Issuu

LIVE MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHY 2010 -Kevin Bull

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peaches

the horrors 2

rise against

kasabian

Dizzee Rascal

Lisa Mitchell

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muse 3

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k arnivool

L i ly A l l e n

BIG DAY OUT 2010 Sydney Showgrounds Saturday January 23, 2010

While unbearable heat was predicted for Sydney’s second Big Day Out in 2010, it proved to be an empty threat. Around 3.30pm, grey clouds blocked the sun and a cooling breeze extinguished the humidity. You couldn’t have wished for more perfect weather. Bluejuice got hearts racing with their early mainstage performance, as did Karnivool, who sounded gargantuan. Mastodon were impressive, 4

if not a little samey in their arrangements, but they certainly played to some loyal fans. Kasabian, who should have been on much later than 2.30pm, sent the crowd into a frenzy. Opening with 2009’s party anthem of the year ‘Vlad The Impaler’, the mosh pit soon got very out of hand. A circle of death broke out during ‘Shoot The Runner’, and ‘Empire’, ‘Clubfoot’ and ‘Fire’ were amazing.

The Decemberists played an incredibly accomplished set. Opening with the 18 minute, prog-folk epic ‘The Tain’, they quickly launched into ‘The Crane Wife 1 & 2’ and then ‘The Crane Wife 3’. The crowd sang along to ‘The Rake’s Song’ and ‘O Valencia!’ Dizzee Rascal proved to be the highlight of today’s event - he was unbelievably good. His performance of ‘Sirens’, ‘Holiday’, ‘Jus A Rascal’ and ‘Dance

Wiv Me’ turned the expanse of audience into a rave party. After much crowd chanting, Rascal delivered ‘Bonkers’ - it immediately became an all-time Big Day Out highlight. Lily Allen stepped coquettishly on to the stage and the screams were deafening. Wearing a slinky blue kaftan, Allen looked drop dead gorgeous. Constant smirks and suggestive dancing laced a set that was full of crowd-pleasers - ‘Smile’, ‘Fuck You’, ‘The Fear’,

‘Not Fair’ etc. The Mars Volta played a set mostly taken from their debut De-Loused In The Comatorium. A stadium full of people were left mesmerised. Powderfinger played a lot of new material in between a few sing-a-long stadium numbers, like ‘These Days’, ‘The Metre’ and ‘My Happiness’. ‘(Baby I’ve Got You) On My Mind’ had fists high in the air.

b i g day o u t 2 0 1 0

Muse came on stage, with giant video screens lighting up all around them. It was a powerhouse set, opening with ‘Uprising’, and then launching into songs like ‘Hysteria’, ‘Starlight’, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’, ‘Time Is Running Out’ and ‘Supermassive Black Hole’. Muse’s encore featured ‘Plug In Baby’, before Jet’s Nic Cester joined them on stage for a surprisingly faithful rendition of AC/DC’s ‘Back In Black’. Finishing with ‘Knights Of Cydonia’, Muse proved why they’re one of the planet’s leading stadium acts. Groove Armada kept the party pumping in the Boiler Room with hits like ‘Superstylin’’ and ‘I See You Baby, while Fear Factory reminded people of why they’re metal legends. A massive fireworks and pyrotechnics display was a welcome addition. 2010’s second Big Day Out was not only the best Sydney Big Day Out this year, but one of the best ever. m a r s vo lta 5

