AC [lightning bolt] DC

So I've finally seen AC/DC.

It comes as a shock to many people that I'm an AC/DC fan.

But AC/DC remind me of my youth. I remember sitting up all night listening to AC/DC with Philly D as we played computer games.

So why deny my bogan heritage any longer? Sure, during the 90s I essentially shunned AC/DC, and I fucking hated growing up in Elizabeth, but then I just lost the hate. The people I grew up, many of whom I'm still proud to call friends, shaped me into the person I am today, and the music we listened to was a massive part of that.

And Back in Black is one of the world's greatest albums, especially considering the time it was made, and It's A Long Way To The Top is one on the world's greatest songs.

So, when they announced the tour, I wasn't going to miss out. I camped by the internet and hit refresh until I snagged a ticket to the Melbourne Saturday night concert. Sure, it's not as exciting and romantic as camping out for days under blankets sharing the camaraderie that line waiting brings, but it's a fuckload easier.

After losing my job last November, I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to make it. Job offers from interstate and overseas never eventuated, so the worry was misplaced.

Getting to Etihad Stadium was easy - the train stops just outside, although I had to find a internet cafe to print my ticket out. Thank the universe for the internet!

I got in just as Calling All Cars finished. I downed a few scotches and then found a nice spot mid centre of the stadium. It was pretty packed even at 7:30pm, and although I could have pushed my way further to the front, I knew there would be cameras and screens, so I just didn't feel the need to.

Wolfmother opened for them, and were really good. They kicked off with Dimension, then played a couple of new songs, then got the crowd singing with Woman. During the slow bit of White Unicorn, you know, the bit that sounds like Riders on the Storm, they actually started playing Riders of the Storm. Stockdale's voice is perfect for a Doors cover, and I'm surprised they don't do more of them. They closed with Joker & Thief.

I thought they were a brilliant selection for AC/DC's opening band. They're liked well enough by a wide range of people that people would be singing along, rocky enough to fit in with the overall vibe of the gig, yet not good enough to overpower AC/DC (if that was indeed possible).

After a short wait, the screens lit up and showed a short video of the band on a train. Full of childish innuendo and sexually suggestive images, the "train" then smashed onto the stage as the band played Rock and Roll train. Right from this very first moment I knew we were in for a rocking show!

They played another off their new album, something I'm not overly familiar with, and then got into the older tunes. Dirty Deeds, Shot down in Flames, and Thunderstruck. All the while the whole audience is singing and screaming and having a great old time.

But things really got wild when Brian started singing She's Got The Jack. The screen started showing all the girls on the guys shoulders, and up came the shirts. Brian even said "get your eyes off those titties" at one point, and then Angus started his strip. Much like Devo, these old rockers still know how to entertain.

The classics came thick and fast. The bell lowered for Hells Bells, with Brian swinging from the bottom of it. Shoot to thrill and War machine - a track I do know off Black Ice - had cool visuals with the live action on stage, but nothing was as cool as High Voltage, done as a tribute to Bon Scott with his grinning face looking down at the thousands singing along with his lyrics.

More classics - You Shook Me All Night Long, TNT and Whole Lotta Rosie, which featured a massive fat lady riding the train. Let there be Rock was where Angus got loose, and showed that even at 60 he can still play that guitar well. The encore of Highway to Hell and For those about to Rock was absolutely brilliant.

I would have liked to hear more of my favourite songs - If You Want Blood and Who Made Who would have been nice, but overall I couldn't have been happier with the set. This was what a rock concert should be like! Entertaining and fun, no matter what was played.

I felt the same after AC/DC as I did after Madness, Devo, Primal Scream and The Specials last year. Sometimes I admit I caught up in too much negativity and cynicism, and it takes old farts like these to remind me life is all about having fun. If they can do it at 60, then I should be doing it now, and keep doing it until I'm 60, too.

V Festival review

At first I wasn't really interested in this years V Festival. Snow Patrol and Kaiser Chiefs are ok, but not enough to spend $150 to go see.

But then Madness and Human League were added to the line up, and I bought tickets immediately! I even talked Ritters into coming over to it from Adelaide! There was no way I could miss one of the most fondly remembered bands of my youth!

