Raised by Eagles. ABC/Universal. 20 Jun 2017
I have to admit, I’d not really heard of Melbourne band Raised By Eagles until this album came across my desk. Admittedly, I tend to have pretty eclectic musical tastes, varying from metal to grunge to world music to jazz and blues, but once I’d given these guys a couple of listens, it was clear that they were deserving of my attention despite being a departure from my usual musical pursuits.
The band has won many accolades and has a couple of successful albums under their belts already, with their latest offering, I Must Be Somewhere, their first on a major label. It is sure to take them to new heights.
Often described as an ‘Americana’ band - which is really just a fancy way of saying they’re a folk band (what’s wrong with that label anyway?) - after giving I Must Be Somewhere a listen, it’s clear that there’s a lot more to these guys than just being a folk band. There’s certainly some strong Americana influences here, with clean vocal melodies, smooth guitar driving things along, and an acoustic, but there’s more depth here too, with a bit of blues, elements of country, and even melodic rock. There are times I’m reminded of a modern reincarnation of Things Of Stone and Wood, or a simpler take on Dave Matthews, and even a little bit of Creedence too.
It’s all very easy on the ears, and has loads of appeal regardless of a listener’s musical prejudices. I guess that’s a testament to the talent of these guys, being able to create a sense of appeal regardless of where you’re coming from. That puts I Must Be Somewhere in a very special place indeed!
Luke Balzan
Raised By Eagles is Luke Sinclair, Nick O’Mara, Luke Richardson, and Johnny Gibson.
Track Listing:
1. Shape & Line
2. Every Night
3. I Must Be Somewhere
4. Nowhere (You Wanna Run)
5. Heartbreaker
6. Night Wheels
7. Every Day, Every Day
8. Dreamer
9. Gold Rush Blues
10. By Now
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Town Hall. 31 Mar 2017
Silver and Gold was the first in the ASO’s Master Series for 2017, and it showcased three composers who made for interesting (programming) bedfellows: Johan Strauss II (Emperor Waltz, Op.437), Erich Korngold (Violin Concerto in D, Op.35), and Johannes Brahms (Symphony No.2 in D, Op.73). Strauss and Brahms were contemporaries of each other, but their music couldn’t be more different. They both died towards the end of the 19th century when Korngold was born, and his music was different again.
Despite the diversity of the programme, a common feature was intense and immensely gratifying melody which was expertly wrought from the mighty ASO by English guest conductor Mark Wigglesworth. The audience warmed to Wigglesworth from the very first bars of the Strauss and heads could be seen bobbing throughout the Adelaide Town Hall in time to Wigglesworth’s three-four beating that only yielded occasionally to the schmaltzy parts of the composition.
One has never before heard Korngold’s Violin Concerto, and probably like many other concertgoers, is more familiar with Korngold’s film scores, such as his Academy Award nominated score The Sea Hawk. Composed in 1945, and first performed in 1947 by Jascha Heifetz, the violin concerto was dedicated to Alma Mahler, the widow of the great Gustav Mahler, who had done so much to encourage him as a child prodigy. It begins immediately with the violin and soon quotes from Korngold’s earlier film scores Another Dawn and Juarez. Akiko Suwanai was the soloist and beautifully handled the luscious and lyrical melodies.
Wigglesworth and the ASO avoided mawkishness in their disciplined yet emotional reading of Brahm’s second symphony. The performance was unfussed and the lyrical moments seemed to evolve and emerge rather than being declaimed.
The large audience left very satisfied and was humming numerous tunes.
Kym Clayton
When: 31 Mar
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: Closed
Melbourne Ska Orchestra. The Gov. 26 Mar 2017
I have been a fan of Nicky Bomba for many years now, and I’m always impressed with what this finest of musical geniuses turns his hand to. Generally, he likes to dwell in the realms of reggae, and over many years, he’s become quite adept at bringing all sorts of reggae-esque sounds to the fore.
