To say the preceding week has been traumatic would definitely be underselling the severity of the situation. Turning up to the curiously named @Newtown after a particularly bad day, could the power of music turn things around?
I didn't turn up on time to catch the support act. Which is unlike me. But I didn't do it on purpose. Don't make me bitch about what a tough week it has been again. This is getting terminally cyclic.
When I got into the nicely furnished but surprisingly hot and stuffy surrounds of level two of @Newtown, the man calling himself Grand Salvo was whistling his way through the second last song of his set. What can I say from five minutes or so of performance witnessed? Too much whistling and not enough hooks. Pass. (Oh yeah, I so wanna work in A&R!)
Darren turned up with a chap called Cory on piano and trumpet, plus, oh yes, my personal favourite, Bree Van Reyk on drums. The set was typical of Hanlon's sets in the past. Lovely songs, cheeky heckles spurred on by Dazza himself, a crowd that just loves to sing-along now and then, and silly between-song banter about their adventures while touring, recording, getting through lax interstate airport security and pretending to be a Johnny Cash covers band in Queensland.
A few new songs from his upcoming third album sounds quite interesting with new lad Cory adding some classy piano to the mix, though to be honest I am a tad disappointed they have turned down the low-fi electro keyboard work from Bree. Still she was able to rock up and rock out with the drums, making Dazza and Bree's guitar & drums act the most rocking thing on Melbourne's Candle Records. Yes, Ruck Rover, eat your heart out.
Before and after the show, well, that's a different matter they can't do much about. But the hour and half or so when the kids were on stage, was the happiest time I'd had all week. God bless live music, for I would surely be even more of a miserable wreck in a world without it.