J o n at h a n B o u l e t — e m b e r s w i f t — tay l o r s w i f t

ember swift

j o n at h a n bo u l e t 6

JONATHAN BOULET

EMBER SWIFT

TAYLOR SWIFT

Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Friday February 26, 2010

Lizotte’s, Kincumber Thursday January 14, 2010

Newcastle Entertainment Centre Monday February 8, 2010

tay lo r s w i f t

soundwave 2010

SOUNDWAVE 2010 Eastern Creek, Sydney Sunday February 21, 2010

This year’s Soundwave marked its emergence as one of Australia’s largest touring festivals - no mean feat when you consider the Big Day Out’s mammoth (and ongoing) legacy. Soundwave 2010, which took place in the arid dustbowl of Eastern Creek Raceway, was a gargantuan showcase of some of the planet’s most engaging metal, rock, ska, punk and hardcore acts. Ultimately, there were too many good bands to see them all, but a 40,000 strong crowd braved extreme heat to try and do so. Eastern Creek, while large enough to hold a massive crowd, is not easy to access. There’s no public transport, which meant that the traffic congestion to get there caused hours of delays. Via car, we left Newcastle at 9.30am and didn’t make it into the festival until 2.30pm - twice as long as the normal travel time. The oppressive heat made this a very unhappy experience. When we made it to the front gate, there seemed to be a lot of confusion over wristbanding. We showed our age verification and were given an 18+ wristband (which clearly had Over 18 8

faith no more

written on it). Yet no security guards accepted the wristband for the rest of the day, so every time we wished to enter one of the many drinking areas, we had to show our ID again. Beers were $8 a can and it was a token system, which seemed to greatly speed up queues for drinks. As we watched Eagles Of Death

Metal from outside the D-barrier, Boots Electric led his band through a set of dirty rock tunes like ‘Wanna Be In LA’ and ‘I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News)’ - and the heat seemed to get worse. With practically nowhere to escape the sun, we started noticing revellers (mostly teenage girls) collapsing from heat stroke and dehydration.

Unlike other festival venues, there’s no grandstands or temporary tents and pavillions - you’re in a dusty paddock with nowhere to escape the heat. Alexisonfire sent the crowd into a frenzy, with a circle of death errupting in the middle of the hectic moshpit. Paramore, who were due to appear as

Alexisonfire’s set finished, but were delayed by the organisers so they could empty the D-area. Young girls were collapsing everywhere. The decision to completely empty the D-area meant that a riot formed at the D-barrier’s entry gate and girls started to collapse as they were crushed. All in all, it was very messy business.

soundwave 2010

Jane’s Addiction

Placebo took to the stage and performed an amazing show. New drummer Steve Forrest was incredibly impressive - hitting the skins with brutal aggression. They played a killer set list that included ‘The Bitter End’, ‘Every You Every Me’, ‘Special K’, ‘Ashtray Heart’ and ‘Sleeping With Ghosts’. During the set, singer Brian Molko poured both a bottle of water and a cup of liquid over News.com.au video journalist Helen Parker, who was filming

him from the photo pit. Rock stars, eh? AFI leaped on to the stage, tearing through a big show. Opening with ‘Medicate’, they then launched into ‘Girl’s Not Grey’. Singer Davey Havok and co finished their hour set with ‘Miss Murder’ and there were fists in the air as far as the eye could see.

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soundwave 2010

par amore

Jane’s Addiction were a highlight of the day. Bassist Eric Avery stepped out on stage, smiling from behind his aviator sunglasses and started an intro. The rest was a mesmerising set from a legendary band, including songs like ‘Stop!’ and ‘Ocean Size’. From Perry Farrell’s eccentric and gracious stage antics, to Dave Navarro’s wailing guitar solos - and some scantily-clad dancers - it was a performance that few will forget. Jimmy Eat World played to an adoring crowd, who sang along to every note. For a last minute addition (due to My 10

Alexisonfire

anthrax

Chemical Romance having to cancel), Jimmy Eat World did a stirling job. All the fan favourites were there - ‘No Sensitivity’, ‘Lucky Denver Mint’, ‘The Authority Song’, ‘Pain’, ‘Get It Faster’, ‘Sweetness’ and ‘Salt Sweat Sugar’. Finishing with ‘The Middle’, which had people dancing right into the distance, it was a set that ticked all the boxes.

a cane and a limp, quickly started running around the stage in circles, howling, growling and bellowing with his phenomenal voice. From beat-boxing to crooning a classic like ‘Easy’, Patton reminded a lot of people of why he has one of the best and most versatile voices in rock music. Playing all the hits, from ‘Epic’ to ‘Midlife Crisis’, Faith No More where a whirling and dynamic colossus, that were clearly intent on keeping their audience guessing.

