Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? Iron Maiden (1992)

Who: Iron Maiden When: Sydney 23 October 1992 This was Maiden’s third visit downunder (1982, 1985) and seven years was WAY too long to wait for another tour. The musical landscape had shifted a great deal since Maiden’s previous tour. Heavy Metal was still pretty much underground in Australia in 1985, though acts like Bon [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? BILLY THORPE, YALLAH, NSW 24/8/01

Here are a couple of items from the last Billy Thorpe gig I attended. Friday 24 August, 2001 was the date, the venue was the Yallah Woolshed, in Yallah (not far from Albion Park) in the Illawarra. I have a few memories  of the night, though not as many as I can recall. If I [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? Beady Eye: Tokyo, Japan – Mon 12 September 2011

Who: Beady Eye Where: Zepp Tokyo, Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan When: Mon 12 September 2011 The Gallagher’s have been a part of the Rockbrat world for so long, they’re like family. The last time I’d seen Liam and Co live was in the snowy setting of Sapporo in early 2009. But here I am a [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? Dark Carnival, Canberra (1991)

Thursday 5th of December, 1991 was the date – Canberra’s rock institution The ANU was the venue. Cowboy Col was so devoted that he drove down the Hume from Sydney to Canberra to see legendary Stooge Ron Asheton at the ANU. The fact that The Lime Spiders and Hitmen DTK opened the show meant that this was [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? Radio Birdman (1996)

Who: Radio Birdman  When: Sands Hotel, Narrabeen, Sydney, January 10, 1996 The Narrabeen Sands Hotel, on Sydney’s northern beaches, was the venue for the first ‘official’ date of the much anticipated Birdman reunion tour – and I could indeed whiff the smell of anticipation, blended with a large dose of excitement as I entered the [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? Peter Wells (1995)

Who: Peter Wells  When: Britannia Hotel, Sydney, April 23, 1995 The venue for tonight’s gig is the Britannia Hotel in South Sydney, in recent times proving itself to be one of Sydney’s better blues / country pubs. Despite it being a Sunday night, plenty of punters have dragged themselves out of TV land and prove [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? Divinyls (1995)

Who: Divinyls  When: Labour Club, Canberra, July 8, 1995   After having witnessed The Divinyls have their backsides well and truly smacked by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts several times on their recent tour together, I decided to give Chrissy and Mark another go. And I’m glad I did. I love The Divinyls, and have seen [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? Screaming Tribesmen (1995)

Who: Screaming Tribesmen  When: Britannia Hotel, Sydney, May 20, 1995 In the 1980’s when independent rock was just that, the Tribesmen could have commanded a gig anywhere in Sydney. However in 1995 they’re apparently not ‘alternative’ enough to get a gig at the Annandale, Feedback or the like – having to settle for venues like Springfield’s [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? Bikini Kill (1996)

Who: Bikini Kill  When: Annandale Hotel, Sydney, January 17, 1996 Bikini Kill’s first night of an Annandale double was not your average ‘o/s touring band going through the motions type deal’. This was an event, to be sure – exactly what an ‘underground’ or ‘punk’ show used to feel like, before such phraseology became property [...]

Best Gigs The Rockbrat’s Seen ? L7 (1995)

Who: L7 When: Coogee Bay Hotel, Sydney, April 22,1995  If you ever read a positive comment about a band with all female personnel, in the mainstream media at least, it will invariably be at the expense of another all girl (or predominantly female) band. Whether it’s the lazy cliché designed to fill a few more [...]