It’s hard to define when I first became aware of the power of music to inspire and excite me, but the first time I remember being “into” a band was with ABBA. I’m not sure if it was the costumes, the catchy pop tunes, or perhaps it was my boyhood crush on Agnetha Fältskog, but ABBA was it. I’d only recently turned 9 when in March 1977 ABBA arrived in Melbourne. Their album ‘Arrival’ had only recently been released, and with some huge hit singles coming from that album (“Money, Money, Money”, “Knowing Me, Knowing You”, and of course “Dancing Queen”), the hype was in overdrive as they waved to throngs of fans from the Melbourne Town Hall.
I suspect my Uncle Pete secretly wanted an excuse to go see them. Pete is gay, and whilst the band was no doubt experiencing wide support at that time, perhaps he was ahead of the curve in recognising that they would eventually become one of the “gay icons“. Whatever the reason, when he turned up by surprise at my house on March 3, 1977 and announced he was taking myself and my younger cousin to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl to see their first concert here, I was beside myself. He quickly explained that whilst we didn’t have tickets, we could nevertheless sit up the back on the lawns and enjoy the music and the atmosphere.
As a nine year old kid, this was something I had never experienced before. The anticipation amongst the crowd, loads of people with costumes and signs, and the size of the crowd itself! There were an additional 16,000 people who turned up that night, just as we did, to sit outside the fenced off concert area to catch a slight glimpse of the band on stage, and to be a part of something great.
I was hooked on live music from that day on, and it remains as one of my very favourite pastimes.
A selection of gigs
It would be impossible for me to collate details of every gig I have ever been to, but here’s a few of them.
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MUSIC: The Kittyhawks | After School Care | Dear Matilda | Westall 66
Venue: Bergy Bandroom, 64 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056 Date: Fri April 26, 2024 Artist/s: The Kittyhawks, After School Care, Dear Matilda, Westall 66 Official blurb After School Care, a heavy alt/pop punk vibe that’s equal parts Violent Soho and Weezer, yet 100% infectious with tracks like ‘Better’, a driving…
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MUSIC: Zoë Fox and the Rocket Clocks | Druid Fluids | Heavy Amber
Zoë Fox is a multi-instrumental and multi-genre songwriter from Melbourne, who writes and performs quirky ’60s inspired folk-pop songs, and is the sole songwriter and front-woman of disco-infused space-pop project, Zoë Fox and the Rocket Clocks. Held at the Brunswick Ballroom, the gig also featured other psychadelic and progressive rock…
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MUSIC: The Kittyhawks | Pirateska Rebellion | The Resignators | Sanny Veloo
The Kittyhawks are the latest member of Melbournes perennially thriving ska scene, featuring several ex-members of beloved ska rogues, Sounds Like Chicken, rounded out with some fresh faces. The debut single “Danger in the Middle” was called the “best Australian ska punk release in many years” by Ska Nation Radio,…
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MUSIC: Now and Forever
Held in Shepparton on October 6, 2023, Now and Forever was the brainchild of rapper and activist Adam Briggs, better known simply as ‘Briggs’, or ‘Senator Briggs’. Briggs, who is one half of hip-hop duo A.B. Original, was struck with the idea for Now & Forever when he realised prominent Aboriginal…
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MUSIC: Longboys
Yah Yah’s, 99 Smith Street, Collingwood
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MUSIC: Midnight Oil – Final Show
Midnight Oil have been my favourite band since I first saw them live at the Stop the Drop Concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in February 1983. I have seen them plenty of times since then, and every time they have confirmed to me why they have become one…
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MUSIC: Midnight Oil – One for the road
Setlist One For The Road (Melbourne – Sept 14) Read About ItDon’t Wanna Be The OneNobody’s ChildStars Of WarburtonUnder The OverpassFirst NationBullroarerRedneck WonderlandCommon GroundWarakurna————My CountryIn The ValleyLuritja WayWedding Cake IslandWind In My HeadKosciusko————Some KidsCold Cold ChangeKoala SprintWho Can Stand In The WayWe Are Not AfraidPower and the PassionDead HeartBrave FacesBlue Sky…
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MUSIC: Midnight Oil – One for the planet
Set List Knife’s Edge Nobody’s Child Truganini Surfing with a Spoon Dreamworld Burnie Is it Now? King of the Mountain Koala Sprint Stand in Line Outside World Only the Strong Short Memory Read About It Scream in Blue US Forces Power and the Passion Maralinga Tin Legs and Tin Mines…
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MUSIC: The Police | Bryan Adams | Australian Crawl | Sunnyboys | Kids in the Kitchen
Synchronicity World Tour Kids in the Kitchen Sunnyboys Australian Crawl Bryan Adams Setlist
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MUSIC: Stop the Drop | Midnight Oil | INXS | Redgum | Goanna
Midnight Oil Goanna Johno Coleman INXS John Clarke Redgum Bruce Spence Colin Hay
