Hilltop Hoods 'Show Business' Tour - Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney 03/09/2022

LET’S CHASE THAT FEELING!

Tonight, I’ma Chase That Feeling down here at the front barrier of Qudos Bank Arena in The Nosebleed Section, because Aussie hip-hop icons Hilltop Hoods are Still Standing after the involuntary hiatus on the music scene caused by the pandemic, and Hilltop Hoods are ready to party and remind us why we need to hold on tight to live music and why they’re at the top of the Aussie hip-hop scene, on the bands’ ‘Show Business’ Tour! 

Now, if you’re familiar with my reviews you’d know I normally take my readers through an in-depth, song-by-song analysis. Tonight though, I don’t feel that’s necessary and I’d just be repeating myself… a-lot! No no, it doesn’t mean this show is repetitive and anything short of special, quite the opposite.

The energy, excitement and sheer fun-happy vibes skyrocketed straight away with opening song ‘Leave Me Lonely’, with a notable suspense-building sudden stop in the bridge section to raise the impact for the final chorus, then straight into one of my all-time favourites, ‘Chase That Feeling’. Which I should note, that for the live experience this song features an extra ‘synth’ sound added into the songs intro.

Now, picture this, you’re in the crowd at Qudos Bank arena, if you’re not wearing protective ear-plug down here at the front of the standing crowd (I am THANK JEEBUS!) you’re bombarded by bones-rattling bass, but luckily, astonishingly, it doesn’t even come close to drowning out the vocals and other musical layers, I mean, there could be a smidgen more mid-range in the mix, but that’s me looking for any gaps, but by the sheer excitement emanating from fans around me from the band racing around the stage, feeding off our energy and each others on stage perfectly surrounded by a dazzling light show, you’d think this is as good as it gets and that it’ll be more of the same throughout the performance right? You know, fans sing along at the top of their lungs… in my ears, the band revs us up between songs, we clap along to beats, jump when the band tells us to, maybe a bit of confetti for us to bat-away from our faces like cats etc etc.

Well yes, that does all happen as I described but with a few key differences that make this show truly special and memorable. First off, after the band play ‘Chase That Feeling’, they ask “has anyone here not seen us before?” which the young girl to my right calls out that she hasn’t, it’s her first time. (you never forget your first) Then, the band member who asked the question pointed the girl out and ask what her name is, “Mia!” then the band say hi to Mia, thank her and the rest of us for being here, mention Mia a few more times as the band rev us up leading into ‘The Nosebleed Section’, which was perfect for the songs’ lyrics in the chorus “I fell in love with the people in the front row”... but apparently my blind eyes missed one little, iddy-bitty detail. After Mia called out her name and one of the band members confirmed it, he unfastened his watch and gave it to Mia! No, I doubt it was a $10,000 Rolex or anything, more likely one of the custom Hilltop Hoods G-Shock watches, which if anything I think is better!

But the special moments don’t end there! After the band play ‘I Love It’, one of the band members “where’s the blind guy with the sign?” (yes, me) and wants me to hold it up for him to read out. Apparently he has it shown on the big screens for everyone to see while he reads it out, calls me a bloody legend and asks “who reckons I should give him a drum stick” which he does. And he calls ME a bloody legend?! Then a couple of songs later, after nearly burning my eyebrows off with pyro-technics and covering us all in confetti (definitely not the last time for either!), the bloody-legend who gave me the drum stick and gave Mia his watch came off the stage to connect with us in the front row more personally, including giving me a hug during one of their song.

Now I could go on and on about the insane energy from start to finish, the perfect flow of musical energy from one song to the next, being absolutely covered in several rounds of confetti, not to mention losing my eyebrows and beautiful Irish-red beard to at least three separate occasions of flames shooting up from the stage about five metres in front of us here at the front, and how the band performed each song perfectly, but the most important thing to point out is this.

