James Reyne and Daryl Braithwaite Roar at the Melbourne Zoo twilight Review

Band: James Reyne and Daryl Braithwaite
Venue: Melbourne Zoo Twilights
Date: 14th February 2014
Reviewed By: Lyn Harder

Arriving with minutes to spare (blame the traffic) I arrived at the Melbourne Zoo to find a few thousand had beaten me and were already into the swing of things, but after a five minute wander I managed to find a patch of bark and got comfy in my chair, spread out items from the picnic basket and scoffed into chocolate and strawberries washed down with Coroner beer. Tonight, humans and animals are joined together at The Zoo Twilight for the Grammy award winning Daryl Braithwaite and James Reyne. The animals no doubt gaining a noise explosion as they nestle into their beds or for the nocturnal animals venturing out of their slumber to a cacophony of sounds. The humans are engaging in catching up with friends, queuing for a alcoholic beverage and pulling lids of Tupperware containers to display their culinary delights to fellow mates spread out on their picnic rugs whilst the animals search for food and play around with fellow mates (not so different from each other).

Braithwaite came on stage first (and right on time) and into As the Days Go By he sang displaying vocals in a variety of ranges. He managed to get the crowd singing early in the set and a few punters got up and danced away to the music. Braithwaite’s vocals are impeccable and although I’m sure he must get tired of singing the same hits, you would never know. Each hit is played with pleasure and passion before a sold out crowd at The Melbourne Zoo. People come to this gig for a social gathering with great mates as well as capturing two great Aussie musicians at the same time. There is always lots of chatting and I noticed there aren't many children here tonight. Must be a load of babysitters out there! Tonight Braithwaite played music from his latest album Forever The Tourist, a cover of All Day and All of the Night (The Kinks) as well as all this hits.　 Howzat gets the nostalgic fans in the audience going, Higher Than Hope, Summer Love, Beautiful Feeling, All I do, One Summer and the big hit Horses which by this time most people were up and dancing. Braithwaite is interactive with the crowd and displays a fantastic front man to the amazing band behind him.

As I go for a wander around I notice people are sitting anywhere they can. Many can't see the stage let alone the screen but they seemed perfectly happy. Visiting the lion cage draws many people and I witness the lions roaring, all three of them - even two of them laying on their sides were roaring away. I make sure I am back for James Reyne who begins the set with the hit Fall of Rome and I can tell you, his voice hasn’t faltered over the years. Into Slave, Beautiful People and the song about sharks; Hammerhead. As the evening wore on, the lights are more vibrant and the bats start to migrate from their trees in search of food. Even a few pairs of ducks fly over us. The zoo is looking chockers and the people are up and down constantly. Many are dancing on this balmy night as the songs continue; English Girls, Reckless, Motor Runs Way Too Fast and the cover Way Out West (The Dingoes). The screens are displaying what a lot of us can’t see and I cant’ help but wish the screens were situated in a better watching position for the people in the back rows, but I guess the Zoo has their reasons for current placement. Reyne continues into Rainbows Dead End, Errol and Oh No Not You Again which bring a lot of people to their feet dancing and chatting. You can see and feel people come to the Zoo twilight for the experience and enjoyment of sitting in the zoo grounds listening to the music and not necessarily to ‘see’ the band. Loads of people are chatting and laughing and having a fantastic time. The big hit Boys Light Up ends the night and most people are on their feet for this one, many are slipping out half way through to no doubt get ahead of the mass exit. Braithwaite and Reyne both sing the song and bring the set to an end and we all walk away happy with a great night out with friends and family and reminisce on how amazing it is to hear the lions roaring, only metres away, as we stroll out of the zoo grounds into our waiting cars.

The John Butler Trio - Flesh and Blood

Band: John Butler Trio
Date: February 11th 2014
Reviewed By: Lyn Harder

John Butler is back in action with a new album and new tour lined up around Australia. Flesh and Blood is the 6th studio album, recorded over 2012-2013 at The Compound, Fremantle, Western Australia.