We rocked up to the showgrounds around 3:30 and moved into the Virgin Mobile (Green) Stage to see Temper Trap, and try and get a spot for special guest Vanilla Ice. Yes, he's always been kind of crap, but the nostalgic appeal of seeing him was too much.

But the crush was too much, as it seemed everyone had the same idea, so we moved outside to get a drink. I saw a bit of the band Elbow and they were alright, then headed back to Vanilla Ice. I found a great spot outside near a window with a view straight onto the stage, and when Vanilla Ice jumped on stage the crowd went mental. It's obvious that he was just as wrapped being on stage as we were to see him.

We wandered over to see M83, but I only saw one tune and it's faded from memory because ran over to see Madness...

Oh My Gosh!

Beginning with One Step Beyond, the crowd went mental and they are just as crazy and silly as I remember from the videoclips. They played pretty much all their hits; Our House, My Girl, House of Fun, and concluded with Must Be Love. They also did a cover of Max Romeo's I Chased The Devil (the tune Prodigy sampled for Outa Space). Their onstage antics were fantastic; the lead singer calling for security because he saw a hippy in the crowd; the guitarist trying to climb the scaffolding and being chased by the security, and smoking and drinking on stage.

After Must Be Love the crowd thinned out with most of the kids heading off to see Kaiser Chiefs, but as I went to grab a beer, the lead singer comes back on stage and those of us remaining were treated to an encore of (the song) Madness and Slow Boat To Cairo. Most of those remaining were the older people, and things got really silly here, with people skanking arm in arm and even a konga line snaking through the crowd!

All it all it was seriously one of the best performances I've witnessed.

Ritters and I became separated at this point, she went to see all of Kaiser Chiefs and I went to get more beer... I saw most of Kaiser Chiefs and liked them a lot, but have to admit the songs I knew well were all from videogames. I snuck off to see a bit of Snow Patrol, who were a little boring to be honest.

We reunited after Kaiser Chiefs and headed to see Human League. We got in just in time for Don't You Want Me. Their set was pretty cool and very 80s - I'm surprised how much of their lyrics I remember actually - and their encore was Electric Dreams, which was, needless to say, awesome.

Then we decided to see the Killers. Then decided that was a bad idea because they actually suck, and headed off home before the crowd.

V Festival is starting to become one of my favourite Australian festivals. It has a line up that appeals to a wide range of punters. I've seen 4 bands I thought I'd never see live - Madness, Pixies, Human League and Vanilla Ice, plus some cool acts like Temper Trap, Kaiser Chiefs, Gnarls Barkley, Jarvis Cocker and The Rapture. It's not nearly as packed as Big Day Out, and the crowd seems much nicer and less fucked up than other festivals.

First Melbourne gig Thursday 15 May

I've got my first gig as a Melbourne DJ!

I'm part of Beat Off, with 11 other DJs all dropping 15 minute laid back sets of tunes!

It's being held at the Horse Bazaar, 397 Little Lonsdale St

Other DJs include, BLAXTER, Brain, Dboy, Funky J, Huge, Lephrenic, Myst, RK, SAME'O, Sea, Timmy G and Zero Hour.

It marks the return of Off Beat to a monthly format.

As it's a kind of funky competition , there are rules...

- we must play a 15 minute chill set
- we must include at least one mix, with no maximum
- we bring a team of two or three people for a scavenger hunt
- and we need to invite everybody we know to cheer us all along

DJ times will be drawn from a hat during a glitzy Draw Gala, complete with ring girls!


The flyer is fantastic!


So come for pizza, beer, warm vibes, and the enjoyment as you see how chill music and chaos can so terrifically go together.

A week in Adelaide

I just spent 10 days in Adelaide.

Every single day was over 38 degrees... and I didn't get burnt once! YAY!

I went over for Womad, which was very hot, very dusty, but a lot of fun. Highlights included Mojo Web, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Billy Cobham, John Buttler Trio, Soul Jazz Sound System and Nickodemus.

I caught up with most of the people I wanted to catch up with, and spent most of the time either watching TV and drinking, or at the beach and drinking, or in the park and drinking.

