A bit like last year, this one was pretty rotten.  Anyway, here's a short list of bands I saw that I rate very highly.

If you have the chance, the opportunity ... don't be wedging your sweaty dewflaps to the couch and watch the cricket or footy or some TV series fuck up their “story arc” (ie, find more reasons to extend the season - will it ever, ever end?) ... but do what I couldn't do this year... 

Top Ten reasons why you should have turned off the "moo-zak" of Taylor Swift in 2024:

1. Tay Tay probably wouldn't have heard "Woodland" by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.

2. Tay Tay probably wouldn't have had 45 minutes in a day to hear "Tigers Blood" by Waxahatchee.

3. Tay Tay probably wouldn't have tuned in to 3PBS FM show "Studio 5 Live" to hear Pat Todd and The Rank Outsiders.

4. Tay Tay probably wouldn't have given a toss about "Heavy Lifting" by MC5.

5. Tay Tay probably would have zero idea of "The Dictators" by The Dictators.

6. Tay Tay was probably never likely to come across the 'Rebellion Punk Music Festival' and the band Convict Class (from Warrnambool, Victoria) who performed there.

7. Tay Tay probably wouldn't have wanted to have been caught dead at The LangLangs playing at either The MoshPit (Sydney) and/or 'RnR Klub' at Petersham Bowling Club (Sydney).

8. Tay Tay was probably no threat of being spotted at Balkan Grill playing at The MoshPit/Link and Pin (Woy Woy, NSW) etc.

9. Tay Tay probably had zero care factor for The Blistered Minds playing at Bar La Vida Loca (Newport, Sydney) and/or The MoshPit

10. Tay Tay probably never gave a single thought (or a flying f...) to Charlie Silky-Oak and/or Charlie Lethal playing at 'RnR Klub' at Petersham Bowling Club.

R.I.P.  Damien Smith, Dennis Thompson, Wayne Kramer, Slim Dunlap, Kris Kristofferson, Mary Weiss

2024 TOP 10 THINGS OF A ROCK & ROLL NATURE -  BY FOX

1. “ROCANROL IN MONO” LP by PLEASANTS
This LP rocketed to my fave album of the year in March and has maintained its unassailable lead til now. The band first came onto my radar with their  adrenalin charged cover of the Troggs’ “A Girl Like You” a couple of years ago and the debut long player has transitioned me from keen listener to mega fan. Pleasants play up tempo pub punk along the lines of singer/guitarist Alex Patchings’ other (also great) band Dennis Cometti  but with a bit more of a llofi/egg punk flavour. What sets it apart for me is their ear for classic pop rock hooks - it really feels like high speed garage Cheap Trick or Status Quo at times which fuses it right  to my wheelhouse. Cruelly located in Perth and seemingly touring Europe more than East Coast Oz let me put on the record I am ready and willing to receive them here when they are. This album  fucken rules - I absolutely love it.

2. “BIG BREAKFAS”T LP by HANS CONDOR
I discovered this unhinged Texan rock and roll machine a couple of years ago courtesy of the greatest music video ever made and have been ride or die with them ever since. They play vaguely Motorhead-y, AC/DC-y gear but with big swings into classic Americana and country which completes a super authentic, honest and sweaty sounding experience I cannot get enough of. Kind of feral, kind of soulful, super duper fun.

3. THE STRIKE OUTS LP by THE STRIKE OUTS
If you live in Sydney and are remotely plugged into the underground rock and roll scene you would have come across these guys at some point. Awesome straight ahead no-nonsense two-piece and a great example of the embarrassment of rock and roll riches we have in Australia these days. Absolute gentlemen. too, which is a nice touch if you don’t prefer your rock stars to be utter arseholes. Their debut long player rips - recorded with the steady hand of The Pet Food Factory at the tiller.

_{Ron and Karen Sanchez.}

The Third Mind and Rain Parade
Mississippi Studios Portland
January  

Herbie Hancock
April 14
Centennial Hall University of Arizona 

Robyn Hitchcock opening with the seminal ”I Often Dream of Trains” at The Tote in Melbourne
It was up there with the greatest set opener i’ve ever witnessed…hair on the back-of-the-neck stuff.

The Prize
They’ve got the looks, they’ve got the songs and they’ve got Nadine. Oh boy! Debut album drops around March.

The Saints
The double whammy of the superb box set and the shows was a 1-2 of the highest order.

The Mad Max Parade of Intercepors and other related vehicles down the main street of Clunes
It was mind-blowing. No Mel Gibson, though.

The Church
The “Already Yesterday” shows were amazing to hear all those early classics. If only Richard Ploog could have shown up.

Celebrating Ronald Brown’s birthday at Radio Birdman’s Croxton gig
A ripper. My third time witnessing Radio Birdman and the distortion attack had given way to a far more melodic approach - and I,  for one, appreciated it more. Go figure.

_{With Toyozo of The Fadeaways and a copy of Rob's memoir.}

Top 10 Gigs for 2024 in No Particular Order

Calexico @ the Melbourne Recital Centre
Not that Americana is my favourite type of music, but ever since hearing “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash, I’ve been a sucker for Mariachi horns. Not that that is all Calexico do but it’s what pulled me into their orbit at first through the album “Feast Of Wire”. Which they played this night. And it was sublime. And sometimes you don’t want it loud! Especially with a lot of bands testing out my hearing lately. Oh and they covered “Alone Again Or” by Love. Sublime.

