Gig Lists - 2007
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Unlike 1998 - 2006, I have not written detailed recollections for every show I attended in 2007. Instead, I have:
- Given an overview of the best, worst and most disappointing gigs of 2007
- Provided a complete list of gigs I went to
- Included the usual array of fliers, setlists and posters, plus links to photos, videos and reviews
My Favourite Shows of 2007
-
The Pixies - Mach Pelican's farewell show
- Regurgitator's tour
- Shooting at Unarmed Men's shows
- The Stems and Dave Hole at the WAMIs
- Six Gun at the Velvet Lounge
- Autopilot @ RTR Reunion
- The Fergusons acoustic show at Mojos
- Cosmic Psychos
- Ash Naylor (Even)
I saw a lot of good gigs in 2007, and not too many bad ones. Topping my list of favourite sets was the Pixies, playing at Claremont Showgrounds as part of the Blackjack festival. I had been waiting years to see the Pixies, and everything about their set was pretty much perfect. The band played a great selection of songs, and sounded fantastic - arguably the best mix I've ever heard. The band was far more charismatic than I was expecting, and the crowd was sizeable and enthusiastic - but not so big that things were uncomfortable and seeing the band was a problem. Everything was fantastic.
Mach Pelican's farewell show was also a big highlight. It was the first time I moshed at a gig since the Hives in 2005. Likewise, I saw three Regurgitator shows in five days, all of which were great. Vikki and I unexpectedly got to talk briefly to Quan and Seja, when they randomly appeared in line next to us when were were waiting to get into the RTR 30th Anniversary gig. I normally don't get excited too by meeting bands, but this was a little different because it was unexpected, and we'd been going to Regurgitator's shows and having a great time. Vikki may have looked like a bit of a stalker when she talked to Quan, because she was wearing a Regurgitator shirt at the time. It was just a coincidence!
I saw Shooting at Unarmed Men play three shows this year. All were poorly attended, in particular a Thursday night gig at Mojos where only about 15 punters turned up. I have often seen bands drop the ball and play lackluster sets when faced with a small and unenthusiastic crowd . This was not the case with SAUM, who put on terrific shows each time I saw them. Their first show, at the Rosemount in August, was particularly good. I was so impressed I ended up shouting the entire band drinks afterwards.
I ventured along to the WAMI awards night for the first time this
year. The Stems and Dave Hole
played fantastic, short sets. They outclassed the other bands on the bill
(Little Birdy and Eskimo Joe).
A surprising entry in my list of favourite gigs is Six Gun. This band comprises a youthful bunch of local punks. I saw them play a Sunday afternoon gig in January at the Velvet Lounge. It was one of the most humorous and entertaining sets I saw all year. The band's fontman was kind of a mix between Leon Ewing from Beaverloop, and Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day, back in their Dookie days. He would convulse with the music, and handled with ease a number of technical problems, including his bass strap breaking mid-song, the microphone stand collapsing mid-song, and the XLR lead coming out of the microphone. At one point he jumped off stage and bolted down towards the back of the Velvet Lounge, where he jumped off the wall and came flying back towards the stage, before collapsing to the ground, all in time to the band's music. It was fantastic. I looked the band up on myspace after the show, but unfortunately their recorded material isn't as good as they were live this particular afternoon.
2007 was a year for both farewell shows (Mach Pelican, Subtruck) and reunions. Autopilot played a wonderful reunion set at the Hydey as part of RTR's 30th Anniversary show. Earlier in the year, Al, Wayne and Grant from the Fergusons played a one-off acoustic show on a Thursday night at Mojos. They played some Fergie classics, and a great cover of Pink Triangle by Weezer. At the end of the set, the band was joined onstage by members of Eskimo Joe and Little Birdy, and they knocked out Throw Your Arms Around Me. Towards the end of the song, Al jumped off stage, ran over to his girlfriend, got down on one knee and proposed to her. It was a surreal moment.
Rounding out my list of top 10 shows was witnessing the Cosmic Psychos, and Ash Naylor from Even. I love both bands, and had been waiting years to see them, so it was great to finally see the Psychos and Naylor in the flesh.
