Browse 74372 Reviews & Comments (Page 3091)

Commenter   Comment   Posted On   Date  
 Streetskater I was at the concert at Long Beach Arena I had just turned 16 I met Don in Huntington Beach he asked me if I wanted to see the concert from back stage believe it or not I ran the lights on the band during the concert it was bad ass I didn't know that members of CCR were in the band I don't remember ACDC being there it was 45 years ago Don Harrison Band Apr 27, 2023
 MysteryD8 This was my third time seeing July Talk and it was the best of the three. They keep getting better and better. July Talk / Mauvey Apr 27, 2023
 Brucefan24 Rachel and Gareth - first performed together in 2016. Married in 2018. Raegar Apr 26, 2023
 Brucefan24 Where rock and country collide! RAEGAR bring you a unique mash up featuring the best of rock’n’roll and classic country. Renowned for their all-out vocal power and soaring harmonies, Texan country singer Rachel, and former West End star Gareth put their spin on classics from both genres. This is not your average duo! RAEGAR produce full production, live shows with exciting new arrangements, custom video display, and epic effects for a full concert experience. “She’s a little bit country, he’s a little bit rock’n’roll” Raegar Apr 26, 2023
 Chodan1 One of my favorite concerts. He interacted with the crowd and the crowd picked the songs he sung. Barry Manilow Apr 26, 2023
 Chodan1 They rapped "Fly Like an Eagle" broke my heart. Steve Miller Band Apr 26, 2023
 Chodan1 Pretty much rained the whole time but it didn't dampen the concert! Uncle Kracker / Kid Rock / ZZ Top Apr 26, 2023
 Chodan1 This place is unusual at best. We accidentally walked in the stage door while looking for the correct door and walked right past a woman we believe was Susan Tedeschi. Quite funny. Susan Tedeschi / James Hunter Apr 26, 2023
 Michael ######## My very first concert. Was the middle man between my sister and gf smoking pot all night. A great time at 13 yrs old!!! Foghat / Starz Apr 26, 2023
 Christian D Cooper Young Fest '99. Watched with Bob Westerholt. Alex Chilton Apr 26, 2023
 Chodan1 Highlight of the evening was meeting Hall & Oates. The greatest musical duo of this man's lifetime! Daryl Hall & John Oates Apr 26, 2023
 Chodan1 He's not the friendliest person, wouldn't sign an autograph and had his body guard tell us he doesn't sign autographs. Michael Bolton Apr 26, 2023
 Chodan1 One of the highlights of the evening, a meet and greet after the concert. Mr. King was so welcoming and gracious. He signed my Lucille guitar and a lithograph poster. He was so sharp minded and entertaining. He never asked us to leave his bus. I think he would talked all night to his fans if need be, one fine gentleman. B.B. King Apr 26, 2023
 Andy J Ryan Robert Forster – Sydney Theatre, 21 May 2010 Former Go-Between Robert Forster played a special solo show as part of the Sydney Writers Festival. Robert Forster ambles on in a typically dapper suit. He welcomes us to the evening, offering an explanatory note that there would be a lot of talking, and also, when he refers to ‘the band’ he means The Go-Betweens, for the benefit of the purely bookish types in attendance. Forster laments the fact he only had the idea to present 15 Songs of Sydney to us tonight about a week ago, not months when the festival program was first launched as the place would be full and I’d be here for three nights. So rather than just a standard set of songs we were treated to an evening of genial narration, anecdotes and extended introductions of songs by Forster and The Go-Betweens that were inspired by (Part Company, Spring Rain), recorded in (Clouds, I’m All Right, Dive For Your Memory) or merely made mention of our fair city of Sydney (Darlinghurst Nights). Darlinghurst’s famed back-street cafe coffee was said to be responsible for Ed Kuepper writing all his Laughing Clown’s work – “that’s why the songs were so long”. The suburb and it’s colourful cast of characters; and it’s nights also gave Forster a song. Sydney, Forster recounted, was also the destination for a naive road trip for he and fellow Go-Between McLennan so they could check on the progress of the pressing of the band’s first single. A trip greatly enhanced by the purchase of a Playboy magazine – for the articles of course, namely a Bob Dylan interview – and finding the elusive fourth Monkees album. The story really provided a biographical snapshot of the two Brisbane boys who’s first tentative foray into the recorded world was an unworldly ode to the ravishing red-headed actress ‘Lee Remmick’. The brace of songs from 16 Lovers Lane album, recorded in Sydney a decade later showed how far Forster and the band developed from this humble beginning. The 15 songs, and encore, traced through ‘the band’ and Forster’s solo work, each with revealing narration, making for an illuminating evening giving a rare insight into both the ‘Streets of Your Town’ and one of our countries more highly regarded song writers. Robert Forster Apr 26, 2023
