Wards Xpress CD Launch
Ross Ward performed at The Bald Rock Hotel last night, and what a great show it was too. With a band that includes Martin Davidson on sax, Al Britton on bass, Bruce Stephens on drums – the tavern was tanked with teachers. More photos here of the Launch of Wards Xpress CD "Five Lanes". As [...]
Big Rock at Bald Faced Stag
Fabulous line up at the recording of the Big Rock Show, including the Jim Finn Band below. This was basically the "Chris Turner & Friends Show". Chris has a star studded history with his time at Buffalo, Rose Tattoo and The Blues Pirates. More photos of each performance in these albums : Adam Carl Stephens [...]
Interview with Ross Ward of Wards XPress
By John Snelson Ross Ward, solo artist and leader of Ward’s Xpress, chats on the fireshot ‘phone to John Snelson about playing with some of the great musicians of our times. I first saw you on stage at The Sydney Blues Festival – with Nathan from The Driving Conditions. I think the photo I took [...]
Eddi Reader in Camelot
Doesn’t everyone know “Perfect” by Eddi Reader and her band, Fairground Attraction ? Unforgivingly Caledonian, her voice is as enchantingly och aye as it was in 1988. She put on a top show at The Camelot Lounge in Sydney last night. The Camelot Lounge – now this is some joint. Full of bric a brac, [...]
Hoodoo Gurus on the Get Shot Thunder ‘Phone
By John Snelson Brad Shepherd of The Hoodoo Gurus took time out to talk to John Snelson about life as a main-attraction, tour curator. The Hoodoo Gurus have been together a long time. What difference have the changes in technology over the last 30 years meant to the music ? Yes indeed. Dave [...]
Songs That Changed The World
My friend Max has started me thinking, which he often does. He sent me a link to a video that is quite astounding in its depth, beauty and gravitas. It features Jonathan Michael Richman and his band, “The Modern Lovers” and their classic “Egyptian Reggae“. If you have taken your heart pills, take a look. [...]
Cranberries
Dolores O'Riordan's distinctive voice yodels as richly {sic} as a Canadian Limerick. Her stage presence, voice and duets with the backup vocaliste are The Cranberries. The band tries hard to make themselves look indispensable, and maybe they are (well done lads – Noel Hogan, lead and rhythm guitar, Michael Hogan, bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals [...]
Darker Half – Priceless Metal
I admit that I had a built in abhorrence of metal .. mainly because I didn't understand it, couldn't follow the chord sequence and didn't think it had any skill, creativity or art about it. I have changed my mind. I have just seen a performance by Darker Half. This is a good band by [...]
Dragonsclaw – Pure Metal
Power band Dragonsclaw puts on a molten metal show. Metal is meant to look demonic. It draws a lot of energy and demands a hot theatrical stage presence to make it nice and shiny. It must have the right mix of technology and talent to produce an alloy that is fit for purpose. The artists [...]
Taberah Lights Up The Sando
Taberah I think means fire or burning and is one of the locations at which, according to the Book of Numbers, the Israelites passed through during their Exodus journey. The lads set The Sando on fire alright and no doubt those other joints in Canberra and the 'Gong .. as they passed through – and [...]
Hell Down Under Tour
Steve Grimmett hit the salubrious salons of The Sando in Sydney on Saturday, coming off a very special first visit to Australia via Canberra and Wollongong – hell down under alright. A select audience of knowledgeable, hairy, tattoo’d, black-shirted head-banging enthusiasts witnessed a great performance by the legendary lead singer of Grim Reaper, Onslaught, Lionsheart [...]
Steve Grimmett at The Sando {Pre Performance}
Steve Grimmett appeared at The Sando last night – before the performance there was a "Meet & Greet" and signing session for special fans – followed by the soundcheck and a few shots with the band (Paindivision) and show crew. If anyone would like a copy of these images, please let me know. [...]
Eddi Reader – Miss Perfect
I have long been an admirer of Eddi Reader and her singing ever since I heard her first record with Fairground Attraction. If you have a pulse, you will know this song and the soaring, beautiful voice on “Perfect” {click that link and you will hear and see what I mean}. The recording became a UK number [...]
Eric Bibb – Troubadour
Down in The Basement, a favourite haunt of Eric Bibb, on this trip accompanied by his friend from Stockholm on a beautiful Telecaster, Staffan Astner. Staffan is a cool dude, played with Ray Charles, Ian Hunter, Celine Dion, Kim Richey, Roxette and many others – a master of the echo, gain, feedback and delay [...]
Clear As Krystle
Krystle Warren's voice rings out as clear crystal – or as a bell maybe. From Spencer, Missouri via Paris and a few Manhattan subways, Krystle Warren has that hobowaif-to-success type of story. At one extreme she has been surrounded by hordes of professional and unsympathetic producers and tinpan alley wasters – and at the other [...]