It’s one thing to talk to the crowd at an arena concert with roughly 22,000 fans, rev us up and what not, but Hilltop Hoods have shown, no scratch that, proven to us that their fans do really mean so much to them and they will go out of their way to connect with us even in a massive venue with rules, regulations, precise time restriction, complex stage set ups etc. They perfectly blended the intimacy of a small venue like they played at in their early days where they could be closer to their fans, and a full-scale arena show with all the fancy trimmings and effects.

This night, finished with the grand finale of ‘Cosby Sweater’ which Hilltop Hoods brought Elsy Wamaro and A.B Originals on stage to do some extra parts and join in on the fun, was truly a special, fun happy celebration of the music we all love, being back to witness it live on stages again, and sharing it with fans, friends and loved-ones alike, venue sizes and limitations be-damned!

I Love It!

Ali Barter - 'Hello, I'm Doing My Best' album tour, Sydney, November 1 2019

BREAKING NEWS OUT OF SYDNEY

THIS GIRL MAY SURPRISE YOU!

Put out your Cigarette and Please Stay focused. I Won’t Lie, This Girl Ali Barter has Big Ones of music (not talking about any Girlie Bits here, get your mind out of the gutter) instore for the Oxford Art Factory Sydney, on her ‘Hello, I’m Doing My Best’ album tour. This album and likely performance too, is full of Hypercolour, filled with exotic pop/rock flavours resembling that of which you would find at a Far Away Cocktail Bar in Tokyo.

As soon as Ali puts One Foot In the venue’s she plays at, the crowds are treated to a spectacular experience. Brendan the blind guy is at the Oxford Art Factory with the full scoop…

Brendan; “Thanks… I guess, me in the future? The atmosphere here at the Oxford Art Factory is well, electric, there’s no other way to describe it!”                     

Brendan; “When Ali walks out onto the stage to very enthusiastic applause, you’d expect the opening song to be the opening song off the album in which the tour is set around. When I interviewed Ali recently (interview here.) she told me that her performances have grown not just in fact that she’s gone from being a three-piece band, to now being a four-piece, but also in the sense that this being her second studio album, she now has a lot more songs to play around with in her set. You can tell Ali’s really put this into consideration with how she shapes the flow of energy in the set with what songs go where. Coming back to expecting the first song of the night to be the opening track off her latest album, that would be the soft, raw, delicate ‘Lester’, which flows straight into the edgy attitude-driven ‘Ur A Piece Of S**t’. But instead, Ali chooses not to even start off with anything delicate in the slightest, and instead hits the energy hard with ‘Backseat’ off her latest album, which really lands the energy at a running pace!”

“How does the crowd respond to this?”

Brendan; “The crowd absorbs this energy just as Ali would likely have intended, with maximum positivity. There’s no shortage of fans singing and dancing to this still quite fresh track, and when Ali follows up with ‘Cigarette’, the opening song off her debut studio album, then ‘Please Stay’ also off her debut album, the energy around me in the crowds seems to lift just that one step higher.”

“Sounds like it’s going rather well so far. So how is Ali’s performance?”

Brendan; “I can’t fault it to be honest! I’m finding her bass guitar is a little too heavy in the sound mix, but that’s not Ali’s fault, and it doesn’t smudge Ali’s vocal attack thankfully. Ali’s vocals from what I can tell are sharp and precise, a sign she’s poised, well-rehearsed and in her element. What’s more, she’s confident in her vocals as well as when she embraces her audience and shares personal anecdotes about her life that influenced particular songs. You know those times when you can hear the smile on someone's face when they speak? Tonight is one of those examples.”

(Ali informed Brendan after the show that she was indeed smiling all throughout the show).

"Are there any particular moments that stand out in the set to you Brendan?”

Brendan; “As a matter of fact yes there is. After the set is in full swing energy-wise and we’ve been riding the hype up to the rollercoasters peak, what goes up must come down right? Ali’s band take a break and now it’s only Ali and an acoustic guitar for ‘January’. Not only is this strategically well placed in the set to give a change in dynamics, but this song being stripped-back to being just vocals and guitar really highlights the sustained high notes Ali belts out near the songs close.”