Jenny Jenny @The UFO Club in Tokyo. Japan
The Fiction played our second tour of Japan this year and one of the absolute highlights of these tours are the bands who support us. And we loved Jenny Jenny. 4 girls in matching outfits like cosmic airline hostesses playing garage rock. What is not to love? And the fact Suzu from the High Marts was DJing in between was even sweeter because if anything  we should get Jenny Jenny and the Highmarts down to Australia. In fact bring all the Japanese garage bands down for a tour.

JFK’s Top Ten For 2024

As some here will know, I’ve spent the last year on the road in Spain. So when I was asked for a Rock and Roll Top Ten, I couldn’t really scrape together a list of ten concerts or records because I just hadn’t attended or listened to that many. I’d done a lot of rolling down the road. But the only rock I’d experienced was at Gibraltar.

What I had been doing had more to do with bricks and mortar than rock and roll. While I spent most evenings in my life enjoying music, I’d been earning a living by day as an architect. So my travels around Spain were full of visits to architectural wonders. I can tell you, I’ve been enjoying architecture more in the last year than I ever did working in architectural companies. So here’s my Top Ten list of Spanish architecture listed in the rough chronological order that I discovered them in:

1. The Ferreres Aqueduct, Tarragona. I love Roman aqueducts. Finding a structure that’s still standing  and in reasonable condition 2,000 years after it was built is just amazing. The simplicity and geometric perfection of the design are so impressive.

Happy New Year Barflies. Well, I could have a Top Ten of gigs I’ve had tickets for but missed this past year but let’s not dwell on what could have been…and get on with my Top Ten

1. Mick Medew & Ursula - IN THE ZONE CD
I just adore this album.

2. The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs -  “CALL THE DOGS” EP
Four-tune EP of pure garage Rock n Roll.

3. Radio Birdman  LIVE IN MELBOURNE
Great gig on the Friday night and backed up on Saturday afternoon to see Deniz and Anne Tek  play an in-store at a Northcote record shop.

4. The Toss – “SPILL THEIR GUTS” album
Awesome album by one of Adelaide’s finest bands. Review coming in 2025.

5. The Who – “WHO’S NEXT” album reissue
Brilliant reissue and remix ,plus a wonderful live album of the band live at the Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, in 1971.

Every year The Barman makes the call-out for the Top Ten. Every year I can’t reduce mine to only ten.  Near impossible. I have cheated and there way too many highlights. For me personally, it was good to step out and do an acoustic gig for the opening might of Bryan Cooke’s musical photography exhibition in Sydney.  I used to play these shows at The Excelsior, Hopetoun and Manly Fishos and aim to do more this year.

Live Gigs

1. Grace Cummings in several places
It has  been a long time I have seen one artist or band four times in a year. I was envious of other people as Grace’s local performances, up until recently, have very rare. In fact, it’s been almost 18 months between Sydney shows. Notably, one was a warm-up prior to a gruelling American and European tour that included a live performance on the Steven Colbert late show.  

Four months later came an actual album launch for “Romana” at Sydney’s Metro Social in August. Then I won a lottery for a spot at the Phoenix Theatre, and finally caught a packed Crowbar show in early December.

_{Photo by Jo Forster. Check out her work on Facebook or Insta.}

RAY AHN’S TOP 10 for 2024

1: “Action Man”: Unreleased new Moffs number recorded by Tom, David and Andrew during Covid. Private listening, thank you Smiley. The Byrnes brothers – still best best rhythm masters!

2: Radio Birdman July 2025, 3 shows in Sydney. I was emotionally overcome

3: The Damned April 2025 Enmore. I was emotionally overcome

4: Oår live at Medley Musikhuset, Malmö October 8th – killer Swedish art-punk

5: Call It A Wasteland live at Club Rote Sonne München October 10th – killer German art-punk.

6: The Dark Clouds live at Marrickville Bowling Club Friday December 13th

7: No Future and Zerodent at Amplifier Bar, Perth, Thursday November 7th

8: Los Chicos live at Red Hill Hotel, Chewton, Sunday November 3rd

9: Glycereens and Boondall Boys, Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane, May 11th

10: Liquid Face and Square Tugs Live at Mo’s Desert Club house, Gold Coast, May 10th

_{Renan Goksin photo}

1. Private Function, Los Chichos, Human Toys, JJ McCann Transmission- St Kilda Bowls Club
A real mixed bag of lollies this gig was, style wise. Two internationals plus two local legends, all with their unique style of stage show on the one line up, was a pleasure to have been part of it.

2 . Pat Todd and the Rankoutsiders, Simon Juliff Band, Wrong Turn- St Kilda Bowls Club
One of the true rock 'n 'roll warriors from the US put on an fantastic mix of garage, country and blues at the club, along with the powerpop of stylings of SJB and three-chord rock heroes Wrong Turn.

3.  A Swayze and the Ghosts- The Old Bar.
After my dear friend Terry bought me the group’s first LP I knew I had to see ‘em live. I finally did, five years later. But the wait was worth it, and the hype delivered. The Ghosts sound like Alan Vega fronting a disco group, with 70s punk thrown in. A must-see act.

CHRIS KLONDIKE MASUAK
TOP SEVERAL FOR 2024

Ahh, the Festive Season!

Serious decisions have to be made … buzzkill the Glad Tidings or be of Relentless Good Cheer.

Once again, I opt for the latter, so chuck “It’s Christmas Time Again” on the player and sit back for my yearly screed.