Various Artists
Friday October 15th
The Wesley Anne & Northcote Social Club
High Street never fails deliver. The front bar at the Anne housed the first of three Friday's installments from the Idle Hoes who delivered an amazing folk-pop country-laced two hour set. Awesome mandolin-infused easily accessible ballads.
Kel sat on a stool an produced some heart-felt ditties that were soulful, but lacked the confidence to captivate the room!
A most un-named three piece rock bank delivered an Ethan-Hawke inspired, pop-Soundgarden set but really failed to capture the imagination of the more hipsterish crowd, despite having some cracking riffs.
Big Smoke were an amazing five piece who rotated instruments most songs as they delivered an impressive and engaging closing show with modern pop-country basis to them all.
Tim & Jean at the Northcote Social Club cost $12, but in hindsight I would have paid $100. These guys will be around forever and will pack out summer festivals for the next two decades. Daft Punk and Evermore came together last night night as they turned the almost entirely male crowd into raptures! Amazing
Four woos out of five
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
CORBY NOT DRIVING
Matt Corby (Supported by Passenger)
Wednesday October 13th
Northcote Social Club
If anyone was driving the gig last night it was the self-proclaimed Passenger, aka Mike from the U.K. You could hear jaws dropping such was the silence that ensconsed every single acoustic-guitar driven emotional ballad. The crowd sat on the floor, in awe, until he told them to stand. Every person in the room was totally engaged as he sang songs inspired by his busking around Australia and bumping into folks such as Kate Miller-Heidke, Josh Pyke & Matt Corby.
The Shape of Love, The Golden Thread and Holes were memorable events and the perfect attention of the crowd was never demonstrated more than when he stepped away from the microphone for a truly acoustic presentation of his last song, and when his guitar swung wildly out of tune - he cast it oustide and sang with no projection - a heart felt ditty of which the crowd heard every last syllable.
It was a mesmerising performance from Passenger who had to go back stage to grab more CD's to sell at the merch desk after his set.
Matt Corby followed and for many, he was the passenger. Clearly motivated to swing away from his Australian Idol notoriety, Matt's amazing vocals were put to waste through an artistic, virtually instrumental 15 minute opener - that most of the crowd talked through. An unenthusiastic bassist and then lead guitarist added the negativity of the occassion. Clearly unidentified to himself and especially to his crowd, Matt meandered through three songs in the first half hour. His voice is undeniably incredible - so his guitar playing but he just needs to write a song that is accessible to us!
I knew exactly what Passenger was feeling like in every song. I have no idea what Matt Corby was feeling. Both acts put on amazing displays of art - but good art is a representation of an event that a lot of people understand - and unfortunately Matt Corby didn't quite take that trick
1 woo out of 5 for Matt
4 woos out of 5 for Passenger
Wednesday October 13th
Northcote Social Club
If anyone was driving the gig last night it was the self-proclaimed Passenger, aka Mike from the U.K. You could hear jaws dropping such was the silence that ensconsed every single acoustic-guitar driven emotional ballad. The crowd sat on the floor, in awe, until he told them to stand. Every person in the room was totally engaged as he sang songs inspired by his busking around Australia and bumping into folks such as Kate Miller-Heidke, Josh Pyke & Matt Corby.
The Shape of Love, The Golden Thread and Holes were memorable events and the perfect attention of the crowd was never demonstrated more than when he stepped away from the microphone for a truly acoustic presentation of his last song, and when his guitar swung wildly out of tune - he cast it oustide and sang with no projection - a heart felt ditty of which the crowd heard every last syllable.
It was a mesmerising performance from Passenger who had to go back stage to grab more CD's to sell at the merch desk after his set.
Matt Corby followed and for many, he was the passenger. Clearly motivated to swing away from his Australian Idol notoriety, Matt's amazing vocals were put to waste through an artistic, virtually instrumental 15 minute opener - that most of the crowd talked through. An unenthusiastic bassist and then lead guitarist added the negativity of the occassion. Clearly unidentified to himself and especially to his crowd, Matt meandered through three songs in the first half hour. His voice is undeniably incredible - so his guitar playing but he just needs to write a song that is accessible to us!