This album takes flavours from previous albums, long gone are the fifteen minute specialties that I personally loved about JBT when I originally fell in love with the band but the band still evokes that natural spirit and sound that this band is unique for. The songs are radio friendly and produced efficiently. Flesh and Blood still contains the JBT spirit – loads of strong vocals, guitar riffs, harmonies and a stunning back beat.

The first release off the album is Only One which is backed up with an awesome film clip, I recommend checking it out. I’m a fan of what the genre the clip is about and its great to see JBT expressing this. The song is a cruisy style, great for a road trip, sitting back chillaxing on the back porch and tapping those feet to the beat that is through the entire song.

Livin’ In The City embraces strong guitar with funk and beats whereas Cold Wind is haunting with its guitar strokes the lead into a classic guitar riff until John’s familiar vocals cruise in, they lick this song with familiarity and passion. Devil Woman is very upbeat, steam punk grooving song with harmonies and quick drum beats, a catchy number and perhaps the next single. Young and Wild brings the tone down with acoustic guitar and mellow singing. As much as JBT sings the mellow songs with passion and experience it’s the faster paced songs that I enjoy more. But in saying this, Wings Are Wide is just beautiful, gentle tone and I can almost say, one of my favourites on this album.

The album is out now at all good music stores.

http://johnbutlertrio.com

You'll go Ape over The Ape (Tex Perkins)

Band: The Ape
Venue: The Caravan Club
Date: 13th October 2013
Reviewed By: Lyn Harder

The Ape are one hell of a bunch of talented men. As the name suggests, they are fun loving, cuddly (?) men who are out having a great time singing and playing music very well together and no, they do not pick at each other hair for nits and bugs –that I am aware of. Tonight they unleashed their debut album to the punters at The Caravan Club in Oakleigh and what a fantastic set it was. Tex Perkins looked like he’d gone back years, enjoying the raw shapely music take effect and the harmonies that suit each song amazingly well – *sighs* so well. This is a tight fitting rock band and can I say it – perfectly suited together. Catchy tunes such as Mission and Crawl Back are keepers and songs that you’ll repeat on your cd player. If you don’t move some part of your body to this music then there is something wrong with you, sorry, but its true. I have followed Tex for neon’s now and some may say I’m biased and I’m in love with this band and you need to be too. They simply just fit.

Legendary riffster Raul Sanchez (Magic Dirt) on guitar, Gus Agars (The Dark Horses) smashing those drum skins, tall and lanky Pat Bourke (Dallas Crane) on bass and piano and Greg aka ‘Tex’ Perkins on vocals and guitar. Tex has stated that this album is what he was born to make. He further states that it is easy the best thing he has ever done or will ever do!

Get to a gig asap and you’ll be thanking me for suggesting you too.

　

 

FYI - When Steve Carr from the Oakleigh Bowling Club asked Peter Foley if he’d be keen to present larger scale gigs at the club (from Foley’s lounge room stage) you know the answer was YES! Foley had many bands play at the OBC but building a gig from the ground each week became difficult so they relocated to Oakleigh/Carnegie RSL (who’d removed its poker machines) and The Caravan Club was finally settled as a music making machine. Mark Burchett has been representing and booking bands for over thirty years and his wonderful job is now looking after The Caravan Club (check out their website for an array of amazing talent) and together they are revamping the area with grandeur music and iconic musicians.

Josh Pyke takes on Tassie's hecklers

Band: Josh Pyke
Venue: Wrest Point Casino, Hobart
Date: 8th May 2009
Reviewed By: Espylyn

A strange venue for Josh Pyke. The receptionist where we picked up tickets for the show earlier in the day told us there was only standing room in the showroom, but when we got there, there was a lot of seating and standing around. Luckily there was a tiny dance floor which was soon filled as Josh entered stage. Watching from the back of the room wasn't particularly exciting as I got to watch everyone sitting down looking uncomfortable as they had to turn in their seats to see the stage, due to seats being in a dining position - so down to the dance floor it was to be.