Faith No More took to the stage, with red velvet curtains draped around them. To put it simply - they were mind-blowing. Mike Patton, who had walked on with

soundwave 2010

baroness

AFI

Overall, the sound quality of the PA system and the awe-inspiring sets by the roster of international acts made Soundwave a worthwhile venture. The natural slope down to the main stages meant that you could see and hear from practically anywhere. Definitely the best sound weâ€™ve heard at a music event of that size. The crowd were also in good spirits. Though we avoided the chaos of the more punk

and hardcore-orientated stages, the main arena revellers were in a good mood. There were surprisingly few bogans and everyone seemed keen to just have a good time. Sadly, the queue to get into the seemingly never-ending car parks at Eastern Creek Raceway reappeared on the way out and we had to sit in our vehicle for over an hour before we could begin the drive home. Lucky we made that Soundwave 2010 mixtape... placebo 12

you am i — brian jonestown massacre — fe a r of m onst ers — d i n osau r j r

brian jonestown massacre

YOU AM I Queens Wharf Brewery, Newcastle Saturday February 27, 2010

fear of monsters

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE + FEAR OF MONSTERS Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Thursday March 4, 2010

DINOSAUR JR Metro Theatre, Sydney Thursday March 11, 2010 you am i 12

dinosaur jr

r o g e r h o d g s o n — t h e c u l t — 3 0 s e c o n d s t o m a r s — m i d l a k e

roger hodgson

ROGER HODGSON Civic Theatre, Newcastle Sunday April 11, 2010

THE CULT t h e c u lt

Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney Thursday May 6, 2010

30 SECONDS TO MARS Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Friday July 30, 2010

MIDLAKE

30 seconds to mars

Metro Theatre, Sydney Saturday July 31, 2010 midlake 13

bacardi express

BACARDI EXPRESS Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Sydney March 25-26, 2010

Take four bands, one Dj, a shit-load of media and competition winners, and let’s put them onto a train for two days. The Bacardi Express has just rolled through Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Sydney, and Reverb Magazine was along for the ride. The general public all get the chance to see one of the four gigs, but what actually happens behind the train carriage door? Kevin Bull finds out. Toot Toot. It was an early start Friday morning for all involved. Considering this followed the first gig in Brisbane, and the post gig motel room drinks that went well into the night, it was never going to be easy. By 9am, we had boarded the coach, and were on our way to the train station where The Southern Aurora awaited. Once aboard, the music started, even before we left the platform. It became quite clear that the ‘Jam Carriage’ was going to be the focus of the trip. Members from the Cassette Kids, Miami Horror, Yves Klein Blue and Art Vs Science provided an ever-changing band that ripped into some wildly impressive improvisation and riffage, including stabs at some Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty and some twisted ‘stoner’ jamming. It shouldn’t come as no surprise that when you throw talented musos into the same room, the result can be quite well formed and forceful. We even received some bass work from head Peer Group Media honcho, Adam Zammit. 14

bacardi express

10 minutes after the train left Brisbane, the three bars opened, and the Bacardi flowed. We all threw ourselves into the free cocktails, with Yves Klein Blue frontman Michael Tomlinson and Art vs Science’s Jim Finn (keyboard/bass) taking a stint as bartenders. Luckily for all involved, there was plenty of food on offer, including an amazing three-course lunch in the plush dining carriage. Whether it was hot finger food, muffins or cookies, as well as the Bacardi, it felt that they were always within arms reach.

not been seen as yet. The box full of party costumes were being plundered, and things were getting quite loose between the artists, media, and promoters. The pleasure of this relaxed openness is the small insights into the real artist - like sitting opposite Sean Cook (Yves Klein Blue, bass) while he reads The Communist Manifesto, the same Cook not knowing the chord changes to ‘Born To Be Wild’, and discussing over lunch the technology that is allowing DJ Sampology to successfully mix video into his sets.

There was also the ‘Games Carriage’ where Band Hero and Dj Hero was continually in use, mainly by the competition winners, I should add. Real musicians play real instruments, you see.

As we rolled into Coffs Harbour, Elly Jackson (La Roux) appeared, walking casually through the carriages, bringing with it an impromptu version of ‘Bulletproof’ sung by those present. It is a real shame that she has spent the trip locked away in her cabin as the thought of her jamming with a live band was quite tasty.

