Bluebirds/Dirty
Water/Centrefold@ The Excelsior, Sydney
Wednesday June 28, 2000
Bluebirds/Dirty
Water/Centrefold
@ The Excelsior, Sydney
Wednesday June 28, 2000
When a band
doesn't have an established following, there is an annoying tendency to trade
on the basis of the band members' previous associations. This reached its apotheosis
with the Raouls, whose "ex-Radio Birdman" connections were persistently trumpeted.
Sure Chris Masuak and Warwick Gilbert were both in Birdman, but as guitarist
and bass player respectively, while in the Raouls Chris had switched from guitar
to drums and Warwick had switched from bass to guitar. More importantly, it
was clearly never their intention to sound anything like Birdman.
When Bluebirds are advertised as "ex-Screaming Tribesmen" though, the connection
is entirely appropriate. Mick Medew was in the Screaming Tribesmen for the entire
life of the band and he was always a key component of their sound, before, after
and during the comings and goings of other members like the aforementioned Mr
Masuak: writing or co-writing almost all their material, singing and playing
guitar. The sound of the Screaming Tribesmen was the sound of Mick Medew. Since
Bluebirds is a trio fronted by Mick Medew, singing and playing guitar (and presumably
writing or co-writing almost all their material), it's hardly surprising if
the band sounds like a continuation of the Screaming Tribesmen, not least when
they play "Move A Little Closer" as they did at this show.
For those who haven't seen the band (which would be most of Sydney, judging
by the disappointing turnout), Mick is still a talented frontman who delivers
a distinctive brand of metal pop, fortunately with the balance back a little
more towards the pop end of the spectrum, rather than the overbearing metal
which marked (scarred) the final Screaming Tribesmen release "Formaldehyde",
and he gives a good account of himself even in fairly unsympathetic circumstances.
Despite having top billing in all the advertising I'd seen, Bluebirds had gone
on before Dirty Water, who were then left to close the show. They turned out
to be a covers band who could easily bill themselves as "Nuggets, the Stage
Show" since everything they played was either off the Nuggets collection or
by a band which was represented in the collection by another song. I can't fault
them on their taste, nor can I fault them on their playing and they certainly
seemed to be having a good time, even if they weren't able to persuade Ron Peno
to join them for "Riot On Sunset Strip" ("C'mon Ron, we know you know the words!").
The night was kicked off by Centrefold, who were a big hair and leather pants
band. Not my thing at all.
1/2