For the second Saturday night in a row I find myself at the Cavern Club, the owner Teresa has been a strong advocate for the live music scene in Adelaide for a long time. Tonight the venue plays host to Speedmachine, Odyssey and ICYU.
Unfortunately for ICYU having two bands pull out at the twelfth hour has left them as the black sheep of this show. More to the point they are the rose amongst the thorns, ICYU are a clean cut rock band amongst two bands that could have quite easily have staggered in off the Sunset Strip in Hollywood during the glorious days of the late eighties.
ICYU were playing their final show before the members move into various other projects, they played a style of music that won't offend your mother, clean cut, three piece suit, soft rock. Members of the band are all veterans of the music scene and they looked at ease playing their own brand of laid back rock. The addition of The Beatles “Come Together” was a good indication of the scope of musical influence.
For a relatively new band, Odyssey are quickly gaining a loyal supporter base. The band took to the stage to the accompanying chants of “Odyssey, Odyssey, Odyssey” and it was great to see the front of the stage fill up even before the soundcheck was complete. Odyssey are the antithesis of ICYU, this is down and dirty, lock up your daughters and your liquor cabinet rock and roll. We are talking The Cult style rock, tinges of punk peppered with a large dose of attitude. The music is at times sultry and other times sleazy but beware, when you are not expecting it Odyssey will punch you clean in the face. The music reduces the listener to involuntarily tapping of their feet; this is high energy, well played music with a lot of groove. They set the headlining band a pretty tough challenge, laying down the gauntlet to the headlining band.
Speedmachine’s attitude was eloquently established before the band had even started when drummer Brad Tsoumbris revealed to the crowd his customary pre-show tradition. The band true to their moniker of quarter mile rock ‘n’ roll launched straight into 'Snake Bite Rock And Roll', this song personifies what this four piece band is all about.
Unfortunately for ICYU having two bands pull out at the twelfth hour has left them as the black sheep of this show. More to the point they are the rose amongst the thorns, ICYU are a clean cut rock band amongst two bands that could have quite easily have staggered in off the Sunset Strip in Hollywood during the glorious days of the late eighties.
ICYU were playing their final show before the members move into various other projects, they played a style of music that won't offend your mother, clean cut, three piece suit, soft rock. Members of the band are all veterans of the music scene and they looked at ease playing their own brand of laid back rock. The addition of The Beatles “Come Together” was a good indication of the scope of musical influence.
For a relatively new band, Odyssey are quickly gaining a loyal supporter base. The band took to the stage to the accompanying chants of “Odyssey, Odyssey, Odyssey” and it was great to see the front of the stage fill up even before the soundcheck was complete. Odyssey are the antithesis of ICYU, this is down and dirty, lock up your daughters and your liquor cabinet rock and roll. We are talking The Cult style rock, tinges of punk peppered with a large dose of attitude. The music is at times sultry and other times sleazy but beware, when you are not expecting it Odyssey will punch you clean in the face. The music reduces the listener to involuntarily tapping of their feet; this is high energy, well played music with a lot of groove. They set the headlining band a pretty tough challenge, laying down the gauntlet to the headlining band.
Speedmachine’s attitude was eloquently established before the band had even started when drummer Brad Tsoumbris revealed to the crowd his customary pre-show tradition. The band true to their moniker of quarter mile rock ‘n’ roll launched straight into 'Snake Bite Rock And Roll', this song personifies what this four piece band is all about.
This band completely understands that a good show needs to be made up of good music, good stage presence and the show has to be entertaining. This is good old fashioned pub rock played with flair by some seriously talented performers. This is how music is supposed to be presented, they are the real deal. Imagine old school Aussie pub rock complete with guitar solos that would make Ace Frehley blush, the only thing missing was the smoke coming out of Schmidt’s Les Paul or rockets being fired into the audience.
If you are a fan of AC/DC, The Screaming Jets, The Angels and Rose Tattoo then this is the band for you . Get onto Speedmachine so you can say you saw them before they were big. The style of music and presentation is something that has been sadly missing in Australian rock for a long, long time; finally Adelaide may have unearthed its next Aussie pub rock legends. I reiterate my previous point and mark my words this band is the real deal.
Review by Mike Trandafil
Photos by Tanya Louise Begg
If you are a fan of AC/DC, The Screaming Jets, The Angels and Rose Tattoo then this is the band for you . Get onto Speedmachine so you can say you saw them before they were big. The style of music and presentation is something that has been sadly missing in Australian rock for a long, long time; finally Adelaide may have unearthed its next Aussie pub rock legends. I reiterate my previous point and mark my words this band is the real deal.
Review by Mike Trandafil
Photos by Tanya Louise Begg
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