An unexpected bonus was for artist/ illustrator David Bromley (www. davidbromley.com) to be making the trip with us. In one of the carriages, an artist studio was set up where Bromley worked on three of his current works. Paint hit the canvas while he happily fielded questions from passers-by. By midday, everyone had explored the train, were well lubricated, and mixing freely. Artists were getting stuck into the jam sessions, all except La Roux who had

Reflecting back on my trip from Brisbane to Coffs Harbour, it is clear that no expense has been spared. Food, alcohol, and travel expenses were all provided in order to give the public four free concerts. My hat goes off to Bacardi and Peer Group Media as they have realised that the music in itself is a powerful force, and to be aligned with it is a reward in itself. la roux 15

bluesfest 2010

Buddy Guy

ozo m at l i

m at i sya h u 16

ave t t Brothers

bluesfest 2010

BLUESFEST 2010 Byron Bay April 1-4, 2010

While heavy rain is predicted to span 2010’s Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival, sporadic torrents fail to dampen the buzz of this world class event. The peaceful and enthusiastic atmosphere of Bluesfest is heightened by the bounty of local and international talent, which amazes at every turn. With an easy-to-follow layout, small food and drink queues and lots of places to sit down and chill out, this year’s event (partly due to its new location) is a standout on the Australian festival calendar. The Avett Brothers from North Carolina are the first awe-inspiring act of the festival. There is an epic quality to these tortured arrangements and piercing harmonies from brothers Scott and Seth Avett - just guitars, banjos, an upright bass and a Steve Aoki look-a-like on the cello. With some lingering, profound lyrics, this four-piece have a lasting impact. The Swell Season, the romantic duo of The Frames’ Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, are one of the most beautiful live acts in the world at the moment. Those familiar with Hansard’s mind-blowing singing voice, that delivers the yearning of Damien Rice’s vocals with about ten times more power, will know that he can also pen a momentous tune. From their haunting performances of ‘Falling Slowly’, ‘When Your Mind’s Made Up’ and a long cover of Empire Of The Sun’s ‘Walking On A Dream’, The Swell Season leave jaws in the mud.

Matisyahu, the world’s favourite American Hasidic Jewish reggae singer, is a highlight of Friday’s proceedings. Backed by a three-piece band that opened with a punk instrumental, Matisyahu’s soaring fusion of dub, hip hop and reggae has a massive audience bouncing up and down and twirling around. An impressive beatbox break-out from this unique artist, along with the performance of hits like ‘King Without A Crown’ and ‘One Day’, ensures that this is the feel-good performance of the entire festival. Buddy Guy, one of the most influential blues musicians on the planet, holds a packed Crossroads tent in the palm of his hand. His sleazy lyrics are delivered with such charisma and mischief that you can’t help but be utterly absorbed. His approach to guitar is raw and pure, and when he starts to pay homage to his friends and heroes by way of covering John Lee Hooker’s ‘Boom Boom’ and Cream’s ‘Strange Brew’, this truly becomes a set to remember. Colin Hay proves to be the sing-a-long act of Bluesfest 2010, with his set of both Men At Work and solo material. When he performs ‘Who Can It Be Now?’, ‘Overkill’, ‘Be Good Johnny’ and ‘Down Under’, the audience erupts. His introduction for ‘Down Under’ indicates his feelings towards the ludicrous legal battle he is currently enduring. “I co-wrote this song in 1978... I feel like it’s mine... but it’s yours too.” Peter Green was a particularly depressing experience. Undoubtedly a legend of blues music, Green founded Fleetwood Mac, played in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and

penned songs like ‘Black Magic Woman’ and ‘Albatross’. But at Bluesfest he limped on stage, sat in a stool, read from a lyrics book and played some incredibly simplistic and uninspired guitar solos. Green has famously battled severe drug addiction and mental illness, and has been absent from the live arena for far too long. Sadly, it is evident that his personal battles have had a devastating impact on his musical ability and he is now a shell of his former self. Poor Man’s Whiskey are the talk of the festival. A Californian country-folkbluegrass band that have transformed

