RIP LOU REED
As you’ve no doubt heard by now, Lou Reed died aged 71 on Sunday of complications from a liver transplant. I’d like to remember Lou as I saw him: berating the audience at a show at the ANU in Canberra back in 2000.
BMTH & THE CONTORTIONIST
Don’t you fucking dare forget that Between The Buried And Me are at the Corner Hotel on Tuesday November 19 to perform their ambitious release The Parallax II: Future Sequence in its entirety. This critically acclaimed album is described by Tommy Rogers (vocals, keyboards) as “A conceptual journey that takes the listener to worlds that seem familiar and worlds that make you scratch your head.” Joining BTBAM are US prog metal alchemists The Contortionist. Combine Rush, Dream Theater, Cynic and their touring buddies and add a dose of their own personality and you get these guys. They create a frenzy of warped time signatures, percussive mathematics, spider-fingered fretwork, dazzlingly atmospheric keyboards and arresting vocals. In short, a stunning, virtuosic group of musicians who have been shattering the boundaries of conventional heavy metal since their inception in 2007. Tickets are on sale now.
RONNIE MONTROSE TRIBUTE COMING TO DVD
When Ronnie Montrose passed away in March, 2012, friends and musicians immediately wondered what they could do to pay homage to one of rock’s all-time legendary – and influential – guitarists. The result was some of music’s most renowned artists uniting for a concert only a month and a half later and performing Ronnie classics throughout the evening – which will now make its official DVD release on Tuesday December 10, 2013, Concert for Ronnie Montrose – A Celebration of His Life In Music. Recorded in San Francisco at the historic Regency Ballroom and mixed in 5.1 surround sound, the DVD features performance by Ronnie’s past band members in Montrose (Sammy Hagar, Denny Carmassi, Bill Church with Joe Satriani), Gamma (Davey Pattison, Denny Carmassi and Glenn Letsch with Marc Bonilla), performing both groups’ hits. Additionally, Ronnie’s colleagues and people he mentored and produced over the 40 years of his career are featured as well, including Neal Schon (Journey), Ricky Phillips (Styx), Steve Smith (ex-Journey), Ed Roth, Jimmy Paxson (Stevie Nicks), Jeff Watson (ex-Night Ranger), Tesla, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer (Kiss), Eric Martin (Mr. Big), and more.
BABY ANIMALS THIS THURSDAY
Don’t forget The Baby Animals are at the Corner Hotel this Thursday October 31. They’ll be playing material from their new album This Is Not The End as well as classics from their first two records. As guitarist Dave Leslie told me last week, “I think having the new guys in the band gives the old material a bit of a kick, and it is ‘the band,’ and the band’s always done an eclectic mix of stuff. It’s really good to be able to mix it up, do some darker ambient things and then some ball-tearing rock and everything in between. It’s worked out well.”
SMOKE STACK RHINO EP LAUNCH
Melbourne band Smoke Stack Rhino will launch their debut EP at the Cherry Bar on Saturday November 9. Entitled Riverside, the five-track EP showcases the group’s unique blues-rock sound which takes influence from artists like Soundgarden, Led Zeppelin, The Black Keys and Howlin’ Wolf. Support from The Ugly Kings and The Charge. $13 entry, 8pm start.
WITCHGRINDER SCORE WEDNESDAY 13 SUPPORT
Aussie industrial metallers Witchgrinder have been named as support for the Wednesday 13 tour, which hits Billboard The Venue on Friday November 1.