I knew exactly what Passenger was feeling like in every song. I have no idea what Matt Corby was feeling. Both acts put on amazing displays of art - but good art is a representation of an event that a lot of people understand - and unfortunately Matt Corby didn't quite take that trick
1 woo out of 5 for Matt
4 woos out of 5 for Passenger
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Jess McAvoy
Jess McAvoy
Saturday October 10th
Southern Cross Train Staion.
She should have been playing to a packed crowd at the adjacent Etihad Stadum, but instead Jess humbly played Southern Cross station to a mix of interested and dis-interested commuters. I believe I was the only one there who actually travelled deliberately to see her.
Mid-way through her set she played the song Great Wave, for the second time, as the coffee-clutching crowd had undergone a total team substitution. "I'm going to play this song again since you're all new in the last 15 minutes". Chuckling, Jess said. "Thanks for laughing as I'm generally the only one that thinks I'm funny".
The Perth-raised, Toronto-bound Melbournite was playing as part of the free Melbourne Music Fest, despite having entertained packed venues in the city over the last few years. Paying or non-paying patrons - it doesn't affect Jess's infectious smile and blemish-less performance. Off her latest effort, Jess played Sailor and Dusk, the latter being the premise for her whole record as she rides the great wave of emotion that comes with sitting still and not talking during her 'favourite time of day'. Always sounding incredible in an acoustic setting where the lack of an electric guitar ameliorated her vocals, there was nowhere for the un-converted to hide, as a 30-strong crowd horse-shoed around her.
Jess sold CD's, signed CD's and should do nothing else with her life than make more CDs.
5 woos out of 5.
Wesley Anne Wonders
The Lucky Wonders
Saturday October 10
The Wesley Anne
They were never going to disappoint. The Triple J-found Sydney-siders, The Lucky Wonders did nothing but impress the handful of patrons that had the pleasure of watching them in Northcote on Sa
turday night.
Hello Satellites started the evening utilising accordian, violin, electronica and a thongomophone to back up the incredible voice of lead singer Eva Popov - who delivered nothing short of an intense set of vocals to a crowd listening in stunned silence
The Lucky Wonders smack of The Waifs - a comparison I'm sure they're sick of - but at any rate - it sounded like the Waifs because the Waifs are amazing and I'm sure this is nothing but a good thing. Every song was easily accessible, sweet and accompanied by vocal melodies that took centre stage over the tried and true folk-pop chords ringing o
ut at the Wesley Anne.
Every song was about love, coming home or leaving; Waifs. However, when wholesome songs are sung as sweetly as they were you wonder why the place wasn't packed out. Only a handful of punters were on hand to witness the Lucky Wonders begin a no-doubt stellar career playing Aussie festival circuits for the next 20 years.
The last two songs pre-the 11pm Wesley curfew were the two best songs of the night. Their foray into country was a welcome relief from the Waifs-esque folk-pop which gave way to the uppity 'Entertain Myself' to finish.
4 woos out of 5.
Saturday October 10
The Wesley Anne
They were never going to disappoint. The Triple J-found Sydney-siders, The Lucky Wonders did nothing but impress the handful of patrons that had the pleasure of watching them in Northcote on Sa
turday night.Hello Satellites started the evening utilising accordian, violin, electronica and a thongomophone to back up the incredible voice of lead singer Eva Popov - who delivered nothing short of an intense set of vocals to a crowd listening in stunned silence
The Lucky Wonders smack of The Waifs - a comparison I'm sure they're sick of - but at any rate - it sounded like the Waifs because the Waifs are amazing and I'm sure this is nothing but a good thing. Every song was easily accessible, sweet and accompanied by vocal melodies that took centre stage over the tried and true folk-pop chords ringing o
ut at the Wesley Anne.Every song was about love, coming home or leaving; Waifs. However, when wholesome songs are sung as sweetly as they were you wonder why the place wasn't packed out. Only a handful of punters were on hand to witness the Lucky Wonders begin a no-doubt stellar career playing Aussie festival circuits for the next 20 years.