The Gipsy Kings prove why they’re legends of world music. Opening with ‘Djobi, Djoba’, the Kings have the Crossroads tent shaking their collective money-maker. It’s no surprise that ‘Bamboleo’ becomes a defeaning singa-long, as is their encore of ‘Volaré’. Constantly bowing and thanking the crowd in French, The Gipsy Kings are humble and powerful live performers. 10cc, despite only consisting of one original member, are phenomenal. The band are all supreme performers, having toured in their current line-up for approximately a decade.

co l i n h ay

dr john

Pink Floyd’s seminal Dark Side Of The Moon into a hoe down odyssey called Dark Side Of The Moonshine. To keep the Dark Side theme going, they also dress up as each character from The Wizard Of Oz.

jeff beck

The hits put gigantic smiles on people’s faces: ‘The Things We Do For Love’, ‘Art For Art’s Sake’, ‘Dreadlock Holiday’, ‘I’m Not In Love’ and an encore performance of ‘Rubber Bullets’. All part of an amazing finale to this year’s Bluesfest. 17

deep purple

DEEP PURPLE Newcastle Entertainment Centre Thursday April 29, 2010

Deep Purple have been regulars to our shores since their monumental visit in 1999. Sadly, that tour was also the last for virtuoso keyboardist Jon Lord, who went on to pursue other musical projects. Since then, Purple’s keys are reigned over by Don Airey, another rock legend who is a mind-blowing musician. Airey’s extended solo intro into ‘Lazy’, was one of the highlights of Deep Purple’s recent visit to Newcastle. Deep Purple used two

hours to delve into their back catalogue. Opening with ‘Highway Star’, the band also played powerful renditions of ‘Strange Kind Of Woman’, ‘Space Truckin’’ and ‘Fireball’. Guitarist Steve Morse did another breath-taking solo that morphed into ‘Black Night’. Other stand-outs on the set list were the title track from their 2005 record Rapture Of The Deep and ‘Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming’. Before the encore, Nathan Cavaleri joined the

band on stage for ‘Smoke On The Water’. Then the band returned for ‘Hush’ and the afformentioned ‘Black Night’. In 2010, Deep Purple sound as loud and accomplished as ever. While singer Ian Gillan has lost some of the vocal range that he had in the seventies, he still knows how to wail. Seeing the band continue to master their dark, drawn-out breakdowns is a reason why crowds should continue to see this enduring group. 19

a l b e rta c ro s s

REVERB’S FOURTH BIRTHDAY with ALBERTA CROSS Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle Sunday July 25, 2010

This publication is celebrating its fourth birthday in style on a cold night in Newcastle. It’s an evening of reflection and high emotion, to be crowned with an appearance by one of the world’s most impressive new bands, Alberta Cross. To put it simply, the ensuing performance is one of the greatest concerts I have ever seen in my entire life. Words don’t do it a great deal of justice, but it is musical ecstasy. Opening with the slow-burning rock of ‘Song Three Blues’, the Brooklynbased five-piece deliver a show that will go down as one of the most epic ever staged at the Cambridge Hotel. Powerful, enveloping and soulful, Alberta Cross’ live sound immediately tells you that you’re in the presence of a world-class band that are on the brink of very big things. They play the majority of their debut record Broken Side Of Time - the title track, ‘Leave

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the nickson wing

Of Forgive Us’, ‘Taking Control’, and ‘The Ghost Of City Life’ are all given the full-blooded live treatment. ‘Thief & The Heartbreaker’ has the audience singing at the top of their lungs. There’s older songs like ‘Lucy Rider’, and for ‘Rise From The Shadows’, singer Petter Ericson Stakee puts down his guitar and dances around the stage, tambourine in hand. Live, his voice is no less piercing of chill-inducing. The crowd screams for an encore and they oblige, returning for a haunting version of John Lennon’s ‘Steel & Grass’. Wow. As a unit, Alberta Cross have the sound of a stadium band. Seeing them at a venue as intimate as the Cambridge is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one that I’ll never forget for the rest of my life. But hey, maybe they’ll come back and play Reverb’s fifth birthday?