Anyway, enough of that! Chimneys Afire is the latest creation from Josh and the crowd really take to him. By that I mean of the sexual variety- if one was to judge the hecklers tonight. Josh did rather well when girls would yell out 'I want to f%*k you'!! ahh Tasmanians, thank you for the laughs tonight.
Songs like Lighthouse, Car Ride and Variations all take the crowd on a journey tonight. Not a boat journey as the picture behind the stage shows us (Chimney's afire" is the cry whalers of yesteryear made when they harpooned a whale and a plume of blood and water spurted out of its blowhole into the air. "It's a horrifying, brutal image, but the actual language is evocative and quite amazing," says Josh Pyke of the title of his new album, the follow-up to his ARIA Award winning debut 'Memories & Dust' - (taken from http://www.joshpyke.com/).
Variations is Josh's favorite song off the cd he tells us. More heckling 'Get your tits out', yes the night just gets better! The Summer and Middle of the Hill are a few more songs that get the crowd grooving before the encore pops in. Harmonica out and tonights gig ends on Private Education and amazingle enough Josh says he'll be signing after the show. A sucker for punishment? Lets just hope the hecklers dreams didn't come true!

The Butterflies were affected by Mammal and Amphetame

The Butterfly Effect

Amphetame

Band: The Butterfly Effect with Mammal and Amphetame
Venue: ANU bar, Canberra
Date: 22nd April 2008
Reviewed By: Lyn Harder
Photos taken By Mark Geisel



Walking through a deserted ANU its hard to picture I’m about to hit a crowded bar. A bit of a queue and we’re in. first band on is from LA, called Amphetame. Singer Dani is from LA and rest of the band are from Melbourne. James Innes on drums, Ash Jones on guitar and Ben Brennen on bass. Amphetame played a great set, Dani’s vocals were strong tonight and strutting the stage like she owned it, reaching out and singing to the crowd. A great cover of Portishead song as well as original songs that are the melodic rock Amphetame.

ANU bar seemed about 70% male orientated tonight and when Mammal entered the stage so did most of these male fans. Mammal put on a hard, raw, rocking set led by singer Zeke, who tonight sported large rock chops! Zeke soon got the crowd moshing to such an extreme they were running around in a circle whilst also slamming up against each other, aahh…male bonding! I can safely say ANU loves Mammal. As well as the old tunes we know and love (I don’t think I need to list these songs), we heard some new songs such as (and forgive me if I have their titles incorrect), ‘paint a picture’, ‘space in time’ and ‘living in sin’ which showed us the new songs are very mammalian with an edge.
Last song was the oldie ‘incited’ with drum solo by Zane and when they finished the crowd went ballistic and mammal had to return to sing ‘hell yeah’. if we’d thought we’d seen it all, Zeke ended the night by showing us there was a half moon out there tonight ;)-

A bit of a alcoholic and toilet break and then time for The Butterfly Effect. At first we listen to music sounding like the A Team through the speakers then they enter the stage with erupted applause and then enter Clint Boge, (vocals), Ben Hall (drums), Glenn Esmond (bass) and Kurt ‘team puddles’ Goedhart (guitar). Clint very smiley and seemingly happy with himself erupted into the music that is The Butterfly Effect. Tonight we hear hit after hit as TBE play all their fave songs much to the crowds delight who mosh continuously throughout the set, even to the slower music! Songs like ‘everybody runs’ ‘a slow descent’ and more. I only wish they would play ‘beautiful mine’ maybe again one day!
Tonight we are treated to songs off their up and coming album which we’re told sucks by Clint! ‘We’re hiding’ gives us a breath of the new cd which certainly didn’t suck. On guitar, Kurt wears his trademark ‘team puddles’ tee shirt, Kurt laps the stage playing his guitar and provides us with fantastic riffs and moves.
Another new song ‘in this house’ definitely was a hit with the crowd. To end the night Clint sings The Police cover ‘SOS’ and then they are off with no encore. Funnily enough we received one from mammal but not TBE. The ANU crowd goes off; they sank their teeth into this joint and ripped it to shreds. Then into the night we all prowled

Jade Macrae and Sierra Fin at The Vanguard, Sydney

Band: Jade Macrae and Sierra Fin
Venue: The Vanguard, Sydney
Date: 22nd November 2007
Reviewed By: Dane Hodges. Special thanks to our friends at Moon Unit Underground