 Andy J Ryan Hoodoo Gurus – Oxford Art Factory, 20 May, 2010 Sydney fans got the opportunity to witness the pure essence of the Hoodoo Gurus as the band bring their latest album to the Oxford Art Factory. Seeing a band more accustomed to the open spaces of festivals, theatres and stadiums in a small enclosed space is thrilling. The Hoodoo Gurus are now into their twenty-fifth year together, and their seventh since reforming in 2003. The band appear to be positively charged and rejuvenated to be presenting their latest album Purity of Essence and waste no time delving into it with opener ‘What’s in it For Me?’. They too seem to be revelling in the small venue, with front man Dave Faulkner observing the Oxford Art Factory has “A bit of a Max’s Kansas City vibe” to which guitarist Bead Sheppard replies “more of the Trade Union Club”. The band had stated their intent with their latest album was to create a set of singles as if it were a greatest hits collection. Tonight was proof that they went a fair way to achieving that with new album tracks ‘Ashamed of Me’, the stomping new single ‘I Hope You’re Happy’, and ‘The Stars Look Down’ standing up alongside Hoodoos classics ‘I Want You Back’ and ‘Waking Up Tired’. On stage the Hoodoo Gurus offer the contrasting counterpoints of the jovially effusive Dave Faulkner – clad in bright white and luminous purple – and the tight-black clad, scruffy, undiluted essence of rock god that is Bred Shepherd writhing and reeling off scorching riffs alongside; both stoically backed by the rock solid rhythm section of Kingsmill and Grossman. Faulkner has the gift of writing songs that are almost instantly timeless, turning the struggles of the every day and everyman into the epic chorus. A prime example coming in the form of a spontaneous solo performance of ‘My Girl’ that had friends and strangers alike arm-bound and singing along. The romping new number ‘Crackin’ Up’ proves the band are still as un-ignorably potent as ever before we get a trio of treats from their persuasive past in ‘1000 Miles Away’, ‘The Right Time’ and ‘What’s My Scene’ before a brief but blustery encore. The Hoodoo Gurus recorded catalogue already stands up. In 2010, as a live force and contemporary music making entity, they are only adding to it. A unique chance to get close and compounded by one of Australia’s very important bands. Hoodoo Gurus Apr 26, 2023
 Andy J Ryan The Cult – The Big Top, Luna Park, 6 May 2010 The 25th anniversary of The Cult’s landmark Love album world tour to the sanctuary of Sydney. The night started off promisingly with the ringing, darkly jangling guitars and expansive moods of The Black Ryder providing a quite mesmerising distraction to the early arrivals. But then things got a bit tense as the advertised start time for The Cult came and went, with every song coming over the PA building agitation, not anticipation. It was 40 minutes later before the band finally took to the stage. Singer Ian Ashbury skulked off soon after and shooed away the photographers after less than a minute, then proceeded to throw and kick the monitors, stands and microphone before the first song was out. Love was the album they were playing for us, but not the feeling we were getting. The atmosphere was simmering, with Ashbury’s petulance creating more tension with the audience than the music was. A meltdown seemed imminent and the crowd were being goaded with “this isn’t a Bon Jovi gig” and “you don’t know the words, do you?”. The Cult were singing about the ‘Revolution’ but weren’t really inspiring one. The album’s penultimate track ‘She Sells Sanctuary’ is the band’s calling card, and could have turned this tumultuous evening around. It’s stilted tempo makeover and the fact that nearly all the lyrics were half-swallowed saw it fall a bit short though, ‘Black Angel’ came and went and it was the end of the section. After a short interlude of oriental music and a video screen of orchids, the band returned for their ‘rock’ set. Ian had ditched the sunnies and attitude, and donned a bandana; and the band ripped into ‘Electric Ocean’ with a renewed vigour. Then the lights dimmed; a spotlight found Billy Duffy standing legs astride and arm poised menacingly above his big white Gretsch. His hand descended and the opening riff of ‘Wildflower’ was a defibrillator hit to the whole night. The rollicking double of ‘Sun King’ and ‘Rise’ followed and even a brand new song ‘Dirty Little Rockstar’ hit the mark. The band certainly have the anthemic choruses, and in Duffy, the riffs at their disposal to captivate a cavernous room such as this – a point they proved with a final pairing of ‘Fire Woman’ and ‘Love Removal Machine’. But not quite all was forgiven; as a footy commentator may say, this was a show of two halves. So while The Cult came home with a wet sail, the delicate nature of songs on the first half of the Love album probably needed a smaller space and a longer fuse. At least it was authentically volatile. The Cult / The Black Ryder Apr 26, 2023