The last two songs pre-the 11pm Wesley curfew were the two best songs of the night. Their foray into country was a welcome relief from the Waifs-esque folk-pop which gave way to the uppity 'Entertain Myself' to finish.
4 woos out of 5.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
CROWD NOT KWELLED!
Wednesday, October 6th 2009
Ben Kweller
Hi-Fi Bar
Sporting a 1985 North-West Arkansas Muscular Dystrophy Bass Tournament t-shirt, Ben Kweller brought his act and his severe cold to the Hi-Fi stage in Melbourne last night. Despite spraying his throat between songs to allow any kind of performance, he played with as much enthusiasm as anyone on cold meds could!
Delta Spirit heaped life upon the crowd early on with a Willie Nelson/Neil Young infused brand of country-tinged rock. The two roadies behind the band head-banged the entire set suggesting that the Americans were either a massive hit back home or that they wanted to be the cool guys who ‘liked them first’.
With bassist and drummer in-tow, Kweller arrived on the stage and the fans went from folded arms, to hands-in-their-pocket to hands-in-the-air within the first verse! Kweller had an amazingly deep friendship with his songs and every song, new and old, was a sing-a-long, pick me up, feel-good love-a-thon. It was like being at a Nirvana concert except the songs were poppy and everyone was smiling. Impromptu ditties such as Tylenol were brought to pay homage to his cold and his dislike for Qantas baggaging policy was harboured during his ‘Do-It’ song. 90 minutes and one encore, one Van Morrison and one BOYZ 2 MEN cover later, the crowd left whistling Toto by Africa as it rang through the house speakers – but it was satisfied whistling, after a 4 woo out of 5 performance by Ben Kweller.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Matt, Carr, Band, Pub
Sunday, October 3
Daylight saving, 25 degrees, an ideally located pub nestled in between Smith & Brunswick st; it had all the makings of 'standing room only gig', but unfortunately the Matt Carr Band played the Rainbow Hotel to me, the bartender and underused ashtrays on Sunday evening.
They say U2 played to three bartenders in their early days and the announcer introduced them as V2, thanks to the artsy font they had chosen and the fact that their anonyminity wasn't even cute yet - however, I don't think it will be the same Seabiscuit or Milo & Otis rags to riches fairytale end for the bluesy three-piece from Victoria.
Their songs were music to my ears, but unfortunately this was in the very literal sense. Their appeal layed in the fact that the drummer sang, the guitarist didn't and the bassist just loved taking the base-line 'for a walk' - but they just seem to hit the right and obvious note everytime for a blues outfit with seemingly more potential.
2 woos out of 5.
Daylight saving, 25 degrees, an ideally located pub nestled in between Smith & Brunswick st; it had all the makings of 'standing room only gig', but unfortunately the Matt Carr Band played the Rainbow Hotel to me, the bartender and underused ashtrays on Sunday evening.
They say U2 played to three bartenders in their early days and the announcer introduced them as V2, thanks to the artsy font they had chosen and the fact that their anonyminity wasn't even cute yet - however, I don't think it will be the same Seabiscuit or Milo & Otis rags to riches fairytale end for the bluesy three-piece from Victoria.
Their songs were music to my ears, but unfortunately this was in the very literal sense. Their appeal layed in the fact that the drummer sang, the guitarist didn't and the bassist just loved taking the base-line 'for a walk' - but they just seem to hit the right and obvious note everytime for a blues outfit with seemingly more potential.
2 woos out of 5.
Journal & Cello
Buskers will clearly frequent on this blog. Why? Because it counts. It's always nice to have a bit of a live music soundtrack to your life as you walk on by.
The last Tuesday of September saw a few of us enjoy a very humble young cellist playing out the front of Journal cafe in Flinders Lane. It's an artsy little hub and the cellist clearly knew many of the hepcats walking by as he intermittently stopped to chat.