Along with The Basement and Will & Toby's, The Vanguard remains one of the classiest live venues in Sydney , and consistently provides first-rate entertainment for its patrons. Particularly pleasing is the venue's commitment to uncovering new talent, and Sierra Finn are no exception. A highly skilled musical duo, they provide adult pop with bite, hooky yet sophisticated. Lazy comparisons to Coldplay are
inevitable, however there is something distinctly Australian in their approach that distinguishes them from their peers; acoustic ditties such as 'Blue Day Sun' could have been written for Pete Murray (yes, that's meant as a compliment). Elsewhere, the duo's grand piano ballads such as 'Circumstance and Coincidence' (their Coldplay moment, no question) allowed them to show some flair, with the work of Russ on the piano recalling a young Ben Folds. Vocally, his crisp voice at times recalled Kelly Jones of the Stereophonics. While they are not yet entirely comfortable on stage, and have a limited stage presence, the audience nonetheless warmed to them, and
by the end of their set were very responsive to what may be Australia 's next big thing.
You might not hear them on 2Day FM, but therein lies their strength.

The first thing you notice about Jade Macrae when she appears on-stage is her undeniable stage presence; she is sexier, sassier in the flesh than one would imagine, and is very at home in front of an audience. However, for all her appeal, musically she is not yet in the same league as the American soul divas she seems so intent on
competing with, as was evident in her lacking rendition of Beyonce's 'Work It Out'.
Fresh from a songwriting trip to the States for her new album 'Get Me Home', Jade was in fine form vocally, and was backed by an impressive set of musicians. Ultimately though moments like 'Shine Like A Diamond', which has instant radio potential, were few and far between, separated by generic R&B ballads that, on first listen, didn't
pack the punch they needed to. Curiously missing from the setlist was 'So Hot Right Now', her biggest hit to date; the familiarity of the tune could have renewed some audience interest. No question she is one of Australia 's most promising R&B talents, but she still has a way to go before she can give Alicia Keys and co. a run for their money.

Mammal at Candy's Apartment, Sydney

Band: Mammal
Venue: Candy's Apartment, Sydney
Date: 26th October 07
Reviewed By: Glen

This punter has seen Mammal performing live a dozen or so times over the last year or two and they have never failed to please. Even when I've been too tired/sick/hungry/drunk to care about being at a gig, the moment they walked on stage I felt like I was smacked in the face, shaken up, had my head dunked in icy water and then thrown about to put me in the mood. And I've never left a Mammal gig disappointed. Actually, I've always left a Mammal gig feeling like I've just dropped a few pills!!! Despite this, I've never come to have any expectations from a Mammal gig. They do what they do, and they do it brilliantly, and I'd rate all their gigs at least 11.5/10.

So tonight as Zeke and the boys stormed on stage with Zeke roaring a guttural "HELL YEAH" I knew I was in for another treat. However, soon into the first song it became apparent that Nick's bass guitar was having issues, and Mammal did what I consider to be the biggest no-no a band could do. They unforgivably stopped mid song! They waited till the bass was fixed. Then they restarted song number one from scratch. Most bands would have stormed on regardless of a minor technical hitch and with Zeke's no fucking around attitude, I was most surprised that he insisted on the band stopping.

I do not know if it was this technical hitch that made the band (and therefore the crowd) lose their momentum, or whether it just wasn't Mammal's night, but there was something not quite right tonight. I cant put my finger on what it was - Zeke's vocals were as good as ever, and the band rocked....but the gig just seemed to lack the usual fire that it has.

Whilst I was glad that Zeke didn’t go on his usual ranting and raving about sociopolitical issues, perhaps the fact that he didnt do this was another symptom that things werent as spot on as they should have been.

Dont get me wrong, it was still an awesome gig - but anyone who has seen Mammal will understand me when I say there is an amazing raw energy that Mammal exudes when they play, and this wasn't quite there tonight. Had it been the first time I saw Mammal I'm sure I would have loved the gig... but this one stopped just short of the line. 9/10 I'd say.