Keep Star Shining was a profound celebration of the life of 20-year-old Werribee native Star Gray. Gray was the daughter of prominent sound technician Neil Gray and the show was originally organised as a fundraiser to support her when she was admitted to hospital. However, as can be the aggressive nature of cancer, she passed away on Sunday March 6, 2016.
All the bands had met Star via her father, and they all signed on immediately when The Vasco Era bass player Ted O’Neil approached them about the event. This is especially powerful considering Little Red and The Vasco Era both reformed solely for this show.
The event sold out almost immediately and the room was already nearing capacity when The Pretty Littles began at 6.15pm. The Melbourne band’s commitment to the performance was evident from the reckless abandon of singer Jack Parsons. Parsons is a self-confessed Vasco Era tragic and it was clear how important the show was for Parsons and the band, with Neil Gray serving as producer on their 2014 release, Gospel.
Next we had Little Red, who officially split-up in 2012. The good-time rock’n’roll act ambled onto the stage oozing the same casual cool that saw them become indie-scene darlings half a dozen years ago. A smattering of suits, chinos and open shirts adorned Adrian Beltrame, Dominic Byrne, Tom Hartney and Quang Dinh; their unofficial uniforms during their career. Original drummer Taka Honda was a notable absence, with he and Byrne having not reconciled since the band’s break-up. Their set crescendo’d midway through with Rock It – Little Red’s biggest hit, which can now be heard on the holdplaylists of many major Australian businesses.
The next rally point for the crowd was when Big Scary played their down-tempo banger Luck Now. Despite the band’s sombre, reflective aesthetic, each song contains an indelible sense of groove, which created a luscious momentum throughout the set. Frontman and #1 Dad Tom Iansek in particular appeared very focused on delivering at this special event.
Prior to The Vasco Era’s set, Ted O’Neil, who had also played bass for Big Scary, gave a heartfelt tribute to Star and her family as images of the vivacious 20 year-old appeared on projector screens. The fragility of human life revealed itself as the hulking, bearded man struggled to keep his composure throughout the speech.
The Vasco Era’s performance was one of the most impactful and profound exhibits of rock music I have ever seen. It began with Syd O’Neil under a crimson spotlight performing a heart wrenching solo rendition of Elvis’ 1961 pop ballad Can’t Help Fallin’ In Love. By the final chorus, the audience was singing louder than O’Neil. The same thing happened during The Vasco Era’s Honey Bee, with Syd smiling at his brother Ted as the crowd’s vocal involvement annexed his own. The three piece, rounded out by drummer Michael Fitzgerald, were masterfully on point, their long and meaningful relationship with the Grays leading to a transcendent experience. Star’s brother Jackson Gray informed me that he was pretty sure they had their first and only rehearsal for the show at Neil Gray’s home studio a week earlier.
It was always going to
be a intimidating task for Dan Sultan to follow The Vasco Era’s one hour of unhinged grunge music. However, despite currently being a household name and one of the few people giving credibility to commercial Aussie rock, Sultan is still the bloke who played and drank his way through most of Melbourne’s northside music venues many years ago. That’s where he first formed a relationship with Neil Gray, so he knew exactly how to play to this crowd. Focusing on his 2014 album Blackbird, Sultan’s set was a reflective yet vibrant outro to an incredibly emotional night.
All five acts can easily perform their own headline shows, but tonight’s real headliner tonight was a 20-year-old girl from Werribee who was taken from this earth far too young. Rest in peace Star Gray.
Loved: Everything.
Hated: N/A.
Drank: With friends.
By Dan Watt
