My friend Jessie (who came along last week to see Mark Evans rock out at the Sando) just sent me an excited text message. There will be a tribute evening to Bon Scott in Newtown in a few weeks!
So here are the details:
LET THERE BE ROCK – A Salute to Bon Scott featuring SWANEE
The Vanguard
42 King Street
Newtown NSW
AustraliaThursday 24 Apr 2008
7:00 PM – 11:45 PMACDC formed in Sydney, Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. The band is considered a pioneer of hard rock and heavy metal, alongside bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath.
Celebrating the Bon Scott era of ACDC special guest vocalists rock out on a night that is going to blow you away!
Guest vocalists:
SWANEE
SIMON MELI (Ooh la la, Johnny G)
JOHN CASS
MAX SMIDT + More to be announced
The Electrfying Band is:
RICHARD MADDEN (Guitar)
CURTIS MARTIN (Drums)
TONY THE KIDD (Guitar) (Ooh La La)
CAMERON DUNN (Bass)
The Vanguard’s website is here.
Damn! I am heading over to Perth next week for the great air guitar gig, so I’m gonna miss this. Perhaps someone can go along to the tribute night at the Vanguard, and send in a report or some pictures for the blog?
well… Let There Be Rock indeed!
Jessie and I went as roving reporters for the bon scott blogger to this sydney salute to the man himself.
Being non-fans we felt like stow-aways going into the vanguard. We both felt a ridiculous self-consciousness – as though it would be evident to everyone there that we weren’t fans, and that our lack of fan-credentials was somehow socially embarrassing.
In fact, the most noticeable thing about the event was that no-one really looked like an obvious fan. There were few ACDC Tshirts and no impressive singlets. It was mostly suits for the men, and slightly glam dresses for the ladies, which is probably due to the “dinner/dance” nature of the venue.
Now I don’t know much about rock, and I’d had a few gins, but to me the band sounded great – especially Richard Madden on guitar. The singers were also pretty good – the first guy, Simon Melly from oo la la, looked a bit Bon-esque – lean and wiry – and had the skinny jeans, singlet and long rockin hair (wig?). He also had some pretty good hip gyrations going on. I grabbed a photo op. with him which you can see here: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2350/2440333910_0cce6da453_b.jpg
One of the singers, John Cass, was apparently the owner of the Vanguard – and the guy who had put the salute together. Jessie pointed out that it was probably his idea to have such a long interval in the middle to up the bar sales. The famous Swanee was pretty impressive for an oldish fella. He belted out “Its a long way to the top”, which got the suited-man next to me headbanging.
I may not know all the words to all the songs – but I do have quite a thing for “She’s got the Jack”. There’s something about the ridiculously unsubtle double entendre which I find charming. So in between songs I yelled it out to the band hoping for a rendition. The last singer – who i guess must have been Max Smidt – was pretty good. He had the voice and the moves, and as the evening drew to a close, to my great excitement, he did my favorite song. Leaping off the stage he strutted his way (unsteadily) over the tables, working the crowd and getting them to sing out “JACK” at the appropriate moments. Finally he came over and flung an arm around me, pushing the mic in my face for me to whisper (seductively, I thought), “Jack”, and then turned to the audience for his punch-line “…and she looked like such a nice girl”. Well, I blushed – and i couldn’t help thinking – if that had actually been Bon, back in the day, i suspect I’d have been more than willing to get led back stage to share a bottle of vodka.
Lizzie, for a second there, i thought you said “get laid back stage”.
Lizzie, men in suits? get out I was there, what about all the topless women? Anyway poor job by John Swan not rehearsing or even learning his lyrics, And you are right Richard was great
Here are some videos from the other night…
Swanee – It’s A Long Way To The Top…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-JpPQQ0ngk
John Cass – Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be http://www.youtube.com/v/gCWRzPTN4Eo
Simon Meli – Live Wire http://www.youtube.com/v/9HvEoIjS940
Max Smidt – Sin City http://www.youtube.com/v/dkn_REi1pS0