fbpx
loader

Melbourne

Post Image
Gig ReviewsReviews
April 5, 2023
Daron Jacks

[Review] The Counting Crows @ Palais Theatre, Melbourne 03/04/2023

Review By Daron Jacks

I had no expectations about seeing the Counting Crows live, I simply had no idea what to expect.

Like many, I was a Mr Jones Crows fan. There was hardly a household in the ‘90s that didn’t have a copy of August And Everything After in their CD player. Remember those old things?

But that was 30 years ago and having flogged the CD it soon gathered dust on the shelf like so many other great albums before and after them.

Sure, I enjoyed their cover of Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi, but I never really stuck with the Counting Crows. And after taking in two hours of their live show at the Palais, I now regret not soaking up the next three decades of their discography.

But I will now.

Checking out the audience filing into any gig usually gives you an understanding of the longevity of the band, and type of fan. So, seeing plenty of middle-aged Melbourne making their way to a seat was guaranteed, but many twenty and thirty somethings were also there.

Maybe they grew up with their parents flogging that fantastic debut album way back when, but their enthusiasm for the later songs only reinforced the Crows have been prolific and no less bloody good musos for many years and counting (pun intended!).

Frank Turner (playing solo without his Sleeping Souls band) warmed up the audience and detailed his 35-year love-hate relationship with his father and the unexpected reconciliation when angry dad came out as transwoman Miranda, hence his song Miranda was a standout.

Counting Crows opened with Hard Candy and quickly got Mr Jones out of the way. It set a tone for songs given some improvisation and not a rigid replay of the recorded version.

Lead singer Adam Duritz entertains with his engaging banter and clear humility, so much so the sold-out Palais felt like and intimate venue.

Colorblind and Omaha soon followed, and a cover of Teenage Fanclub’s Start Again. Big Yellow Taxi got the audience up, but Duritz brought it down with Miami, his story of breaking up with a girlfriend on tour, but not telling her yet.

As the Crows meandered through their albums showcasing their musicianship and storytelling, my wife summed it up perfectly as she leaned in and whispered, “I feel Like I’m at a musical”.

And it did. Stories that touched the heart with sadness and happiness, and the relaxed nature with which each song was delivered by Durtiz talking to the audience.

Rain King once again got bums off seats and for more singing and an encore of Hanginaround and Holiday in Spain closed out two hours on stage.

The Counting Crows are so much more than Mr Jones. They are worth every cent to see live and while it may have taken 30 years to break that cherry, I now have 30 years of songs to explore, and based on their enthusiasm on this Butter Miracle Tour, there’s bound to be more to come.

They still have one show left in Melbourne at Hamer Hall this Thursday before heading to Sydney, so don’t walk, run to snap up these tickets.  Easter just got a whole lot better.

You can still catch COUNTING CROWS at the following dates:

April 6th – Hamer Hall, Melbourne

April 9th – Enmore Theatre, Sydney

Arpil 11th – Enmore Theatre, Sydney 

Tickets available here

Read More
Post Image
Gig ReviewsReviews
April 5, 2023
Nikki Eenink

[Review] Ashnikko @ Northcote Theatre, Melbourne 01/04/2023

Review By Nikki Eenick

I went into Ashnikko’s show at Northcote Theatre a casual listener. I’ve left a full convert to the blue-haired, bisexual, psychedelic way of life.

While we wait in the cloaking room and wander to the bar, we are stars in an early-2000s teen movie; soundtrack courtesy of support act, Donatachi. Blasting DJ-mixes of iconic 1990s, 2000s and 2010s bangers like TLC’s No Scrubs, Destiny’s Child classic Bills, Bills, Bills as well as upbeat, poppy, and undeniably fun original tracks like b2b heartbeat. Donatachi has such a cute aesthetic; something straight out of Scott Pilgrim VS. The World, which elevates their hyperpop track-list to new levels of camp. Feeling down? At a picnic? Visiting Nan? Put on some Donatachi and watch all the bad vibes wash away.

The stage is framed by two pieces of floor-to-ceiling inflatable coral, and a projection screen at the back, humming with a pink hue as we wait excitedly for our headliner; Queer, hyperpop icon Ashnikko, to take the stage. This is her first Australian tour, and her fans are overjoyed. At first, we are standing on the upper-level of the venue, casually taking in the anticipatory energy, but as soon as she takes the stage, we run down to be in the crowd of people on the ground-floor. Her energy is infectious, it would be such a waste to not be dancing and jostling and scream-singing with everyone else.