From his days in Bomba, playing a mix of roots reggae, rock steady and more (as an aside, it’s interesting to note that a Bomba gig was the first musical show I took my now wife to way back when we first met!) to the calypso sounds of Bustamento (who are playing in Adelaide on Good Friday at the Blenheim Festival in Clare) to the current massive international ska sounds of the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, I’ve been a dedicated fan of Nicky and his music. A lot of the time, I’ve waved the flag in a relatively lonely room, but I am very pleased to note that with the MSO, Nicky seems to have found something that not only showcases his many talents, but has found favour with plenty of others. And if tonight’s show at the Gov is anything to go by, he has many fans indeed; the place is packed!
It is an extraordinarily humid evening in Adelaide, after a sweltering day, and despite the oppressive dense wet air it’s a perfect setting for music inspired by the Caribbean. The Melbourne Ska Orchestra introduced the concept of the Ska-BQ, showcasing a few local acts (Lucky Seven, Fistful of Trojans and Babylon Burning) during the afternoon before taking to the stage as evening broke, and while I was unable to make it to the earlier acts I arrive just as Nicky and his 20-strong band are taking the stage.
It is hot, I am tired, and the place is packed, but as soon as those horns fire up, one cannot help but dance and the energy flows all night! With a sizable horns and percussion section making up the left and right arms of the band, together with more usual suspects on guitar, bass, drums and keys, Nicky finds himself out the front on vocals and most importantly, tying everything together. He’s a true leader, and has fantastic musical prowess, interjecting and interplaying with different parts of the orchestra throughout, adding in ad-libbed breaks, interludes, calling on improv solos, and more. He’s a real master, and feeds on the audience vibe to ensure things are always running at 110 percent.
Musically speaking, the MSO (obviously) plays ska, but they also show that there’s a whole lot to the genre; much more than a retro punk-esque UK thing or an old-school Jamaican thing. Those aspects are there, and they take a dominant position of course, but there’s a whole lot more too. There are funk aspects, forays into different reggae styles like roots, dub or rocksteady, even bordering on doo wop, Latin jazz, elements of blues and rock, and the wistful sounds of calypso is embodied in the sound of the steel drums.
There’s a good mix of familiar and original tunes too, with covers like the Get Smart theme or the odd Madness tune sitting alongside some of Nicky’s originals. Tunes like Lygon St Meltdown, Sly Boots, and Escher go down just as well as any of the covers, and having the orchestra on stage gives so much flexibility for taking things to all kinds of places. Everyone gets their moment to shine too, which makes for lots of solos and lots of fun! There is a prize giveaway for best dancer and best dressed, with a 77-year-old dude named Lionel taking out one of the gongs, and getting up on stage, while Nicky free-styles a ska tune to him before he takes the mic and starts a ska version of Heartbreak Hotel; unplanned, but very awesome!
All good things must come to an end, and as usual, Nicky laments the difficulty of getting the whole band off the stage and back on again for an encore. But the crowd are not content to let the MSO slip away so easily, so Nicky entices the crew to make their way out, and forms a conga line through the audience, culminating behind the main bar, where Nicky proceeds to show off his drumming prowess by playing whisky bottles, ice buckets, beer taps, wine glasses, and even the ceiling!
The whole band weave their way back to the stage for a final blast of ska goodness, and then it’s stumps. As expected, the Melbourne Ska Orchestra play their hearts out, and the crowd laps it up. What a fantastic experience!
Luke Balzan
When: 26 Mar
Where: The Governor Hindmarsh (The Gov)
Bookings: Closed
Third Stone. The Gov. 24 Mar 2017
In general, I don’t do reviews of cover bands, since it’s too easy to be swayed by the excitement of the music that you love (that’s being covered) rather than observing the music for itself, and in my mind at least, it detracts a little from those making original music. However, in the case of Third Stone, I’ll make an exception, partly because this is not an ordinary cover band, and partly because there is some extraordinary talent to behold.