Most Disappointing Shows of 2007
-
Andrew WK Non-Event - The Stems at Mojos
- Jed Whitey
Andrew WK ventured to Australia in December 2007 to play some shows on the east coast. At the last minute, a couple of Perth dates were added, the first of which was a spoken word performance at the Bakery. The venue was decked out marvellously for the occasion (it was a seated gig), and punters had prepared questions to ask Andrew (e.g., Is it better to party soft, or not party at all?). Unfortunately, WK's working visa ran out the day before his Perth show, and he was not allowed to perform for fear of being barred from entering the country in the future. This was very disappointing. On the upside, he proved what a rad dude he is by coming out the front of the Bakery to meet his disappointed fans, and sign stuff for a number of hours.
Another disappointing show for me seeing The Stems at Mojos. This show wasn't bad, I just had very high expectations after seeing the Stems earlier in the year at the WAMI awards, and they weren't met. It was a similar story with Jed Whitey. I was very excited to see the band play its first Perth shows in four years, and while I enjoyed the shows, it wasn't quite the same as when I used to go and see the band regularly back at the start of the decade. The band engages in a lot less crowd interaction / banter nowadays, and their music has changed quite a lot.
Worst Shows of 2007
- The Creppter Children
- The Exploders
- The Silents '23' Launch
- The Dirty Secrets
The Creppter Children would be more appropriately known as the Crappter Children. They are an atrocious excuse for a band. I saw them play a 20-minute set at a band comp. They were highly entertaining, but for the wrong reasons. I wrote this on a friend's myspace after the show.
The Crappter Children @ Hydey, 6 Sept 2007
1. Band announce to the crowd of about 10 people "We are the Creppter Children, you can hear this song at myspace dot com forward slash the creppter children"
2. Band starts to play.
3. Crowd notices that a lot of the sound the band is making appears to be coming off a backing track (not just drums, but some guitar and vox too). However, the band have their synchronised head banging stage moves down.
4. Band announces "You can hear this second song at myspace dot com forward slash the creppter children"
5. Play song that sounds a lot like the first song. The fact that a lot of the sounds are prerecorded become even more obvious.
6. Band announces "You can hear this next song at myspace dot com forward slash the creppter children"
7. Play third song that sounds a lot like the other two.
8. Band announces "You can hear this song at myspace dot com forward slash the creppter children"
9. Play fourth song that sounds a lot like the first three. Crowd starts to describe the band's instruments as "good props" and say things like "this is the first band I've seen mime at the Hydey".
10. Band say "You can hear this last song at myspace dot com forward slash the creppter children"
11. Play song. Set finishes.
12. After the set, the Crappter singer is sucking back Honey. A male punter asks her why. She says it's for her throat, as she has bronchitis or some such problem. Punter says "What? It's so that I can rub it all over your naked body." She doesn't slap him!
It was an entertaining set for all the wrong reasons.
I am officially adding the Crappter Children to an elite class of live bands that includes Lash and Rotary Ten.
Another notable crap band I saw in 2007 was the Exploders. Their highly derivate, retro rock bored me senseless, and I ended up walking out on their show at the Amplifier in January after only a few songs.
The Silents 23 EP launch was a shocker, not because the band were bad (quite the opposite), but because the crowd was fucked. Full of emo kids and morons who had drunk way too much and seemed like they'd just come over from Northbridge to cause trouble. I was getting stabby, and so was Vikki after having to listen to retarded conversations in the ladies'.
And finally, the Dirty Secrets get a mention. Why? They supported Muse at a very Guned show at the Supreme Court Gardens. During the Dirty Secrets set, the mass of punters waiting for Muse exerted too much pressure on the stage barrier, which collapsed. The Dirty Secrets had to stop playing for ages while the barrier was repaired. Everyone expected that once the barrier was fixed, Muse would come on. However, the crowd got a shock when the Dirty Secrets returned to the stage and played two more songs. When the band returned, there was a lot of loud boo-ing going on. The crowd was unhappy that the Dirty Secrets had returned. However, you would have never known this if you read the Dirty Secrets plug in Drum Media the following week, which stated:
The Dirty Secrets returned home to open for international act Muse at the Perth Supreme Court Gardens last Saturday night, and it confirmed that they're much more than a local secret, they're stars in the making. Once the Dirty Secrets started playing, the ecstatic 8000 strong crowd surged forward and caused the punter barrier to collapse. Proceedings were halted for 30 minutes, mayhem presided and in the end the crowd got two more songs. Needless to say, after the band tore into Triple J faves My Heart is on fire and Five Feet of Snow, the crowd went wild.