Starting with Deal With It, her energy is already a 10/10. Wearing a tiny plaid mini skirt yet somehow still high-kicking and rolling on the floor, she has perfectly mastered the balance between athletic performance and sex-appeal. Distorted memes flashing on the projector screen behind her remind us of why she is such a Gen Z icon. Throughout the show, however, she’ll use that same screen for visuals of a porcelain doll version of herself being eaten alive by cockroaches, of Italian-neo-noir-horror-esque sequences of her removing her own porcelain face, of falling stars and rainfall. She is so authentically herself and the screen acts as a window into her mind.

Ashnikko loves to talk to her audience, and we are hooked on every word, every syllable. In one of her talks, she reminds us of the importance of a balanced diet. “I’ve eaten so many mushrooms the last few years”. Her crowd loves her, throughout the show there are countless bracelets, bras and crocheted mushrooms thrown on stage. “You guys are trying to kill me” she laughs, nearly sliding on a bracelet mid-song. Someone else holds up their sign – “Is that my tits?! Nice!”. Unfazed, confident, and impossible to dull, Ashnikko is serving herself on a platter for us. And it’s such a tasty main meal (sans shrooms). The coral on either side of the stage starts to inflate and deflate, I feel like I’m tripping. She has us locked in a pseudo-psychedelic trance.

“Is anyone having a slumber party tonight?” She asks, innocently. A crowd of voices start cheering. Never have I heard a song as unabashedly about female pleasure, Queer female pleasure, as Slumber Party. Potentially Ashnikko’s biggest hit, everyone in that room knows every word. Originally, a collaboration with Princess Nokia, instead of cutting the verse out of her song, Ashnikko fully embraces the in-your-face sexuality of the track and drops down to the floor, seductively dancing until it’s her time to sing again and she jumps to her feet and is back to that same, semi-manic, fully engrossing stage presence. As the song ends, me and my friend make friends with the people next to us. All of us standing with our feet together and fingers together in a “shy girl” pose (those who get it, get it). We all say the last few lines together.

I’m shy…. I’m so shy….

And then we smirk at each other, like it’s an inside joke, and go back to our singalong.

Ashnikko is openly and proudly bisexual, and the lighting for her show flashes in the colours of the bisexual flag (pink, purple and blue) throughout the entire night. I’m surrounded by a sea of women, many of them there with their female lover. It’s a night of inclusivity, unashamed sexuality, and a celebration of Queerness.

Maybe my favourite performance of the night was her rendition of Maggots. Before it starts, she gets us to scream, as loud and as angrily as we can. “My housemates used to ban me to one scream a day. Now it’s time for yours”. This track has a punkier edge than many of her other songs and it’s great to see her mixing camp and extravagance with a tougher, don’t-fuck-with-me, yelling edge. She is a force to be reckoned with. The room is lit up with flashing blue lights and the projection screen looks like it’s covered in eyes, but it’s hard to tell over the swarm of people moshing and jumping around in front of me.

But, without a doubt, the highlight of the night is Cry. It’s just such an undeniable banger. Every line, I find myself nodding. She just gets it. I really can’t find the words to describe how fucking unreal this song was live. Her vocals live were outdoing her vocals on the recording. She would be jumping around, dancing in the red strobe light, and then screaming, somehow in perfect, angelic tones:

Bitch! / Are you trying to make me cry? / Are you trying to make me lose it? / You win some and lose some / This could get gruesome

There’s not a single person in that room who isn’t screaming along. Even those of us who half-knew the words, suddenly knew every word. The energy for those 3 minutes could fuel me for the rest of my life. So fun. So cathartic. I wish I had the words to describe it to you.

As a break from the track, she sits us down for an anecdote. “One day, like two years ago, I was walking through the woods tripping balls. I wasn’t wearing shoes and I felt my feet becoming the moss, and I fell asleep at the base of this tree. At the top were two beautiful, winged creatures and they said ‘bitch, what the fuck are you doing?’ and I said, ‘I’m decomposing, let me decompose!’ and then they said, ‘ok but kiss me on the lips first’. And so, I did. Then these tendrils of moss came out of them, and I said ‘oh! I have a gay little album to write. And so, I did. And it comes out on Tuesday! After my experience with the moss-feet, I realised, nothing matters. The world is burning, and I have worms in my brains.” And then she launches immediately into Worms. We are laughing and trying to sing along. She’s so eclectic and deeply authentic, it’s almost impressive.

