9 February 2020 at The Tivoli
Brisbane’s beautiful heritage Tivoli Theatre was the backdrop for tonight’s entertainment & as always the atmosphere from the building alone makes the concert even more enticing.
Upon entering the art deco glam that is lovingly known as The Tiv, The Gooch Palms were just beginning. The 2 piece of Newcastle punk/minimalist/comedic rock or as they describe themselves as an “Antipodean Party Machine” & I don’t doubt it. Leroy & Kat certainly fill the stage, which is a talent for a guitar, drum duo. Pink guitar, pink drum sticks, pink punk rock hair, tartan to cover the nether regions with a mullet & crop top to boot. Such is the surprise of new bands encountered, anomalous to what would’ve have been expected in the halls of The Tiv. Songs entitled Busy Bleeding, Ask Me Why & Don’t Look Me Up – taking the taboo off the old Red Wave & rants about football which I am totally oblivious to & hilarious rants about “Gods Lube” & I’ll just leave that right there…..I really enjoyed them, they made me laugh which such light-heartedness.
The Stranglers. A childhood discovery on Countdown (yep I’m that F!uckin old) My all-time favourite with its eclectic sound & time signature is their classic song Golden Brown. Mixed up with many others such as Peaches, Always the Sun, Skin Deep, No More Heroes, Something Better Change & Walk on By – what a set! Maybe not as heavy as I usually review, but indeed a bucket list item ticked off the list. Music is made of many parts & this was one of them. First formed in 1974 the highly successful English lads have had 24 top 40 singles! Sharing with us tonight their first single that shot them to stardom – Get a Grip on Yourself from 1977. A lot of us weren’t even alive then, but just goes to show doing what you love can keep you going a very long time. Their expression from the punk era, encompassing New Wave to Goth to something in between punk & pop – they surely are a talented bunch. Even though they have been together for over 40 years they still enraptured the audience & returned for an encore. They have one more gig in Adelaide before they head over the pond to New Zealand. Get yourself some UK Punk history & check them out.
http://www.thestranglers.co.uk/
Line-up: The Stranglers, The Gooch Palms
Reviewer: Tina Summers
Photocredits: Nine Lives Media