For our visiting guest, it made Melbourne look like a marvellous community, and for that we were thankful.
The last Tuesday of September saw a few of us enjoy a very humble young cellist playing out the front of Journal cafe in Flinders Lane. It's an artsy little hub and the cellist clearly knew many of the hepcats walking by as he intermittently stopped to chat.
For our visiting guest, it made Melbourne look like a marvellous community, and for that we were thankful.
"No worries," says George
George McEncroe stood up and spoke at Bella Union tonight, but only after she sang, 'What a man, what a man,' along to her Salt'n'Peppa introductory track, especially for us! It was a sliver of live music, allowing us to proceed with this ridiculous premise.
George is a people's champion. And very funny too. She basically taught us to be zen. Her show is called 'The Care Factor' and is worth the trip to Lygon Street. The Age has described her as 'plenty clever'. We concur. See her before the end of the Fringe.
Info and tix here.
George is a people's champion. And very funny too. She basically taught us to be zen. Her show is called 'The Care Factor' and is worth the trip to Lygon Street. The Age has described her as 'plenty clever'. We concur. See her before the end of the Fringe.
Info and tix here.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Crowd Says No to De-Sal.
Who are you? Who am I? What are we doing here? Well, what we were doing there was watching Diesel, 44, shred seven cherished axes on stage at the Northcote Social Club.
The American born- sandgroper, but now east-coast stalwart, went Hans-solo on stage, letting his axes do all the talking. It smacked of a mid-life crisis on sticky carpet with NONE of your closest friends, as the very unknowledgeable Northcote crowd waited politely to the end of the set to hear Crying Shame. Prior to that, Diesel took us all on a chronological journey through his life of guitar purchases.
Diesel, sans the Injectors, with axe number one, White Fang, launched into two unfamiliar hits of repute as the incredulous Northcote crowd bayed for blood and/or Crying Shame. Dressed for a bogan’s wedding, Diesel then brought out the mandolin which would be the second axe he would shred as he launched into his first single 'Coming Home' which brought two or three more punters in the fray as they nodded to their girfriends with VB in hand, that 'yes - I know this one'.
An avid Ebay consumer, Diesel nee-Lizotte, dared the audience to dream unleashing a guitar solo on a '$12.50 Ebay Sunburst' purchase to shock the adoring crowd into a veritable stupor.
There was an 8th axed on stage that night, but sadly it was never ground, as the mathematically inconsistent Diesel worked his way through a Steve-Martin inspired banjo-induced rendition of Old Man. This was one of five covers that sparked the interest of punters, already VB-soaked, as he indulged in Hendrix, Redding and Baccharac on a series of guitars, laden with effects.
Diesel was 'on-song' all night, but it was the guitarist in us all that was the big winner as he shred his way to a 10 minute version of Crying Shame that involved a crowd clap along from the three people not drinking VB.
7 guitars, 7 avid fans at the NCS and 7,000 VBs sold and two incredibly happy bloggers went home with melted hearts despite the non-enthusiasm of the crowd.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Win, Lose or Draw?
Grand Final Day 2010 will go down in the annals as a bit blah. But enough about football.
Questions about Australian blues must be posed and pondered.
Whilst sitting at Jim's Greek Tavern and realising that my use of expletives was better suited to a hotel, combined with the fact that I had to find some live music within walking distance, my mate Nick kindly googled gigs in Fitzroy and discovered that Australian blues legend Chris Wilson was about to let forth at none other than, The Rainbow.
Clad in an Adidas sweatshirt, the kind Dads just shouldn't wear, Chris sat playing chords on a modest electric guitar. The way my brother did when he was learning eight carefully selected and compiled songs downloaded from tabsrus.com back in '98. He was accompanied by a competent drummer and it was just sort of a bit...well...blah. It's difficult to write this. Chris Wilson is a musical idol of mine; he's spiderman, and Live at the Continental was a constant in my life at one stage.
I remember once seeing him at the Cornish Arms and dancing fervently with fellow enthusiasts. We had such a roaring good time he announced after four or five encores that he would shout everyone a drink. He's a top bloke.