Then she pulls out a chair and says “Now I need something from you guys”. I was fully expecting someone in the front row to get a lap-dance. But no. “The chair is out, and it’s time to slow things down a little. I do a little…. Exercise, a little self-love, a little…. guided mediation thing. If you could just lean into it. Close your eyes for a second”.

We do.

“Imagine a real bioluminescent blue cloud.”

I see a cloud the same colour as Ashnikko’s electric-blue hair.

“It’s so beautiful, and you feel it travelling down to your fingertips and there’s this blue electricity coming out. It’s soft, and it doesn’t hurt. Give your head and your abdomen a hug, and repeat after me:

Hello my love
(Hello my love. My headache I didn’t know I had is being soothed by blue light)
I’m proud of you. Nobody is perfect. We are on a floating rock in space. I love you, baby”
Amen. Everyone is a little teary and a lot rejuvenated.

Ashnikko spends the rest of her time either acapella rapping songs like Manners. Or letting us into the world of Ashton Nicole Casey. After an audience member collapses, she stops entirely to make sure they’re ok. “I’m a really claustrophic person, so I am so thankful you’re all here today. I hate being crowded – and that’s on PTSD.” And then later, after being forced to do the Australian right-of-passage; The Shooey. She not only gags and makes a joke about a fungal infection, but goes on to say “I should be sponsored by pepto bismol, if my gut could be anthropomorphised it would be a very sad peace sign. Any IBS girls here? Any Spooky Bitches?” After which the stage goes black and red and we launch into You Make Me Sick!

Finishing with Daisy, a TikTok viral sensation. She cuts herself off halfway through the first verse. “Come on. This is Australia. You guys are meant to be the rowdiest crowds in. the. world. And that’s all you’ve got? Let’s go again. Like you mean it this time.” And we give it all we can. After which she says thank you, and it’s genuinely sad to see her go, like saying goodbye to that friend you rarely see, but when you see them it’s like no time has passed. And as soon as she’s off, the house lights come up. No encore. No more. That’s it.

We are left begging for more. Smiling ear to ear and laughing with the people around us. I have never had so much fun at the back of such a sweaty theatre.

Read More
Post Image
Gig ReviewsReviews
March 31, 2023
STM

[Review] Ice Cube @ Brisbane Entertainment Center, Brisbane 28/03/23

Review By Elizabeth Sharpe

With this legendary line up of unmistakable hip hop superstars, this was always going to be a night to remember!  Not going to lie; I parked, got out of my car, and already had an unmistakable scent wafting my way – this only got more intense as I approached the gates of the venue.  One thing was for sure – despite the heavy security presence and the venue staff’s obvious concerns, this event was deemed 420-friendly by the punters.  DJ Total Eclipse of New York's The X-Ecutioners was on stage warming up the eager crowd as I entered the auditorium.  He’s a legend and definitely the perfect hype-man for such a night!

The Game’s inclusion on this line up was cancelled sadly due to visa issues, however a perfect replacement Australian support was announced soon after – A.B. Original!  As the first support act of the evening, A.B. Original, comprised of rapper, Briggs and his emcee counterpart, Trials – in my opinion, are THE indigenous force to be reckoned with!  I’ve always held a strong belief that those who think music and politics shouldn’t mix are kidding themselves and I love and respect that A.B. Original are often at the forefront of some of the nation’s most critical cultural discourse, emulated throughout the bangers performed during this set. Much to the crowd's delight we heard the likes of Bad Apples, January 26, 2 Black 2 Strong, and the latest catchy track, King Billy Cokebottle.  Refreshingly and unapologetically forward with both their lyrical content and their hard hitting bass-enforced stage presence. I’ve seen them rock a few stages now and will never grow tired of watching their high energy sets.