“How does Ali bring the energy back up to the hype she commandeered at the start of the night?”

Brendan; “After Cooling-off with the acoustic rendition of ‘January’, not only does Ali raise the energy back up to it’s initial heights but exceeds it. To end the set on a high after more charming anecdotes from Ali, she charges into new single ‘Big Ones’ which is high velocity in itself, but given the huge contrast from the rawness of ‘January’, the energy level seems even more accentuated. After ‘Big Ones’, Ali then finishes up with the way I expected the night to start, with the folkish, raw, delicate ‘Lester’ which flows into the edgy fire-cracker ‘Ur A Piece Of S**t’, which really is the definition of going out with a bang!... figuratively, not literally of course.”

“It does seem like an excellent way to finish the set, but she hasn’t played her biggest hit ‘Girlie Bits’ yet, has she?”

Brendan; “That’s right, no she most certainly has not, and the crowd all know it and won’t let her leave without playing it. So of course there’s an encore which consists of a solo acoustic rendition of ‘It’s Not Real’ and last but definitely not least, ‘Girlie Bits’. The energy in the crowd for ‘Girlie Bits is quite extraordinary! I mean this isn’t the kind of show to push and go wild and act like complete buffoons, instead it’s a show that you simply sing and dance your heart out to, and that’s exactly what everyone’s doing.”

“Any last notes on the show?”

Brendan; “Yes, me personally, I think it may have been more appropriate to either replace ‘It’s Not Real’ or add after ‘It’s Not Real’, ‘Light Them On Fire’. The dynamics in ‘Light Them On Fire’ with the anthemic chorus and fiery yet intimate and relatable lyrics would’ve been a brilliant incline in energy to then be met with ‘Girlie Bits’ to take it even higher. But apart from that, Ali’s come such a long way in her career and all the effort and heart and soul she puts into her music and performance is definitely evident. I strongly recommend people to head along to one of Ali’s performances and support this Aussie talent!”

“One last thing, what inspires you to write your reviews in all these different and thematic ways? I mean you’re practically talking to yourself here”

Brendan; “Come on, if I don’t mix things up I get bored! And I mean hello, I’m doing my best here!”

Grinspoon - 'Chemical Heart Tour', Sydney November 2 2019

WELCOME TO CHEMISTRY 101!

Welcome to Chemistry 101 with your Champion teachers, Grinspoon. Seriously, I sucked at chemistry in school, like, to the point I honestly can’t remember doing it… wait, chemistry is what gives Black Rabbits their colour, and what makes Dogs Run right? Yet somehow, here I am, a somewhat teachers-aid, helping Grinspoon take you through all the Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills on their ‘Chemical Heart’ tour Tonight, which is sure to be Just Ace and a sure Hard Act To Follow!

Right Now, I have No Reason to keep on like this, so Ready 1, 2, 3 class is commencing now!...

For a change in perspective, and to rest my aching twenty-five year-old bones, I’ve opted to see what it’s like witnessing a Grinspoon gig from a seat near the mixing tower, via high-power binoculars. Especially too, as if you read my review of Grinspoon’s Newcastle gig in 2017, well, the crowd was brutal and got me a tad riled up, (come on, who tries snatching the drumstick that one of the band members hands to me out of my grasp?!), and that was a small venue… the Hordern Pavilion is not!

What I love about the Hordern, is the lighting and stage effects are always a real treat! What, a blind person can’t enjoy the aesthetics too? Well, a rush of electrifying lights and stage effects propels the energy sky-high for the band to catch, squeeze and thrash around in ‘DC X 3’ which is seamlessly flowed into ‘Lost Control’ and after barely enough time for the crowd to lose control with applause, straight into ‘Sickfest’ and then still no rest for the wicked, straight into ‘Just Ace’.