 Andy J Ryan Gareth Liddiard, Notes Live, April 17, 2010 A Drone alone in stripped back mode takes to the stage of Notes Live. The solo show is an intriguing institution. On the one hand it offers a chance to hear a band’s songs stripped back to their humblest origins with the words merely accompanied by a few strummed chords giving the bare bones of the melody. It also gives an outlet for the pure expression of songs unadulterated by the existing expectations, sounds and structures of their band. The Mess Hall’s most recent album saw them exploring some new terrain away from their trademark raucous blues-infused rock, and by the mostly unheard songs unveiled by their front man Jed Kurzel tonight suggests he’s still got a few tricks up his sleeve. With just a raggedly strummed electric guitar and a loop pedal, Kurzel delved into some dark and honest ballads of fractured families and people gone awry that had the crowd hushed throughout. Fortunately so as Kurzel noted, he had just finished a month and a half touring with The Mess Hall so had put-downs at the ready for any ‘loud wankers’. When compared to his usual serrated riffing and manic guitar wringing persona in The Drones, Gareth Liddiard is quite unflappably calm and bone dry in his demeanour. Possessing only an acoustic guitar, he laconically introduces proceedings with “I’m going to start with the song I always start with”. Rather than engage with the audiences’ interjections, he dismissively gives an-all request ignoring caveat of “I’m deaf, I’m in the Drones”. Thankfully, the crowd remain mostly reverential for the set which trawls through some starkly-outlined versions of more sprawling recent Drones epics – including, ‘Jezabel’, ‘Locust’, the shunned Australian history sourced ‘…Alexander Pearce’ while also stripping bare the usually throbbing ‘Shark Fin Blues’ and ‘I Don’t Ever Want to Change’. The un-imbellished voice becomes even more distinct when not buried in noise, with a range that sinks from parched and gamey to rise through to almost nasal-inflections as the raw emotion undulates through the songs. If anything shows the distinctly honed song writing capacity on show and the keen talent Gareth (who hates being referred to as Liddiard, as it’s such an uncool name) has for drawing the interest and wider emotion from the everyday, it is the new song ‘Blondin Makes an Omelette’, which reflects upon the circumstances of a tightrope walker of such talent he could cook an omelette while traversing a wire strewn across Niagara Falls. Tonight provided a perfect venue for showcasing the unadorned essence of the talents of our more captivating songwriters. Gareth Liddiard / Jed Kurzel Apr 26, 2023
 Andy J Ryan Perry Keyes, Notes Live - 16 April, 2010 A jam-packed Notes Live joined Perry Keyes for a stroll through the streets and sounds of Johnny Ray’s Downtown. Notes Live was originally conceived as a seated, intimate dinner & show type venue, but this is probably the first time the diners seated down front were outnumbered by those standing behind the tables. The occasion, the launch of the highly regarded new album Johnny Ray’s Downtown, by knockabout local songwriter Perry Keyes. And the night was just plain triumphant. Keyes and the band were black-clad and hatted for the occasion - as a nod to a recently witnessed Lyle Lovett – and had the crowd reverentially hushed during, and ecstatically erupting after, each and every song. The songs themselves deal with gritty tales of inner city Sydney in days gone by, when times were simpler, but love and life still proved complicated. While some big feelings are sung about, it’s the small details that litter the songs, with street names, suburbs and sports stars signposting the unravelling tales of everyday troubles that make them so rich and gripping. And probably explains why so many people are here and feeling so strongly about them. You can relate to the lives played out on the same streets as yours, if not some of the troubles that beset them. We get to hear the great bulk of the new record, with Keyes accompanied by a crack band - featuring the power-pop polish of Michael Carpenter, Casey Atkins and Russell Crawford, the soul-drenched keys of Johnny G and the country-throb crackling bass of Charlie Lee - utilizing what Keyes jokingly refers to as ‘Brian Wilson’s touring gear’ providing further musical enlightenment. Keyes brings former-flame and album collaborator Bek-Jean Stewart on for some sweetly spirited singing on early track ‘Matraville Trees’ and the reflective ballad ‘Queen of Everone’s Hearts’ and to close the evening. The crowd refuse to leave without more though and we get two more songs concerning two subjects obviously close to Keyes heart – the mighty South Sydney Rabbitohs and The Clash in ‘The Day John Satler Broke His Jaw’ and ‘Joe Strummer’. Glory Glory. Perry Keyes Apr 26, 2023