This is the first time ever that I’m seeing Cypress Hill live and I can’t tell you how excited I am for them to step out on stage.  I have high (pun not intended) hopes and the nostalgic feels have got me buzzin’ (pun also not intended!) Eric Bobo gets up of stage first and takes his place behind the drums which are laden with appropriate greenery. Sen Dog and B-Real burst out and they get straight into it with a medley of favourites including the iconic I Wanna Get High and Hits From the Bong.  B-Real is very fittingly smoking one of the fattest joints I’ve seen since my late teens, a time when uncoincidentally Cypress Hill were often the soundtrack for some crazy fun times.

Seemingly from out of nowhere, a giant inflatable spliff begins bouncing throughout the crowd. The light-heartedness and comedic value of this is more than appreciated by the crowd as to is the fact that the set list chock full of quintessential stoner hip hop jam.  They bring out all our favourites like When the Shit Goes Down and Rock Superstar and then close out their dynamic set with the 1993 hit, Insane In The Brain.

While Cypress Hill could have easily been the headliner tonight, that pleasure is afforded to the one and only Ice Cube.  Imagery begins to roll up on the big screen and the spoken word lyrics of What Is A Pyroclastic Flow? begin to play…

“What's the definition of a pyroclastic flow
That's what happens when a volcano blow
That's what happens when Ice Cube starts to flow
Red hot lava mixed with saliva
Pulverising everything in its wake
Nothing can survive a pyroclastic flow
And no one will survive this one.”

Way to set the scene!! Ice Cube explodes into the arena with Natural Born Killaz with exactly the level of attitude you would expect from one of hip hop’s ultimate supremes. After Hello, he takes a moment to acknowledge the audience – “I really appreciate you all coming out tonight. Some people might say that Ice Cube hasn’t “got it” any more. To those that say that…YOU BETTER CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF!” Classic segue into Check Yo Self!

Ice Cube proclaims (many times throughout the set) that this is the “loudest mother fucken crowd in Australia” – while this could be a crowd-appeasing statement for them, I’d easily say that it’s the loudest crowd I’ve ever experienced at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for sure! And when they say this show is sold out, they mean it – not a single seat is spared!  They’ve even opened up sections I sometimes see blocked off and unused.  It’s nuts!

There’s a decent amount of Ice Cube taking the time out for acknowledgement of the crowd throughout his set and audience engagement is at 110%.  At a few points every single person is throwing up their “W’s”, especially for Gangsta Nation, and the comradery is palpable.

After Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It, “We’re gonna start hitting the serious stuff so if you got a bad heart or gangsta shit makes you nervous – you better hit the exits right now.” By this, Ice Cube means the likes of Straight Outta Compton, after which he recalls fond memories of working alongside Dr Dre and Easy E (RIP) “sets the record straight” about his split from N.W.A. To throw a bit of humour in he transitions into No Vaseline – the original diss track! 

He closes out the epic set with the suitable It Was A Good Day.  You’re damn right it was!  Ice Cube is ageless and his name is unquestionably synonymous with the hip hop genre itself.  This live show, indeed the entire line up, was entertainment plus and gave more than the face value of tickets.  I wouldn’t hesitate to see this legend again… and again.

Read More
Post Image
Gig ReviewsReviews
March 29, 2023
Emily White

[Review] Pentatonix @ Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne 26/03/2023

Review By Emily White

The beauty of traditional a cappella bands is something so rarely seen in the modern music landscape, so to have the world renowned, Grammy Award winning quintet, Pentatonix grace Aussie shores this week was an absolute treat. Pentatonix: The World Tour gives fans of the band a chance to hear their favourite pop style arrangements and vocal harmonies live – and they did not disappoint.

Warming up the crowd, a gorgeous young woman made her way to a standalone mic. The breakout artist Bella Taylor Smith, winner of the 10th season of the Voice Australia, is a pop-folk singer-songwriter whose vocals can only be described as angelic. Bella is so beautifully humble in her performance style – directly asking permission of the crowd for her to ‘sing (you) a few songs’. Typically, pop singers will hold back their highest, most impressive notes for the peak of a song, but when Bella came out with her first track belting out a range not far from the vocals of Beyoncé – we could tell we were in for a treat.

Accompanied by her husband Josh on acoustic guitar, Bella took the audience on a journey, from her time on The Voice, to her strong faith, and recent marriage. Bella is a familiar character, whose stories are told so passionately on stage particularly through her natural movement and comfortable stage presence.

