It’s taken me a few days to write this review as I’ve attempted to make the transition from squealy fangirl to serious reviewer. I’m still not sure I’ve gotten there, but the clock’s ticking. The thing is, I’m coming off the sort of extended concert high that I haven’t felt in a long time. And on Saturday I had one of the best nights of my life.
Long time readers of my blog will know I’m a sucker for 80s music, and in particular that of Spandau Ballet. So when I heard the band’s lead singer Tony Hadley was playing Belmont 16 Footers I jumped at the chance to attend. Knowing that Go West would be joining him was the ice on a neon colored cake.
Go West kicked off the night with a bunch of songs I didn’t know. It didn’t matter though; give me some synthesizers and I’m a happy girl. I was also thrilled to hear Peter Cox’s voice is just as strong as it always was, and the band were just as tight.
I was enjoying myself listening to Go West’s sleeper hits, but my mood reached another level when Tony joined the band for Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer.” The combination of Tony and one of my favourite 80s tracks saw me up on the dance floor. I didn’t leave it for much of the night, and I admit that I brought back many of the moves from the discos of my youth.
The night saw the guys singing hits and covers solo, then reuniting for some choice duets. There were the expected but no less appreciated songs. I loved hearing Go West sing “We Close Our Eyes” and “King of Wishful Thinking,” and went nuts for Spandau’s “Only When You Leave,” “Communication,” and “Gold.” Slow dancing with my husband to “True” was so special that I got teary.
But it was the unexpected numbers that made the night really special. Go West’s version of “Tracks of My Tears” was killer, as was Tony Hadley’s take on Nina Simone’s “Feelin’ Good.” He also made us all squeal with delight at “Rio.” Who needs Simon Le Bon? These covers were interesting, but not as bizarre as hearing them sing out Foo Fighters “Learn to Fly,” Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire,” and Stereophonics “Dakota.” Bizarre but completely awesome.
If I’m critical it wasn’t a perfect night. The sound quality was pretty poor in places. It seems the 16 Footers really needs to learn about sound checking. But I couldn’t fault the bands. They brought the 80s back to us all for an evening, and it was incredible.
Image source: Stephen Katulka
In this digital age, bands who care about their cover art are becoming increasingly rare. 
5 November 2011 – Fever Nightclub, Gold Coast (18+)
I arrived to the traditional jazz stylings of the NSW Police Band. They were such a tight outfit, and perfect for easing us in to the day. Their classic jazz tunes were a natural warm-up for Feel the Manouche featuring living legend George Washingmachine. Again this was a classic jazz set punctuated by the tunes of Cole Porter and the like. However the unlikely blend of violin, double bass, and piano accordion brought a lovely gypsy flavour to the music. It was mellow but stunning, a great backdrop for a casual lunch and a few glasses of wine.
The intensity picked up with Weird Assembly, an exciting ten-piece who played big brassy soulful grooves. I really enjoyed their sound, particularly the gutsy rasp of vocalist and sometimes saxophonist David Weir. Sadly his enthusiasm came off a little desperate at times. The Jazz in the Vines crowd certainly isn’t too shy to dance if they want to. The repeated pleas for more participation started to grate.
Lisa Hunt proved that when the moment is right, the punters will groove. She closed the festival a few years back, and with Saturday’s set she proved that excellent set was no fluke. She had the throng on its feet with her Motown and disco heavy performance. Perhaps The Four Tops and Thelma Houston numbers weren’t jazz, but no one seemed to mind one bit. While she performed admirably as a solo act the moment when she called on three audience members to serve as her Supremes was a real highlight. One girl’s killer vocals even threatened to upstage Ms Hunt’s!
A whole lot of time in the recording studio is making