 Andy J Ryan Kim Salmon & the Surrealists, Spectrum, 10 April, 2010 The launch of the first new Surrealists album in a thirteen years sees Kim Salmon strut the Spectrum stage. Australia doesn’t really revere well. We have countless creative types who are critically and fanatically adored abroad, yet remain almost unknown on our shores. Kim Salmon’s impressive resume includes stretches in the highly influential Scientists, Beasts of Bourbon, Antenna, The Darling Down, The Business, and his recently reformed three-piece outlet The Surrealists. First formed with Tony Pola and Brian Hooper, the band were formed under the auspices and ethos of punk with the inspiration the improvisation aspect of jazz. When Salmon took to the stage brandishing a Dictaphone and played a swirling mass of feedback and un-restrained, whirring noise by way of introduction, to the set & new album’s opener ‘Turn Turn’, it’s clear, that after numerous years and line up changes those traditions still exist today. The Surrealists, now comprising bassist Stu Thomas and drummer Phil Collings, are all about creating music focussed on power and purity, with the guitar proving to be the main protagonist. Their sound is hardly what you could safely call tuneful or traditionally structured, with most songs created from noises summoned from playing pushed right to the edge. The band is challenging, with the rhythm section mostly just gainfully keeping up as Salmon’s guitar is wrung to it’s very last gasp of useful vibrations. During the purely instrumental ‘RQ1’ and the twenty-minute plus, two part opus ‘Grand Unifying Theory’ the trio barely share a word, but exist together on a whole series of unspoken, subtle cues that send the music veering into seemingly made-up tangents. After hushed and humble farewells we are seen off with the grandiose ‘I’m Keeping You Alive’ which sneers brilliantly along building to its megalomaniacal climax where Salmon declares himself a god. Which most in attendance would be tending to agree, particularly when he chooses to be a particularly compassionate one and returns to delve into the back catalogue with an ominous airing of ‘Cockroach’, a woozy telling of ‘Rose Coloured Winsdcreeen’ and the cascading convulsions of ‘Melt’ end the encore and the evening. While Salmon will seemingly always be a victim of interest in his past, overshadowing his music of the present. But his music will still potentially provide the same inspiration and influence simply because it is discomfortingly provoking, inspired and still pushing envelopes. Kim Salmon & the Surrealists Apr 26, 2023
 Andy J Ryan Simple Minds - Lyric Theatre, 25 March, 2010 Legendary Scottish stalwarts Simple Minds played an exclusive Sydney sideshow at Star City's Lyric Theatre. Once you've played to six-figure audiences and in sporting arenas, every other stage will seem small, but no gesture will ever seem too big. Simple Minds entered the smoke-machine shrouded Lyric Theatre and proceeded to pull out all the stadium stops. During the opener 'Sanctify Yourself, we were almost instantaneously invited to do some hands-above-our-heads clapping; a few verses later it was the time-honoured call/response crowd singing and Jim Kerr was chest-clutching, crucifix posing and grasping the hands of the front row like a deity himself. And you'd better believe the word "Sydney" was yelled out a fair few times. Despite the over-the-top delivery, the stage set-up was quite, well, simple, with the black-clad band just supplemented occasionally by a lungful lass belting out soul-tinged backing vocals. The lights too were something to behold, with each extravagant Kerr arm flourish or mic twirl illuminated in second-sun-strength wattage. While this would indeed be better suited to a large capacity stadium, it almost felt like it was too much in the staid and fully seated intimate surrounds of the Lyric Theatre. The thing is, the band do have the blockbuster hits to back it up so by halfway through the first song and for the remainder of the night, the seats became obsolete most of the crowd were on their feet and singing along despite themselves. It is interesting to see how a band of once mega-star stature, and with such an enduring career, treat their back catalogue. Despite Simple Minds still writing and recording new albums across their 30-plus years, tonight the people are here for the hits. We get them, and frequently. 'See the Lights', 'Love Song' and 'The American' all shone and were sung along as prompted by the crowd and 'Someone, Somewhere in Summertime' was slowed down to a croon to let Kerr show off a bit of his vocal range. The set built towards the song I'd imagined most everyone was waiting for - 'Don't You (Forget About Me) - the band's highest profile hit, which unfortunately for their royalty accounts they didn't actually write. It came about two-thirds through - and it was amazing: three levels of people on their feet, arms adrift and belting out the words, each perhaps thinking of their own current or lost -and hopefully non-amnesiac - love or crush, or maybe just wistfully reminiscing about Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club. They followed it up with the jolting '80s beats of 'Promised You a Miracle' and also threw in a rather deft 'Glittering Prize' before proclaiming "We love you, thank you and goodnight". It wasn't the end of course, and the band remained 'Alive and Kicking' for a few songs yet. We were assured that they had "loved every second of it" before the band took their bows to a beaming audience, postponing any chance we'd have to forget about them. Simple Minds / 1927 Apr 26, 2023