning ground for punk rock.
Neat farms sit on rich alluvial land, squeezed between eucalyptus-lined mountain ridges and coastal towns that cling steadfastly to beaches or river inlets. The populace seems past or approaching retirement age. It’s a region devoid of (visible) dole queues or massive social dislocation – at least on the surface.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 1853
Premonition K – Kilbey Kennedy (Foghorn Records)
I came not to praise Prog Rock but to bury it. You know, throw on a “Pink Floyd” T-shirt with a handwritten “I Hate” appended to the front of the band name, just like it’s the King’s Road in London, circa 1976.
The claws were out and the poison pen primed with ink. It was time to snarl about pomposity and pretentiousness, declare a fatwah on all hippies and kick out some serious wordplay jams . This War Against The Jive is relentless, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer truly do suck dogs’ balls.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 2424
More Articles …
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The Living Eye
Starcrazy
(album launch)
+ Pocketwatch
+ Sereia
Darlin’ Nikki’s,
St Peters, NSW
- Oct 19
Tickets
Kim Salmon’s Smoked Samon
How Did They Ever Manage Tour
OCT
11 - George Lane, St Kilda - Tix
13 - Wheatsheaf, Adelaide - Tix
19 - Bearded Lady, Brisbane - Tix
24 - Tanswells, Beechworth - Tix
25 - Smiths, Canberra - Tix
26 - Django @ Camelot, Sydney - Tix
27 - Frank's Wild Years, Thirroul - Tix
NOV
1 - Hybrid Wave House, Fremantle
("In conversation with Kim Salmon" appearance) - Tix
2 - Lyrics, Perth - Tix
3 - Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle (Free Entry)
9 - Merri Creek Tavern, Melbourne - Tix
Penny Ikinger and the Not
France and Spain Tour
OCT
13 - L'Alimentation Générale, Paris,
w/ Glenn Burns (AUS)
17- Funhouse, Madrid
w/ Jibaros (ESP)
18 - La Casa De Sabica, Pamplona
19 - VIII. ZZ Rock Jaialdia, Zumarraga
26 - Skate Parc Le Moulin du Rousseau,
Périgueux, FR
(solo)
w/ Kosmik Twaregs (ESP)
Tickets
Hard-Ons' 40th Anniversary
Australian Tour Oct - Nov 2024
OCT
18 - Soapbox, Brisbane, QLD
24 - Sussex Inlet Tavern, Sussex Inlet, NSW
25 - La La La’s, Wollongong, NSW
26 - Paddo RSL, Sydney. NSW
27 - Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
31 - Altar, Hobart, TAS
NOV
1 - - The Tote, Melbourne, VIC
2 - Singing Bird Studios, Frankston, VIC
3 - Red Hill Hotel, Castlemaine, VIC
4 - Barwon Club, Geelong, VIC
7 - Amplifier, Perth, WA
8 - Indian Ocean Hotel, Scarborough, WA
9 - Froth & Fury, Adelaide, SA
Tickets
Los Chicos
Australian Tour 2024
OCT
31 - Old Bar, Fitzroy, VIC
w/ Mesa Cosa + The Breadmakers - tix
NOV
1 -The Tote. Collingwood, VIC
w/ The Hard-Ons * - tix
2 - Volta, Ballarat, VIC
w/ The Meanies * - tix
3 - Red Hill Hotel, Chewton, VIC (arvo)
w/ Hard-Ons - tix
3 - St.Kilda Bowls Club, VIC (evening)
w/ Private Function*
4 - Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy, VIC
w/ Mach Pelican * - tix
8 - Marrickville Bowlo
w/ New Christs + Crankees * - tix
9 - River Rocks, Barwon Club,
Geelong - tix
10 - River Rocks Rehab, Barwon Club,
Geelong - tix
* plus Human Toys (FR)
Buzzocks Australian Tour
OCT
25 - Brisbane - The Triffid
26 - Adelaide - The Gov
27 - Fremantle - Metropolis
31 - Newcastle - King St Bandroom
NOV
1 - Sydney - Metro Theatre
2 - Melb - Northcote Theatre
3 - Lorne - Lorne Theatre
4 – Castlemaine - Theatre Royal
Tix
Chimers Australian Tour
OCT
3 - Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
w/ Party Dozen
NOV
8 - Old Bar, Melbourne
w/ Bench Press + No Hoper
9 - River Rocks Festival, Barwon Club,
Geelong
10 - Poison City Records
in-store (afternoon)
20 - Freo Social, Fremantle
w/ The Saints ’73-’78
21 - Old Habits, Perth
w/ Spacerhead + Lounge Tourist
+ Ten Cent Tiger
23 - Princess Theatre, Brisbane
w/ The Saints ’73-’78
SOLD OUT
24 - Sonic Sherpa in-store (afternoon)
w/ Kellie Lloyd (solo)
24 - Princess Theatre, Brisbane
w/ The Saints ’73-’78
SOLD OUT
25 - Princess Theatre, Brisbane
w/ The Saints ’73-’78
29 - Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul
w/ The Saints ’73-’78
DEC
7 - Trocadero Room, Sydney
w/ Antenna + Cammy Cautious & the Wrestlers
+ The Sevilles
15 - The Tote, Melbourne
JAN
31 - La La La’s, Wollongong
+ special guests
Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders
Victorian Tour
NOV
6 – PBS live to air
7 – Trash Cult, Bendigo, VIC
8 – The Tote, Collingwood, VIC
9 – River Rocks, Barwon Club, Geelong
10 – St Kilda Bowls Club, St Kilda, VIC
11 – Last Chance Bar, Melbourne, VIC
The Saints ‘73-‘78
NOV
13 - Adelaide Hindley St. Music Hall
+ Double Agents
15 - Castlemaine Theatre Royal (SOLD OUT)
+ Parsnip
16 - Melbourne Northcote Theatre (SOLD OUT)
+ The Double Agents
17 - Melbourne Northcote Theatre
+ Alien Nosejob
20 - Fremantle Freo Social
+ Chimers
22 - Sydney, Enmore Theatre
+ Kim Salmon & The Surrealists
23 - Brisbane, Princess Theatre (SOLD OUT)
+ Chimers
24 - Brisbane, Princess Theatre *new show*
+ Chimers
Tickets
“Pig Out On Punk #2”
I Hate People
+ The Owen Guns
+ Nunchukka Superfly
+ Flowers For Jayne
+ The Dark Clouds
+ The Pingers
Marrickville Bowlo, NSW
- Dec 14
The Stranglers
50 Years In Black
2025 Australasian Tour
MAR
NZ
13 - Powerstation, Auckland
15 - Meow Nui, Wellington
16 - Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch
AUS
19 - Enmore Theatre, Sydney
20 - The Tivoli, Brisbane
22- Forum, Melbourne
23 - The Gov, Adelaide
25 - Astor Theatre, Perth
Tickets
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