Graham Steel (left) tries to convince Graham Hood from The Johnnys that the bar's shut and it's time to go home.
Earlier this year, Newcastle’s mainstream media reported that the closure of The Cambridge Hotel was going to have a huge impact on the Newcastle music scene. But, in fact, the opposite is happening.
Newcastle is going off!
2023 may have been marked by that venue closing but it actually reopened not long after, just up the road next to the King St Hotel, in a similar format of two band rooms. Then the virtually dilapidated “The Oaks” at Tighes Hill was quietly renovated and opened a month or so ago to a swagger of gigs already, and the Hamilton Station Hotel re opened the renovated larger back room mid-year to accommodate larger bands.
Add in a few venues around Maitland, now keen to accommodate live original music, as well as the usual haunts, and the Newcastle music scene is in fact booming.(try booking a gig before April 2024!).
2023 also saw the continuation of some great annual events such as the 12 hour West Best Bloc Fest showcasing 70 local bands across 8 pubs as well as 2 Hellnation II and Hellnation III mini festivals during the year at The Lass O’Gowrie, where 20 odd bands played across two stages over 12 hours. Throw into the mix my second home, The Link and Pin’s and their epic gig schedule (which pretty much organises most of my weekends thank you Team Link and Pin!), and things haven’t looked more healthier in this little community we are in.
But as we all know, none of these gigs wouldn’t be possible without the background work of individuals such as Milly Dalton, Adam Brzozowski, Mark Fraser, Justan Saunders, Mitch Eaton and many others who not create the event and supply the supports, but have also been instrumental, in some cases, of getting the music released through their own individual labels. (VI-NIL/OUTTASPACE/DOGSHOT). And let us not forget the actual bands who hassle the venues to get gigs booked for our entertainment.
Anyway, 2023 gigging kicked off for me on Day One this year (1/1/23) at the Marrickville Bowlo, with the star studded legendary Shaggin’ Wagon and then, 79 gigs later, on 22 December, it was very fitting that the last band I saw for the year was Newcastle favourites, Drugs in Sport, at one of the best Newcastle evening venues, The Stag and Hunter.
THE 10 “200 PLUS IN THE CROWD” GIGS LIST (so fell way short of Dave from Wollongong’s 211!)
VICTIMS/CHIMERS/HELLABORES, CROWBAR, SYDNEY.
No 1 gig of the year. 2nd time seeing James Baker this year! Absolutely surreal to have seen The Victims, I even bought a signed poster!
CRUEL SEA/WRAYETTES…ENMORE THEATRE.
No 2 gig of the year. AMAZING SHOW. Did that actually happen?
SCIENTISTS/EARTH TONGUE, CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE.
Scientists were on fire!
THE BEASTS/CHIMERS. FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY
.James Baker!! Such a privilege seeing him play again after so many years
SUNNYBOYS. NEWCASTLE WORKERS CLUB
Last Gig from these stalwarts.
THE DAMNED/NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION. METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY
SHAGGIN WAGON. MARRICKVILLE BOWLING CLUB.
Great to see Bill Gibson back on the stage!!
CIVIC/WHERES JIMMY…HAMILTON STATION, NEWCASTLE
Channeling Celibate Rifles/Radio Birdman into their own thing.
HELLNATION 2/3… LASS O’GOWRIE, NEWCASTLE
40 BANDS HIGHLIGHTED BY DARK CLOUDS, BEEFWEEK, NOT NOTS, HOWLIN RATS, OWEN GUNS, DRUGS IN SPORT, NUNCHUKKA SUPERFLY, WHERES JIMMY, MAIDS OF HORROR, GLYCEREENS, BUTTERKNIFE, CASTER, HEADBUTT, MUCHO SONAR, LEFTARDS, I HATE PEOPLE TANTICHRIST, RUST, MOOT, STRIKEOUTS, ASTRODEATH AND A RARE SIGHTING OF KEITH CLARINGBOLD AT A GIG MORE THAN 5KM AWAY FROM DULWICH HILL!!
EARTHLESS/NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION/NUNCHUKKA SUPERFLY. MANNING BAR, SYDNEY
TOP TEN (OR SO) LOCAL GIGS
EVERY DRUGS IN SPORTS GIGS ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH LACHLAN X MORRIS DURING THEIR SPLIT ALBUM RELEASE
HOWLIN RATS ALBUM LAUNCH SUPPORTED BY LION ISLAND/MAIDS OF HORROR/HUCKLEBERRY. STAG AND HUNTER
LEADFINGER/EAST COAST LOW. LINK AND PIN, WOY WOY.
JOHNNYS/WHITE KNUCKLE FEVER/STRIKEOUTS. MOSHPIT, SYDNEY
CHRIS MASUAK AND THE DOG SOLDIERS/EAST COAST LOW/ JOEYS COOP.. STAG AND HUNTER.
Klondike..a living legend!
NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION/ NUNCHUKKA SUPERFLY/HOWLIN RATS/MAIDS OF HORROR.. HAMILTON STATION HOTEL
RIVERS OF SNAKES/LAURA PANIC/RUBBERNECKER/ LEFTARDS..HAMILTON STATION HOTEL
SMART FOLK LAST GIG WITH GOLDEN RAIL/AUTUMN HEART. MARRICKVILLE BOWLO
AUSTRALIAN BEEF WEEK SHOW/THE NICKKIS…FEATURING PETE BUFO! HAMILTON STATION FRONT BAR
SICK FIZZ.HISS AND CRACKLE RECORD SHOP
WHAT A BAND!!
LINK AND PIN WEEKENDER
DAY 1 REMAINS/WHITE KNUCKLE FEVER/DRUGS IN SPORT/SPACE BOOZIES/LEFTARDS
DAY 2 STRIKE-OUTS/DUNHILL BLUES/PLASTIC SECTION/ PILOTS OF BAALEK/FRED NEGRO/WARTS/CHACHACHAS/VEE BEES
This year I also caught a lot of bands I hadn’t seen before so...
MY TOP 10 FIRST TIMERS
GYLCEREENS
Damn. I’m exhausted after seeing this band. Frenetic from the first note to the last.
STRIKE-OUTS
Twins Adam and Simon playing fast and faster, furiously loud, punk rock.
POCKETWATCH
Youthful and frenetic. Lots of great riffs and high jumping
GOLDEN GAYTIMES
Exploded onto the scene with a vinyl release before playing a gig! Fun and theatrical. Newcastle supergroup of sorts with members from Muzzy Pep, Ride Ons and Autumn Hearts. Sunday Afternoon at the Junkyard favourite!
LAURA PANIC
A three-piece that balances Noise/Distortion/Experimental/Fusion/Vocals into a perfect result.
SHARK ARM
Another fantastic two-piece brotherly band from Sydney!
CHIMERS
What is it with these two-piece bands. Amazing band!
THE CRISPS
Hoody and Stu Wilson finally doing their album tour! .
SILVER DRAGONS
Pretty sure this one was created from a night at the Link and Pin Café in Woy Woy by ex-owner Anton and regulars Hoody/Dwayne and Michelle from Spurs for Jesus.
WARTS
If you haven’t seen or heard this band… get on it. From Uralla of all places.
WHERE’S JIMMY
Energy plus. Bit of late 70’s Oils/Radiators. These boys from Central Western NSW put on a show.