Complete bollocks!
Complete List of All Gigs
January
269. RED JEZEBEL, THE EXPLODERS
@ Amplifier
Bar, Friday January 5th, 2007
XXX. ZX SPECKY NON EVENT
@ Hydey, Friday
January 5th, 2007
270. FUNKOLA / HUGO DYSLEXIC FISH LAUNCH
@ Funk
Club, Leederville, Friday January 12th, 2007
271. VOYAGER
@ Capitol, Friday January 12th, 2007
272. ROCKET TO MEMPHIS
@ Hyde Park Hotel,
Saturday January 13th, 2007
273. MACH PELICAN, CAPITAL CITY, MINK MUSSEL
CREEK
@ Newport Hotel, Sunday January 14th, 2007
274. DAY OF THE DEAD, DOM MARIANI & THE
MAJESTIC KELP, THE MACARBURETTORS
Day of the Dead
Album launch @ The Manor, Friday January 19th, 2007
275. NEW RULES FOR BOATS, JEFF STRONG, OTHERS?
@ Rosemount Hotel, Friday January 26th, 2007
276. SIX GUN, THE VELOUR FOG
@ Velvet
Lounge, Sunday January 28th, 2007
February
277. PROJECT MAYHEM, FEAR OF COMEDY, CHAINSAW
HOOKERS
@ The Castle, Friday February 2nd, 2007
278. THE FERGUSONS (ACOUSTIC)
@ Mojos,
Thursday February 8th, 2007
279. THE STEMS, DAVE HOLE, ESKIMO JOE (ACOUSTIC), LITTLE BIRDY
@ WAM Festival Awards,
Becks Verandah, Wednesday February 21st, 2007
280. NEW RULES FOR BOATS, THE SILENTS, DOM
MARIANI & THE MAJESTIC KELP, THE FUZZ, GYROSCOPE
@ WAM
Rock/Indie Showcase, Friday February 23rd, 2007
281. AUGIE MARCH WITH WASO
@ Kings Park,
Saturday February 24th, 2007
Photos
March
282. THE DEVIL RIDES OUT
Volume 1 CD Launch @
Amplifier, Friday March 16th, 2007
283. WENDY MATHEWS, BLUE CELTS
South Perth
Fiesta Opening @ Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth,
Saturday March 17th, 2007
284. THE SWASHBUCKLING HOTPANTS EXPERIENCE,
HORSEPOWER
@ Rosemount Hotel, North Perth, Friday March 23rd, 2007
285. ASHELY NAYLOR (EVEN)
@ UWA Tavern,
Friday March 30th, 2007
Photos
- Devil Rides Out CD Launch photos here (the photos below are from their myspace)
- Swashbuckling Hotpants Experience Pirate Party photos here
April
286. THE PIXIES
@ Claremont Showgrounds, Thursday
April 5th, 2007
287. JED WHITEY, TUCKER BS, EDIE CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING, SEX PANTHER, WEDNESDAY SOCIETY@ Amplifier / Capitol, Friday April 13th, 2007
288. JED WHITEY, THE SLIM PICKINS
@
Norfolk Basement, Friday
April 14th, 2007
May
289. PROJECT MAYHEM
Album Launch @ Rosemount Hotel, Friday May 11th, 2007
290. THE STEMS
@ Mojos Fremantle, Friday May 18th, 2007
291. NEW RULES FOR BOATS, THE PAINKILLERS
@ The Bakery, Saturday May 19th, 2007
292. OPERATOR PLEASE
@ Velvet Lounge, Wednesday May 30th, 2007
Photos
- Love is my velocity cookbook launch photos here
June
293. COSMIC PSYCHOS, CELIBATE RIFLES
@
Amplifier Bar, Friday June 29th, 2007
- Cosmic Psychos / Celibate Rifles review here
July
294. WILL STOKER & THE EMBERS, and some dodgy
Country band
@ Next Big Thing Semi-Final, Rosemount
Hotel, Saturday July 21st, 2007
August
295. SUBTRUCK (FAREWELL), DEVIL RIDES OUT
@
The Civic Hotel, Saturday August 4th, 2007