the vasco er a

powderfinger — dead letter circus — ed kowalcz yk

POWDERFINGER

DEAD LETTER CIRCUS

ED KOWALCZYK

Newcastle Entertainment Centre Wednesday September 1, 2010

Newcastle Leagues Club Thursday September 2, 2010

Newcastle Leagues Club Saturday October 30, 2010

groovin the moo 2010

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tegan and sara

groovin the moo 2010

GROOVIN THE MOO 2010 Maitland Showgrounds Saturday May 8, 2010

With its most uber-cool line-up since the festival’s inception, Groovin The Moo had a very different vibe in 2010 compared to previous years. There were a lot of harmless indie kids roaming Maitland Showgrounds, compared to the shirtless hooligans that have been rife in past years. Overall, it was a an event packed with world-class music. Early in the day, Lisa Mitchell had the crowd swooning, and British India whipped their audience into a frenzy with a cover of Nirvana’s ‘Lithium’. Miami Horror played a synth-laden set that failed to fully engage, though the crowd gave a big response to radio hit ‘Sometimes’. Spoon brought a touch of pizazz to the main stage with their stylish indie rock. ‘The Way We Get By’ remains a fantastic live sing-a-long number.

Tegan and Sara were a highlight of the day, reminding punters of how many killer pop tunes the Canadian twins have penned. From ‘Walking With The Ghost’, to ‘The Con’, ‘Alligator’, ‘Hell’ and ‘Back In Your Head’, they delivered a brilliant set. Perhaps they’re The Bangles of the modern era? Grinspoon did what they do best and rolled out a big set of festival anthems. They tend to play it pretty safe these days, obviously afraid they’ll get lynched if they omit ‘Champion’ and ‘More Than You Are’. But it’s no surprise that these guys remain staples of Australia’s festival circuit. You can’t put on an event without them. Vampire Weekend were clearly an act that most people didn’t want to miss. The New York City fourpiece have definitely improved since their rather bland debut performances in 2008. With two albums of material to choose from,

vampire weekend

they were far more engaging and dynamic on stage. Hit ‘Cousins’, had hands in the air. Empire Of The Sun’s stage show was a flurry of wild costumes and choreographed dancing. Their electro-infused pop opuses translated well into the live arena. ‘Walking On A Dream’ and ‘We Are The People’ created an electric energy in the Moo herd. The grand finale was Silverchair, who opened with one of their best songs, ‘Emotion Sickness’. They fitted a lot of crowd favourites into the set, like ‘The Door’ and ‘Israel’s Son’. Singer Daniel Johns was in fine form, with his trio unveiling a number of new songs to local fans. Two were apparently called ‘16’ and ‘Machina Collecta’, and by their sound it seems that Silverchair’s forthcoming record could be their most bold and outrageous yet. s i lv e rc h a i r 23

coastser 2010

COASTER 2010 Gosford Showgrounds Saturday September 25, 2010

Two things strike you as you enter the Coaster festival. The first is how intimate it is - the three stages are all close together and easily accessible, with good sound separation. The second is how chilled-out and enthusiastic the crowd is. Any expectation of a wild, rough crowd of pissheads quickly evaporate.

s i lv e r s u n p i c k u p s

birds of tok yo

Silversun Pickups deliver a blistering set, which has a surprisingly large audience clapping and singing along to each of their anthems. ‘Lazy Eye’, ‘Panic Switch’ and ‘The Royal We’ are performed with a sincere and palpable energy. Supergroup Basement Birds provide a mellow interlude with their masterfully crafted folk-pop songs and harmonies, which both come in handy when they re-work The Presets’ ‘My People’. Bluejuice, in trademark wild costumes, get the adrenaline pumping again, before Art Vs Science hit the stage on dusk. There’s very few surprises in Art Vs Science’s set – those that have seen them can probably guess the set list, which is a collection of high-energy electro-rock anthems. However, the trio whip

