Brisbane’s legendary RAZAR will reform for a one-off show on October 14, celebrating that city’s punk rock history.
The Triffid is the venue for “Return To White Chairs Vol 2”, the second instalment in reunion gigs for the punk and counterculture music loving crowd that met and drank at the infamous Elizabeth Street bar in Brisbane City between 1977-‘87. RAZAR will be joined by Ipswich darlings The Toy Watches as the main support.
A massive undercard that spans punk, new wave and rockabilly genres and includes old timers The Horny Toads, Scrap Metal, Public Execution, The 5 Hanks, Vacant Rooms and The Chrysalids. Contemporary Brisbane bands Dr Bombay, Dangerous Folk, The Bollocks and Cultured Few will fill out the bill, which is raising funds for the Growing Nepal Foundation.
Hailing from the sleepy Brisbane suburb of Mt Gravatt in the mid ‘70s, RAZAR began as a high school garage band, comprising 18-year-old Greg Wackley on drums, his 16-year-old brother Robert Wackley on bass, vocalist Marty Burke and Steven Mee (both 16) on guitar.
In an oppressive and politically corrupt climate under Premier Joh Bjelke Peterson, RAZAR wrote songs about their disdain for the police, mocked conservative culture of the day, and soon started to chart their way into punk history after playing their first gig at The Atcherley Hotel.
Venues were scarce except The Curry Shop, the odd hotel and hired halls, which made bands susceptible to the scrutiny and reach of the law. RAZAR quickly attracted the notice of the local Task Force, a division of the Queensland Police.
Playing around the suburbs and city at same time were punk icons The Saints and The Leftovers, also holding Brisbane’s sceptre in punk sovereignty for a proud Australia counter culture.
With few opportunities to advance in Brisbane musically, RAZAR like many others took the trip south to Sydney in a transit van, stayed in dodgy hotels around Central Railway and made little money but still ended up being able to cut their first single “Stamp Out Disco” b/w “Task Force” which is now regarded as a classic. Bob Wackley went on to Grooveyard and the Screaming Tribesmen and will fly from his home in the USA for the one-off show.
Tickets are on sale here.