Performing her winner’s single from The Voice, Higher, Bella stood self-harmonising under a single spotlight. Although simplistic in its design, this set could be mistaken for a fully-produced album – with the acoustic guitar feeling as well rounded as an entire band. A sure highlight of the performance was an exquisite cover of Ave Maria by Beyoncé; the singer’s blind audition track which changed her life in an instant. Spine tingling and pure magic, this song truly showcases all that Bella has to offer – hitting whistle tones that felt as though they stopped time for a second.

Bella’s set boasted so many highlights for a thirty-minute act. Covering songs by the great Elton John and Cyndi Lauper, as well as introducing her new single A Long Time Coming, the audience was left clapping and cheering in unison, the perfect way to lead into welcoming the world’s most famous a cappella band.

The stage went dark as the word ‘Music’ flickered on and off. Going into this show, my only real exposure to a cappella extended to the 2012 film Pitch Perfect, and for anyone else in the same boat as me, we were about to have our minds blown by the pure magic of Pentatonix.

Reimagining and redefining a cappella… it was impossible not to feel full body shivers listening to the angelic hums and melodic choir as the group burst onto the stage with their original pop single Sing. The band consisting of members Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoving, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola and Matt Sallee has a way of being so individually unique and diverse, whilst also perfectly complimenting each other both visually and vocally.

It was impossible to look away from the stage, with the two-hour set being so high energy, brightly coloured, and almost childlike in the best way. The beautifully designed, clean geometric lines of the stage complimenting the bold colours of the costuming, then paired with tight choreography gives the band an early 2000’s feel. The glossy, Vegas-style showmanship is such a unique way of breathing new life into already established pop hits – steering Pentatonix away from simply being a cover band.

Na Na Na is another of the group’s hits, which had the audience becoming a part of the band so seamlessly, just as if the songs had been written for the stage. Showcasing the full range of tight harmonies and crystal-clear beats, the instrumentation of their voices could easily be mistaken for a five-piece band.

A recurring item in the show was the connection of light with movement. Having such high-production value was hypnotic for the crowd, whose eyes were glued to the stage. The same could be said for what was arguably the highlight of the show – the group’s cover of The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel. There are no words to describe how beautiful this song is, which was only taken to a new high by the deeply layered vocals. The lyrics could be felt by all who were present; the arena so silent you could hear a pin drop.

The balanced mix between covers and originals was a great way of keeping the show fresh. The band’s original song Love Me When I Don’t was one of these moments where we were able to hear music so refreshing – filled with gorgeous uplifting lyrics about love and friendship, ‘you always know how to love me when I don’t’. This part of the night also made the stadium into a choir of its own, with different sections of the seating bank being directed to sing a particular note. After this, I’m sure anyone who hasn’t heard the band’s original music will be desperate to hear their albums from start to end.

A very special moment of the night was when the band decided to film a video for their TikTok, rehearsing the crowd’s harmonies and phone light choreography to Beyoncé’s Ave Maria, which saw Bella Taylor Smith return to the stage. The fourth wall is truly non-existent at a Pentatonix concert – with everyone present being just as integral to the show as the core band members.

Taking a short break from the a capella, the group’s beatboxer Kevin graced the crowd with a solo act, showcasing his unbelievable ‘Celloboxing’. Rearranging classical pieces of music including Beethoven's fifth and Bach’s Cello Suite no.1 in G major, the music was stunning and unlike anything I’d heard before – which the crowd obviously agreed with as the short set was met with a standing ovation.

When you’d think the best had past, Pentatonix was the gift that kept on giving. Changing into more mellow, monochrome costumes, the cello stayed put as the band moved into an a capella cover of Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Matched with angelic harmonies and sweeping golden spotlights, this was an absolute masterpiece. On a similar note, the band’s cover of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen silenced the venue. This kind of music is something that would be expected at the gates of heaven, but we were lucky enough to witness on a Sunday night in Melbourne.

The final seven minutes of the show were filled as any seven-minute finale should be – with Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. One final reminder of the pure talent of the band, and their ability to imitate any instrument at all. The music of Pentatonix is so sublime, it transcends age, race and religion – pulling in mixed crowds from all over the world. The last twelve years has been so unbelievably successful, but I would be willing to place a bet that this is just the beginning.

Read More