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bluejuice

out a note-perfect cover of ‘Gay Bar’ by Electric Six. On a side stage, Illy draws a large group of hip-hop fanatics, performing his Like A Version cover of ‘Where is my Mind?’, as well as his popular radio singles. Birds Of Tokyo prove again why they’re one of the best live rock acts in the country. They’re newest songs don’t seem to hold up quite as well as the material from Universes and their debut, but nevertheless, this is a loud, emotive set. ‘Broken Bones’, ‘Wild Eyed Boy’, ‘Wayside’, ‘Silhouettic’ and ‘Off Kilter’ all make appearances. For the finale of this year’s Coaster, we’re treated to an epic performance from a legendary group. Cypress Hill arrive on stage, drawing every punter to the main stage area. When they drop songs like ‘How I Could Just Kill a Man’, ‘Insane in the Brain’, ‘When the Shit Goes Down’ and ‘Hits From the Bong’, there are punters everywhere leaping in the air – trying to get high. Their set finishes with ‘(Rock) Superstar’ - a mammoth ending to a memorable day.

b r i a n w i l s o n — c h i c a g o — Am e r i c a — P e t e r F r a m p t o n

brian wilson

chicago

peter frampton

america

BRIAN WILSON CHICAGO AMERICA PETER FRAMPTON Hope Estate, Hunter Valley Saturday November 6, 2010

Leading up to the weekend, the Hunter Valley had received its fair share of rain. Enough to wake Saturday morning and look to the heavens, praying for some clear skies. After getting settled at Hope Estate, a familiar voice could be heard from the stage. Mark Wilkinson was warming up the noticeably thin crowd (there were probably 1000 people there but as a venue that holds 16000, that doesn’t feel like many). Having not see Mark perform for years, it was good to revisit his voice.

I really enjoyed Peter Frampton, the next up in the five-strong line up. To hear those Frampton Comes Alive tracks come alive was a dream. ‘Lines On My Face’, ‘Show Me the Way’ and ‘Do You Feel Like We Do’ never rang so true. America, however, were a bit hit and miss. On tracks, ‘Sister Golden Hair’ and ‘Sandman’

they were faultless but, at times, they were all over the place. With Chicago, on the other hand, I felt like I was seeing two different bands - the early Chicago Transit Authority’s driving groove and the, more recognisable, later romantic ballads. Brian Wilson appeared in good spirits talking to the crowd (although, he was

reading from a computer monitor - autocue style). Wilson played keyboards and, though it was only a small part of his ninepiece backing band, when he sung it was the Beach Boys we all knew. Punters came to sing along and dance to songs they’ve held on strongly to, and that is exactly what happened.

With all the rain that had been dropped in the preceding days, it became very muddy under foot. In the end, it was better to give up on the shoes and socks and just look for a stable place to put your foot - but when you’ve come just to dance, it doesn’t really bother you. 25

fat a s b u t t e r 2 0 1 0

wolfmother

m e ta l s 26

the beautiful girls

ice cube

fat a s b u t t e r 2 0 1 0

children collide

ta m e i m pa l a

bliss n eso

FAT AS BUTTER 2010 Newcastle Foreshore Saturday October 23, 2010

Having returned to its birthplace on Newcastle Foreshore, Fat As Butter brought out the the crowd early if the long queue at the entry gates were anything to go by. Those who rose early witnessed an impressive performance by Blade, and a fine set by The Owls who looked quite comfortable on the large

stage. With the early afternoon sun catching many a bare skin unprotected, the bars were hit hard and shade was at a premium. Children Collide’s set was blistering, with ‘Jellylegs’ and ‘Farewell Rocketship’ being standouts. They also drew the first sizeable crowd of the day. The love continued for The

Beautiful Girls and Tame Impala, but they were no match for Bliss n Eso. The energy these two guys deliver is infectious, with the security working overtime removing the young and crushed from the front of stage. Exit Bliss, and enter the main attraction. No offence to Wolfmother, but this was Ice Cube’s night. Powerful

and bitting, Ice Cube is the real deal, and the largest crowd of the night were lead through the legend’s musical history. Wolfmother closed the night as the rain began to fall and the crowd thinned as Sneaky Sound System, who were also playing on the Butter stage drew many of the stayers away. 27

m e ta l l i c a

METALLICA Acer Arena, Sydney Wednesday November 10, 2010

Returning to Australian shores after promising in 2004 that they wouldn’t make us wait six years again for more shows (whoops, just!), Metallica deliver what one would expect from a world class band at this point in their career. The coffin box lighting rig and almost disco-esque(!) laser

show is visually engaging, while the snakepit-styled round stage allows every seat in Acer Arena to see all four members clearly throughout the show. With a set featuring heavily from the Black and Death Magnetic albums, Metallica

had no problem in holding the audience’s interest throughout the two hour performance. Some notable song omissions might have put a dampener on a more 80s-era appreciating fan, but the airing of tracks like ‘Through the Never’, ‘Blackened’,

