If you hand over a possibility to {photograph} a full moon eclipse, the present you are heading too has obtained to be a must-see occasion. Certainly it’s. George Thorogood and the Destroyers are in BrisVegas child!
Like a lady possessed by the powers of the pending blood moon, tonight (8 November) I’m on a mission to get to The Fortitude Music Corridor to get my rock on. I do know. A faculty night time and all!
With the powers of Luna on my aspect, I’m arriving heaps early with time to seize a tour tee and actually have a drink and a chat with mates. I’m prepared, prepared and raring to take a look at Hamish Anderson’s opening set. It looks as if I’m not the one one.
The blues rocker, singer-songwriter graces the stage together with his bass and drum gamers, yelps of a cowboy nature pierce the din of different punters loudly engaged in dialog.
Hamish Anderson – picture © Clea-marie Thorne
Anderson appears unassuming, but assured and whereas it is a identified truth he has shared the stage with nice blues guitarists earlier than him, we’re getting firsthand proof of why that is so. I’m in awe.
Anderson’s magic fingers and blues-tainted croon have our full focus for the primary three songs. The tempo then chills slightly for music 4 on the setlist, ‘Steal Away’. This one together with ‘Hassle’ is unquestionably a cheering fan favorite.
‘Tea and Sympathy’ follows with slightly extra rock in inventory and has Anderson footstomping as he performs. Massive claps of appreciation to which Anderson responds by saying he’ll play the blues for us now. We chuckle.
There’s a playfulness as he teases us with slightly ‘Bang A Gong (Get It On)’ T. Rex/ Marc Bolan at first of ‘Working Blues’, which has many within the crowd neck-sliding as they rock on the spot to the tight, driving rhythms of the bass and drums.
Lauren Stockner (bass) who has impressed me all night time, takes a photograph of the gang earlier than they play ‘No Good’. This banger retains us grooving, not wanting to go away. Then it is pure delight – a David Bowie cowl! ‘It Ain’t Straightforward’ with a serious twist of Anderson blues-tang is giving it an actual Bowie blues. I’m enchanted.
Hamish Anderson – picture © Clea-marie Thorne
After telling us that he’ll “get out of our hair” after this one (which we did not really need simply but), we get the scrumptious grooves of ‘Maintain On Me’. After a divine set that has us pumped for the principle act, followers are exhibiting a loud admiration of Anderson’s honed guitar expertise which have been oozing with blues and ’70s rock flavour.
Add to that his mellow vocals and he has me believing him when he sings the blues. Verify him out.
Right here we go! The venue is getting slightly darker and all eyes shift expectantly towards the stage as out comes the rockin’ bluesman himself, to the tune of ‘The Good, The Dangerous, The Ugly’. Becoming a member of him are the touring ‘Destroyers’, additionally taking their locations onstage.
The five-piece smash us proper up entrance with ‘Rock Get together’. What a banger to get us began. I really like how the lyrics have free traces from his different hit songs. As Thorogood sings: “All people is gonna really feel alright, on the rock social gathering tonight!” I see smiles throughout, hips wiggling and swaying, heads bobbing and arms pumping. Man I could not agree extra with these phrases.
George Thorogood And The Destroyers – picture © Clea-marie Thorne
Main with huge weapons, Thorogood units us off some extra together with his Bo Diddley cowl of ‘Who Do You Love’ and its chugging vibe insists all of us get free – and we do.
Growling the spoken lyrics forward of jangly strumming and twang-rich plucked guitar notes, Thorogood brings it in like a freight practice and we’re misplaced within the thumping beat, as we sing in our absolute best shower-only voices. There’s an immense sense of rock & roll camaraderie within the room.
Thorogood tells us that we’re going to “do some soiled issues tonight, we’re gonna play some nasty issues and we gonna play some very unhealthy issues”. Hell sure! This what we’re right here for.
The social gathering retains rolling now with some storage rock ‘Shot Down’ (cowl of The Sonics), which many a fan could also be forgiven for pondering it’s a Thorogood authentic – ‘trigger he simply owns it. The beats hold pumping for ‘Evening Time’ (one other cowl – The Strangeloves) with the quick tempo leaving us footstomping and boogieing our asses off.
George Thorogood And The Destroyers – picture © Clea-marie Thorne
Man! Thorogood is taking part in with all of the vitality of a person half his age, with as a lot precision and perfected improv as you’ll be able to think about. His solo jaunts to the entrance of stage are lapped up by the gang and we’re first-hand witnesses to the grasp axeman at play.