But GF Saturday was a different story. A fellow Rainbow punter was similarly underwhelmed and asked many of the questions I couldn't articulate through my whiskey haze, "Is he a classic blues man cashing in on a reputation? Underneath that reputation is he a desperate man hard on his luck paying his way? Is a guy like Chris Wilson falling out of the scene or has the scene fallen in on itself?"
These are questions bound to be revisited very soon on 365oflive. We welcome your thoughts too.
Anyway, the best and the worst of times can be had with Chris Wilson I suppose...and that's what the blues is all about.
I've also checked his schedule and he's playing around quite a bit at present, so it's only fair to organise a rematch. After all, he is the best harmonica player in Australia. Case in point: Chris Wilson plays harmonica @ The Rainbow.
Jess McAvoy blows up the Grid
Robert Hoddle laid down something Melbournians ought to be very proud of; how good is it when you're standing at Southern Cross station and someone from say, Adelaide, stops and asks you where Elizabeth St is and you can do the whole, "Well, it goes: SpencerKingWilliamQueenElizabethSwanstonRussellExhibitionSpring." It's just neat.
The City of Melbourne is currently at pains to liven up Hoddle's Grid with some free musical acts. They're bloody good names, but the problem might be that the Grid ain't that neat on closer inspection. If that same interstate visitor asks you where the Shanghai Dumpling Restaurant is, or worse still Yu-Y, you have to make your way to the banks of the Yarra for some sand mapping. Melbourne loves her alleyways, but sometimes things get lost.
The diminutive Jess McAvoy was somewhat lost in her Gig on the Grid performance for the Melbourne Music Festival. Did the City of Melbourne mean business when they positioned her in the forecourt of 120 Collins? It wasn't aided by the unseasonably cold LATE September evening either. Perhaps she was there for the corporate types as the lingered home from after work drinks? Didn't work. From what I could tell they'd all fastened their running shoes firmly to their hosed legs and were making for Parliament station much like ants for the Queen Bee.
As disappointing as it was to watch Jess's intended audience furtively glance her way before rushing home to the warmth, boy, it was a pleasure to sit there and listen to her (she's a songbird). She sang beautiful love songs and the mix was pretty good. It certainly took the edge off the glacial wind as it tunnelled past.
Jess plays again tonight between 7 and 8. Not at 120 Collins, thank goodness. Now where is she playing...Cohen Place...pop down to the Yarra and I'll scratch something in the sand. Or check out the Melbourne Music website.
Jess sings The Sailor
Jess sings Dynamite
The City of Melbourne is currently at pains to liven up Hoddle's Grid with some free musical acts. They're bloody good names, but the problem might be that the Grid ain't that neat on closer inspection. If that same interstate visitor asks you where the Shanghai Dumpling Restaurant is, or worse still Yu-Y, you have to make your way to the banks of the Yarra for some sand mapping. Melbourne loves her alleyways, but sometimes things get lost.
The diminutive Jess McAvoy was somewhat lost in her Gig on the Grid performance for the Melbourne Music Festival. Did the City of Melbourne mean business when they positioned her in the forecourt of 120 Collins? It wasn't aided by the unseasonably cold LATE September evening either. Perhaps she was there for the corporate types as the lingered home from after work drinks? Didn't work. From what I could tell they'd all fastened their running shoes firmly to their hosed legs and were making for Parliament station much like ants for the Queen Bee.
As disappointing as it was to watch Jess's intended audience furtively glance her way before rushing home to the warmth, boy, it was a pleasure to sit there and listen to her (she's a songbird). She sang beautiful love songs and the mix was pretty good. It certainly took the edge off the glacial wind as it tunnelled past.
Jess plays again tonight between 7 and 8. Not at 120 Collins, thank goodness. Now where is she playing...Cohen Place...pop down to the Yarra and I'll scratch something in the sand. Or check out the Melbourne Music website.
Jess sings The Sailor
Jess sings Dynamite
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