There's no pictures because I forgot to take my bloody camera :(

Espy Photos online now

My photos of the Espy gig in Melbourne are now up on inthemix

DJ Kentaro, Ca$h Money, Belleruche, Dexter, Bamboos @ the Espy

Well, I had my first night out in Melbourne at the Espy to see DJ Kentaro.

One of the greatest nights of music I’ve been to in a long time. Mu-Gen was mixing up some nice breaks and hiphop, and then One Sixth jumped on stage and got the proceedings underway with a great acapella. Some nice local hiphop followed, but I wandered in to the other room to see Belleruche.

Glad I did, because Belleruche was awesome. A nice bluesy number kicked off their set, and I couldn’t but help think of Portishead. Very similar style and the lead singer had one of those lovely, soulful voices like whats-her-name from Portishead, or even Amy Winehouse. Not too bad looking either! I really enjoyed listening to something different as well, and will have to track down their album.

Kentaro was after them, and after a little delay he stepped up and delivered one of the best scratch routines I’ve seen in a long time. He’s a freaking machine! Metronomic timing and hands faster than superman! He played around with hiphop and drum and bass, and although the Adelaide crowd would probably scoff at the dnb as “cheesy” – there was a bit of Pendulum and the like – the Melbourne crowd lapped it up.

After Kentaro I managed to catch a bit of Dexter’s Gorillastep. Crazy breakdancers jumping around as four drummers banged out glorious rhythms over Dexter’s records and scratching. It was pretty cool, albeit a little hippyish, but it was really great to see something different. Dexter mentioned he’s starting some underground hiphop club so I gotta check that out.

The Bamboos took a long time to set up, and although I love their acid-jazz sound, I was pretty over it by that stage. I caught a bit of Cash Money on the way out, and he was great. He played hiphop and a little other stuff, like Damien Marley’s Jamrock, MCed over the top of it, and was scratching over the top of it. He reminds me of Grand Master Flash, but with far less ego. Would have stayed longer but was tired as.

Gig with Superstyle Deluxe (Fri 31 Aug)

Marble Bar, Friday 31 August

Free Entry before 10pm and half price cocktails 9-11!



SuperStyleDeluxe (Dan Holmes & Neil Simons) are responsible for many of the floor rocking Breakbeats and midtempo hits that keep the booty shaking. "Making music you can dance too" has been the aim and moto since the whole concept began.

It started with the mass production of mix tapes titled SuperStyleDeluxe and adventuring into the realms of hip hop- Breaks Disco etc. All laden with a sprinkle of Turntableism this became the trademark for the young superstyedeluxe and selling them at the local legendary club Stump Juice based in Wolverhampton UK where Dan (the DJ) up held his residency with those heavy weight Latinos The Capoeira Twins. Population and demand for the mixes snow bald, gaining magazine reviews and reaching as far off as Europe & Canada.

Production and tunes soon started flowing and a record contract was secured with Hamburg's Lounge Records. A barrow load of releases followed all gaining props from the Plump Dj's Krafty Kuts- Mr Scruff for their unique sound and diverse approach to making dance records. Remixes have seen Dido, Bent, Venus Hum, Reno, Pink, Stabilizer, Circuit Breaker & The Strike Boys to name but a few to receive the SuperStyleDeluxe treatment.

The pair have achieved great praise with Breaks poll nominations, number one chartings and worldwide exposure with their releases. This has resulted in a SuperStyleDeluxe record sitting in many a dj's box. The pair are now coming off Brighton's" Heavy Weight" breaks label "SuperCharged/Against The Grain" with the long awaited debut album sitting nicely in the Pipeline. And if that wasnt enough they have just started a brand new label called The Payback Project which is making all the right moves The clubbing circuit has seen the introduction of Mc Chickaboo to the SuperStyleDeluxe DJ show. Recent releases with Chickaboo and heavy touring has placed them among the top DJ/ Mc acts. With tours from Europe, Canada,Australia & Asisa. Their acclaimed shows have been one of the hottest things coming out of the UK.

Locals are: Leezee, Halogen & Funky J