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the parade

  • should have smelt a ratShould Have Smelt a Rat – The Howlin’ Rats (self released)

     The debut album from this Newcastle, Australia, trio is an auspicious one. Its sound harks back to the early ‘70s, and it sits out in the blues rock cosmos like an orphan child of Chain, Blue Cheer and the early Deep Purple. 

    Unlike the body of work that Chain left behind, it’s light on for the boogie beat. The Howlin’ Rats cook up a main of prog rock-tinged doom with a mild sense of psychedelics-induced foreboding on the side. It’s the blues, Scotty, but probably not as you know it. Someone get them on a bill with Datura4.

    The Howlin’ Rats came about from a jam at a 2019 open mic at Hiss & Crackle Records in Newcastle’s Wallsend Delta when nobody else showed up.

  • the parade epThe Parade EP – Howlin’ Rats (Hiss and Crackle Records)

    Doing anything new with the blues is a tough task. Doing something interesting is another matter. Newcastle, Australia, guitar-harmonica-drums trio The Howlin’ Rats, do just that on their debut five-song EP.

    Opener “The Parade” is a harp-fuelled boogie stomp, an instrumental that serves to break the ice without busting any new ground. “MVII” is where things get interesting.

    It’s an arcane slow-boiler that’s reminiscent of early ‘70s psych. Hobbit Harry’swinsome harp and a haunted vocal swim against waves of distorted slide guitar while drummer Tom Fairlie sits behind the beat and stirs the pot. It’s six minutes of splendour. Grass is optional.

  • Ex-Thought Criminals

  • Debut CD launch

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The Living Eye


Right eye
I-94 Bar Records presnts
Jupiter 5 
"Fifth From The Sun" CD Launch
+ Simon Chainsaw & The Liberators + Primo Mofo
Marrickville Bowling Club
- May 3
Tickets

Joeys Coop
10th Anniversary Show
Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
- May 4
Tickets

The Skids Australian Tour
MAY
2 - Brisbane, The Triffid
3 - Sydney, Manning Bar
4 - Melbourne, Max Watts
10 - Adelaide, The Gov
11 - Perth, Rosemount Hotel
Tickets

I-94 Bar presents
"You Only Think Twice
An Afternoon With Kit Identity"
Kit Identity 
(Bruce Warner ex-Thought Criminals) 
+ Rubber Necker 
(playing middle set)
Wiz & The Trailler Trash Boys
MoshPit Bar, Enmore, NSW
- May 26
(2-5pm)

I-94 Bar presents
Psychotic Turnbuckles 
“40 Years Undefeated”
+ Starcrazy + The Vibrajets
The Tote, Melbourne
- June 29
Tix
+ The Fadeaways (JPN)
+ Bahne Super-Flex 
+ The Strike-Outs
The Crowbar, Sydney
- July 13
Tix
+ The Dangermen
+ The Busymen
The Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
- Sept 7
Tix


Radio Birdman
“Birdman 5-O!”
JUNE
+ Civic
21 – Croxton Bandroom, VIC
22 – Croxton Bandroom, VIC
23 – The Gov, Adelaide
+ TBA
28 – The Triffid, Brisbane
29 – The Triffid, Brisbane
+ HITS
JULY
5 – Manning Bar, Sydney  - SOLD OUT
6 – Manning Bar, Sydney  - SOLD OUT
7 – Manning Bar, Sydney
+ Hard-Ons

The Fadeaways
Australian Tour
JULY
Thu 11- Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine. VIC
Fri 12 – The Tote, Collingwood, VIC
Sat 13 – The Crowbar, Leichhardt, NSW
Sun 14 – MoshPit Bar, Enmore, NSW

The Stems
40th Anniversary Australian Tour
AUG
24 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
25 – The Gov, Adelaide
30 – The Zoo, Brisbane
31 – Manning Bar, Sydney
SEP 
5 – Freo Social, Fremantle
Tickets here

Buzzocks Australian Tour
OCT
25 - Brisbane - The Triffid
26 - Adelaide - The Gov
27 - Fremantle - Metropolis
31 - Newcastle - King St Bandroom
NOV
1 - Sydney - Metro Theatre
2 - Melb - Northcote Theatre
3 - Lorne - Lorne Theatre
4 – Castlemaine - Theatre Royal
Tix

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