Through the present, Thorogood takes a second to work together with the gang, he’s even combing his hair in entrance of us whereas his band is off stage. Thoughts you this isn’t the one Elvis transfer for the night time. Proper now he’s elevating a toast to the “good folks of Australia. . . and your buddy who cannot discover the automobile”.
For ‘I Drink Alone’ he tells us he will get a hangover from hell. Forward of the gang favorite ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’ he provides a PSA to “do not drink and drive” adopted by some cheeky banter with punters within the entrance row and the way we Aussies say “beeeer”.
We’re roaring with pleasure as he tells us how he loves listening to that music sung in our lovely Australian accents and has a king measurement chunk of affection for us.
George Thorogood And The Destroyers – picture © Clea-marie Thorne
Subsequent we get ‘Gear Jammer’ that has Thorogood, our favorite cheeky bluesman, up entrance for an insane solo, working the fretboard and sliding up and down the strings in entrance of us frenzied followers, like a musician possessed by the ghosts of all of the greats which have handed.
Now the music tempo slows like a wind-up music field working out of steam; the heavy drum beats are cranking once more and joined by vocals and the remainder of the band on their devices.
This present has all of the vitality and zest of GTAD of earlier excursions. On hearth, is the person and his band. ‘Haircut’, additionally on the setlist tonight, is discovering itself as a raucous bogan flavoured sing-along. Thorogood asks us the way it feels to be 17 years previous once more and we roar in settlement.
We’re requested to carry our arms out and convey them collectively for “Hamish Anderson. From Australia.” And we present our appreciation for the opening act – not simply because we’re informed to, as a result of he’s that bloody good.
Thorogood takes a small break that permits the band to showcase their spectacular collective expertise. The four-piece are left to pump out a cranking instrumental with an enormous bassline and excessive and quick riffing. Oops, did I point out the sax? No, nicely I inform you all night time it has been reaching down into my soul and giving me goosebumps galore. Fantastic management and tones which might be simply melting me. Scorching.
George Thorogood And The Destroyers – picture © Clea-marie Thorne
Thorogood returns to the stage and a masked man arms him a shot. He states that some folks do not know Halloween is over; or perhaps they’d do something to get into present enterprise.
Thorogood introduces the touring band members as John Dillinger on lead guitar, “bass in your face – Babyface Nelson”, “extra enchantment you could really feel – Fairly Boy Floyd”, and “Clyde Barrel on drums”.
‘Dangerous To The Bone’ has punters voices resounding all through the venue, glasses being raised up within the air and extra boogie than the boogeymen at Halloween. I chuckle when Thorogood tells us “I can’t sing, I simply drink with the band”, and discover it becoming that we’ve got been gifted with a rendition of ‘Tequila’ (Chuck Rio/The Champs) for his set.
Alrighty, I recognise the primary sounds of Hank Williams’ ‘Transfer It On Over’. Thorogood is basically rollicking onstage for this till he randomly stops and bows to the gang. We’re applauding loudly and he will get again on the axe with a sassy smile to play what’s an prolonged model of the music.
George Thorogood And The Destroyers – picture © Clea-marie Thorne
As he exits we realise that simply could have been his farewell groove transfer! What? Wait! Nooo! There are scorching and bothered girls of all ages round me calling out “George” with deafening screams and others within the crowd calling much less hysterically, however nonetheless enthusiastically, for yet one more music.
The band return to the stage and Thorogood invitations Anderson to affix the band to play lead guitar for ‘Born To Be Dangerous’. We’re enthralled and there’s no doubt in our minds that Thorogood continues to carry his standing as a really proficient blues-rock guitarist and showman.
Leaving the stage as soon as once more, Thorogood is returning for a ultimate applause exhibiting off his Australian tee with Advance Australia Truthful taking part in over the audio system. He exits but once more, doing his finest James Brown stunt by feigning close to collapse and being helped by his physique guard. He’s faking shuddering and shaking (or is he really possessed?), comes again and out AGAIN to be adored by his followers – stretching out his tee for all to see after which units off once more – hilarious!
Whereas I’ve to attend till 2025 to get my subsequent shot at a full lunar eclipse, I actually hope we’re not saved ready that lengthy earlier than Thorogood eclipses the stage lights to rumble into the mic and exhibit his savage slide-guitar expertise.
The growling guitar slinger gave enthusiastic followers a high-energy efficiency, leaving us little question that ought to Thorogood return to our shores sooner or later, we might be snapping up tickets to return and do it once more. And once more.