‘…And Justice for All’ and Diamond Head’s ‘Am I Evil’ should suffice. Ignoring Master of Puppets save for the title track, Ride the Lightning save for ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’, and staying clear of the Load, ReLoad and St Anger albums, the band seem eager to keep a welcoming

and friendly vibe onstage these days - with recognition to a 60th show attendee and the releasing of beach balls during the final encore of ‘Seek and Destroy’. Still energetic and committed to their craft, Metallica deliver the goods with ease.

m u s e — l i n k i n pa r k

MUSE

LINKIN PARK

Acer Arena, Sydney Thursday December 9, 2010

Newcastle Entertainment Centre Saturday December 4, 2010

Visually, it was all about those columns. When the columns rose to leave Matt Bellamy three metres in the air, and about two metres from the lights in the top, they literally glowed. I remember seeing this in the 80s at a Genesis 30

concert. Their lighting rig lowered to be sitting above the artists - very powerful visually. Muse is the same principle. So where to now for the band whose lightshow I was telling everyone about, until I went to U2? Muse? U2?

A relatively small NEC crowd was out tonight to witness Linkin Park’s latest effort, A Thousand Suns, in a live setting. With the early noughties fan now aged by a decade, the predominately late 20s crowd pushed hard towards the stage as ‘The

Requiem’ announced the band’s arrival. We were then straight into the first taste from A Thousand Suns, ‘Wretches and Kings’, whose tribal thump sat at ease with the live Linkin Park. The latest album was featured prominently,

with 12 of its 15 cuts being performed, but it was when the band delved back to Hybrid Theory and Meteora that the fist-pumping faithful were 18 again. ‘Papercut’, ‘Numb’ and ‘Breaking the Habit’, these are the reason that most

are here tonight, and they let the band know. With straight forward staging and lighting, the band gave as good as they received, and in doing so gave the A Thousand Suns songs a thoroughly good Linkin Park live kicking.

U2 ANZ Stadium, Sydney Monday December 13, 2010

I admit that when I initially walked into ANZ Stadium and caught sight of ‘The Claw’, my mouth dropped. This four-legged alien of a stage is awe inspiring, and provided a light and sound show that blew all the other stadium contenders away. The only thing I can compare it to is the Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge stage in the mid 90s with its fire breathing snake. Entering the arena to the unreleased ‘Return of the Stingray Guitar’, the four band members paraded and jostled with each

other under house lights, before the stage lights hit, and we launch into ‘Beautiful Day’. The 24-song set stretched all the way back to the first song off their first album Boy, ‘I Will Follow’, and ‘Scarlet’ from 1981’s October , a song that had not been played live in a concert setting until 18 days previous in New Zealand. All That You Leave Behind was plundered, as was No Line on the Horizon, and with songs like ‘Elevation’, ‘Get on Your Boots’ and ‘In a Little While’, why not. The Pop, Zooropa and Rattle and Hum albums were missed altogether.

Bono is the consummate performer and showman. Those who were close enough to connect visually with the man were sold by what they saw. Those a little further back already knew it anyway, and were happy with the light and sound. All the band members in fact delivered an uplifting and engaging performance, due in equal part to the quality of the music, and the quality of the staging. It was a show where singling out highlights is hard. Whenever The Joshua Tree was hit, the crowd

noticeably lifted, and the encores of ‘One’, ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’, ‘Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me’ and ‘With or Without You’ simply soared. The size and design of the staging had the effect of encompassing a large number of the stadium punters. A little further back, and it took on the persona of a pulsating insect that had transplanted itself within the walls of the ANZ Stadium - it glowed with radiant colours and produced the most wonderful sound. 31