296. SHOOTING AT UNARMED MEN & KAMIKAZEE TRIO
@ Rosemount Hotel, Saturday August 11, 2007
298. MACH PELICAN & THE SURE-FIRE MIDNIGHTS
@ Mach Pelican's Last Ever Perth Gig, Amplifier Bar, Friday 17 August 2007
298. MENTAL AS ANYTHING, PAUL KELLY, KEV
CARMODY, BOB EVANS
@ ABC 75th Birthday Celebrations, ABC Studios, East Perth, Sunday 19 August 2007
299. THE QUIET BOYS, CRAIG SINCLAIR
@ Uni Club, UWA, Friday 31 August 2007
Photos & Videos
- Subtruck farewell show photos - visit here
- Mach Pelican farewell show photos - visit here
- Mach Pelican final show (Radio Dingbat) - Go here
- Shooting at Unarmed Men - At the Rosemount (RadioDingbat) - Go here
- ABC Perth 75th Birthday Celebrations photos - visit here and here
September
300. THE TOUCH, THE CREPPTER CHILDREN, QUATER PAST FIVE
@ 20 Minutes of Fame, Hyde Park Hotel, Thursday 6 September 2007
301. SCREWTOP DETONATORS, THE CRITICS
@ Amplifier Bar, Friday 14 September, 2007
302. THE SILENTS
23 EP launch, Amplifier Bar, Saturday 29 September 2007
303. INSITUIT POLAIRE, NEW RULES FOR BOATS
EP launch @ Rosemount Hotel, Sunday 30 September 2007
October
304. THE BUDDY HOLLY EXPERIENCE
@ Swan
Valley Oasis Resort, Saturday 20 October2007
305. RED JEZEBEL, THE EXPLODERS
How I
Learnt To Stop Worrying Album Launch @ Rosemount Hotel,
Saturday 20 October 2007
Photos
- Red Jezebel CD Launch photos - visit here
November
306. MUSE, THE DIRTY SECRETS @ Supreme Court Gardens, Saturday 10 November 2007
307. REGURGITATOR, NEW PANTS, I HEART HIROSHIMA
@ Indi Bar, Scarborough, Tuesday 13 November, 2007
308. REGURGITATOR, NEW PANTS, I HEART HIROSHIMA
@ The Foundry, Cannington, Wednesday 14 November, 2007
309. BURGERS OF BEEF, THE AUTUMN ISLES
@ Red Room,
Luxe Bar, Mt Lawley, Friday 16 November, 2007
310. TURNSTYLE LITE, AUTOPILOT, CIRCUS MURDERS
RTR
30th anniversary gig @ Hyde Park Hotel, Saturday 17 November, 2007
311. REGURGITATOR, NEW PANTS, I HEART HIROSHIMA
@ Leopold Hotel, Bicton, Sunday 18 November, 2007
Photos & Reviews
- Regurgitator - Foundry show - photos here
- Regurgitator - Foundry show - review here
- Regurgitator - Leopold review here
- Muse - review and photos - visit here
- Musie - crappier photos - visit here
- RTR 30th Anniversary Show - wrap up and a couple of pics here
- RTR 30th Anniversary Show - photos here
December
312. SWAYBACK, THE HOWLIN' NOVOCAINES
@ Mojos Bar,
Sunday 3 December2007
313. SHOOTING AT UNARMED MEN, THE LEAP YEAR
@ Mojos,
Fremantle, Thursday December 6, 2007
314. SHOOTING AT UNARMED MEN, THE LEAP YEAR, ITCHI THE
KILLER
@ Rocket Room, Northbridge, Friday December 7, 2007
315. FRENZAL RHOMB
@ Mojos, Fremantle, Saturday December
8, 2007
XXX. ANDREW WK NON-EVENT
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
316. JEBEDIAH & RED JEZEBEL
@ Amplifier NYE, Monday, December 312t, 2007
Photos & Reviews
- Shooting at Unarmed Men - Rocket Room photos - visit here
- Frenzal Rhomb - Capitol Review - visit here