What does over twenty years of experience as Aussie rock ‘n’ roll professors (the band) provide one with? Well for starters, the band sure know how to conduct the energy and toy with it perfectly, manipulating the mood in the venue like a science experiment gone oh-so right! Honestly, I’m not a fan of ‘DC X 3’ much, simply because I’m a crazy cat guy, but that aside, Phil’s voice capturing both punk rebellion and gruff agro bite to call on, mixed with edgy guitar riffs and driving drum strikes lands the crowd right in the palm of their hands by the looks of things. (A sea of fists, and sporadic energy from the crowd, in response to the mass-movement on stage to a backdrop of fiery lighting). This aggression-filled rebellious track sends a chemical rush of savage pent-up aggression, met with excitement throughout the venue, it’s like a steroid/ecstacy hybrid! ...Please don’t try that at home… or anywhere for that matter!

‘Lost Control’ is a perfect follow-up to ‘DC X 3’ because, literally, the crowd have already lost control like they’ve submitted to a potent chemical… actually for all I know that could be the case? But seriously, this song keeps the hard-hitting rock brutality at 11, whilst presenting a more anthemic chorus to chew on and regurgitate simultaneously, with a fist pumping like the pumping motion will push it out of you! (that image? You’re welcome!).

‘Sickfest’ keeps the energy elevated, while giving a morphing beat drive like the most epic acid-trip ever, (that is what we learnt in chemistry right?), transforming from a whip-lash intro beat, to a dance-provoking strut in the verses and finally a sexy swagger in the chorus to Phil’s rough vocal bite. 

‘Just Ace’ is a rush of contrasting intense energy, it’s brighter, more uplifting, more up-beat. This is one of those short, sweet bangers that you’re glad doesn’t go for longer, or you’d probably faint from busting out the energy it invokes, well, that is if your fitness level resembles that of mine anyway. It’s a smart move putting this song after the previous three slammers, to keep the energy nice and high, but acknowledging the aggression in the previous songs’ energy, it gives a refreshing cool positive breeze, so not to start a full-blown brawl/riot!

Honestly, I could keep going on and on like this, but we’d still be here reading tomorrow evening. But the reason I went into a comprehensive assessment of these first four songs is that it perfectly paints the picture for the show! 

The energy is high all the way through the set, however the band conduct the precise reactions intended perfectly, dropping anthemic hook sing-alongs like my personal favourite ‘Hard Act To Follow’, plus instigating melodic sing-alongs with the crowd, all amidst a smokescreen of white-hot intensity. Then later in the set after everyone’s drenched in sweat, a refreshing solemn-hearted self-reflective track like ‘Better Off Alone’ which poetically is like that moment when you stop and really take stock of your thoughts and feelings. Plus to reel back in any drifting attention that may have gone astray, Phil pops-up at a small secondary stage behind the mosh pit for an acoustic solo track, which helps remind people other than in the thick of the mosh, that they’re a part of this moment too. 

But acoustic tracks and deep self analytical tracks are no way to end a rock show right? Despite this being the ‘Chemical Heart’ tour and said song being arguably the band’s greatest hit, it’s not a suitable grand finale, it’s an amazing track yes, but it lacks that spark to finish a set with. So ‘Chemical Heart’ is in the encore yes, but only before the band thank us from the bottom of their hearts and finish with ‘Champion’ and ‘More Than You Are’. Both these two last tracks restore any and all energy the show once had, with the psych-up egging-on fire in ‘Champion’ which is like a red flag to a bull, and the extreme thrashing brutality with Phil belting out raspy edge in both tracks! 

After all this, being seated I’m rather thankful I dodged the onslaught of crowd-surfers and just insane energy emanating from the mosh, it really let me enjoy the sound mixers handy-work with the set to its fullest, I mean it was just ace!

Right, time for grading;

Flow of songs/energy. A+

Interaction with crowd. B

Sound mix. A+ 

Band performance (solo’s, instrumentation, accuracy etc). A

All in all. One bloody good show!!!