Admittedly, I’ve been a fan of these guys for quite some time, having first come across the guitarist Jimmy (as opposed to Jimi) almost 20 years ago. I was completely blown away by the virtuosic talent I saw. It was in original band The Loving Tongue (which still exists today, though live shows are a rarity!) that I first fell in love with this dude’s sound, and I’ve followed him through a variety of projects he’s had in Adelaide and beyond ever since. I guess you could say I’m something of a groupie, but I don’t mind that when the music is so good.
Needless to say, Jimmy is a fan of his famous ’60s namesake, and Third Stone pays tribute to the music of Jimi Hendrix by pulling together a bunch of his tunes into a spectacular show. Now, a lot of cover bands try to emulate the band they’re covering to varying degrees, with costumes, personas, and all manner of gimmick, and that’s cool if that’s what you’re into, but Third Stone have always stood apart from that, as there’s no dress-ups, no pretending to be Jimi, Mitch and Noel, and not even a note-for-note reproduction of their music. Theirs is a tribute in the humblest of fashion, played by an artist who is actually up to the task. I’ve seen them many times before, and know what I’m in for; tonight at the Gov is no exception to their usual excellence.
Third Stone, comprising guitarist, Jimmy, his brother, Tom on bass and drummer, Adrian play a bunch of big Hendrix tunes including Hey Joe, Wind Cries Mary, Voodoo Chile, and the like, but they also indulge in a few lesser known tunes, like Machine Gun (one of my favourites), Fire, or Third Stone From The Sun, making a Third Stone show something for both the casual fan as well as the hard-core Hendrix aficionado. The soloing throughout is amazing, with a rousing version of Red House really taking things up a notch or three and showcasing the talent of the guitarist.
Interestingly, towards the end of the show, and in Hendrix style, there is a rendition of a national anthem, but unlike Hendrix, who would always give a psychedelic rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, Third Stone pay homage to their Australian home with a bit of Advance Australia Fair (so much cooler than the canned versions they sing at the footy!), and break into some Purple Haze to round things out perfectly.
Third Stone managed to impress me as they always do, reminding me why I’m such a fan. Awesome show!
Luke Balzan
When: 24 Mar
Where: The Governor Hindmarsh (The Gov)
Bookings: Closed
Adelaide Wind Orchestra. Concordia College. 19 Mar 2017
Unable to be seen in the wings, somebody not from Price Waterhouse Coopers handed a bunch of envelopes to MC Mark Oates, and AWO at the Oscars was off and running!
With perfect diction and a clear, mellifluous voice, Oates announced over the course of the evening that the nominations were, Pinocchio, An American in Paris, Out of Africa, Wizard of Oz, Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ben Hur, Dr No, Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, Skyfall, The Spy Who Loved Me, Jaws and ET.
Piece by piece, maestro Timothy Frahn kept a firm rein and put the Adelaide Wind Orchestra through its paces. Phrasing and articulation was tight, aural balance was pleasing, and almost without exception the large ensemble pitched well; the exception being the use of the xylophone in Skyfall. The arrangements were pleasing and evoked the character and atmosphere of their respective films. George Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Miklós Rózs’s Parade of the Charioteers from Ben Hur were particularly fine orchestrations and allowed the talented AWO to truly show its colors.
A highlight of the concert was Oates singing the theme song from the 2012 James bond film Skyfall. Oates is a classically trained singer who is as comfortable with grand opera as he is with jazz. Originally made famous by British singer Adele, who was recently performing in Adelaide, Skyfall is dark and moody and with a gentle vibrato and resonant intonation, Oates soared its heights and plumbed its depths. Earlier in the concert he sang Somewhere over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz and beautifully handled the song’s tender moments.
Of course it wouldn’t be the Oscars without a glitch, and at the end of the first half of the concert, Oates did try to move straight into the second half without an interval, but the AWO wouldn’t have any of that!
And so, the winner was?
The Adelaide Wind Orchestra of course!
Having lost a few of their more experienced members, the AWO is a slightly different outfit this year, but they are still all class!
Kym Clayton
When: 19 Mar
Where: Concordia College
Bookings: Closed