2024 was quite year for me. I attended some amazing gigs, met some amazing people, resigned from my day job, and completed a year of service with Majestic XI, along with increasing the profile of Balkan Grill.

Spring of 2024 was when I got the news that my all-time favourite Ex YU band Električni Orgazam (aka Electric Orgasm/El Org) would be touring Australia in Jan 2025, and that Balkan Grill would be one of the support acts for their Sydney show on 25 January. The show went off, by the way. But as this list is for 2024 events, you can see and read all about it on my Facebook profile as well as the Balkan Grill band page. On with the list (in no particular order). 

1. Dinosaur Jr – Enmore Theatre – 21/02/24
It was my birthday, so I got a ticket as a present to myself. They didn't disappoint, plowing through the album "Where You Been?" from start to finish. They followed this with a few songs from different eras, the obligatory "Freak Scene" and "Feel The Pain" of course, and The Cure's "Just Like Heaven". J Mascis has the best Neil Young distortion tone ever, and his shredding is just superb.

2. Kim Salmon solo – Enmore Hotel – 09/03/24 & 18/05/24
Totally amazing performance on both nights. Powerful. Great dynamics. Loud and dirty at one end, gentle and tender at the other. Many memorable moments. At one point on both nights Kim dedicated a song to his old friend Ron Peno RIP. To my surprise and delight it was "ETI (Extraterrestrial Intelligence)" by Blue Öyster Cult.

It was a very sweet moment. I'm kicking myself for not recording it, but I was just so caught up in the moment having a great old time singing along. Being a BÖC nerd, it was such a perfect moment, surreal and celebratory. Life affirming even! Although, I think I ended up annoying Kim by the end of the second show. Oh well, I was pretty high at the time. Fuck it. Kim Salmon is a genius regardless.

_{The Balkan Grill.}

3. The Damned – Enmore Theatre – 21/03/24
Gig of the year I reckon. The Captain is such a tasty guitarist, and Rat just lifts the whole thing to another level. Dave is in fine voice, Paul Gray had that big bottom end Rickenbacker bass sound, and Monty is just a bona fide keyboard wizard. A magic event. Everyone was there! Great catching up with heaps of mates at the Enmore Theatre, then later for drinks at The Duke. What a top night.

4. Witchskull, Nunchukka Superfly, et al. – Marrickville Bowling Club – 13/07/24
Everything louder than everything else! Missed a heap of bands, but lucky to catch Nunchukka Superfly and Witchskull. Gargantuan slabs of thick distortion. I banged my head and drank some beer. Both bands were amazing. Top night. Volume plus.

5. The On & Ons – Marrickville Bowling Club – 15/09/24
Power pop heaven. Amazing show by an amazing band. Great harmonies, such tight playing. They really deserve to go places. It was Clyde Bramley’s birthday too, and their first with new member John Hoey on keyboards. Memorable gig.

6. The Johnnys "Back in The Saddle" with Brando Rising and Pete Ross & The Sapphire - Marrickville Bowling Club – 05/10/24
A huge night. The Johnnys played probably the best I’ve ever seen them. Brando Rising were excellent, as were Pete Ross & The Sapphire. Top quality night with three top quality bands.

7. Psychotic Turnbuckles – Marrickville Bowling Club – 21/12/24
Rock & Fucking Roll. I used to see them many times in the 80s, and have seen them more recently. They still got it. In fact, I think they’re a better band now. All hail the Turnbuckles.

8. Blue Öyster Cult – Ghost Stories – CD LP
"Ghost Stories" comes in the wake of their fantastic 2020 release The Symbol Remains, this album is a mixed bag and probably best suited to hardcore fans and completists. Basically it is unreleased material and outtakes dating from the late 70s to early 80s. Some excellent songs, but also some duds, as to be expected with outtakes. Nevertheless, the studio recording of MC5’s "Kick Out The Jams" and original songs "So Supernatural" and "Don’t Come Running To Me" are worth the price of admission.

9. In Search Of Tito’s Punks: On The Road In A Country That No Longer Exists  – Barry Phillips
I stumbled upon this tome via some of my Ex YU & Balkan-centric FB friends, and ended up connecting with the author. Barry Phillips was in a British punk band called Demob, who released a single “No Room For Us” in 1981, and split up soon after. 30 years later the author finds out that this song was legendary in the former Yugoslavia, covered by many bands back in the day. So he sets out to the Balkans to learn more about the punk scene there. A great travelogue of sorts with the author meeting and interviewing musicians, fans, journalists and sundry scenesters. Fascinating read, and dovetails perfectly with my own Ex YU musical obsession.

10. Radio Birdman: Retaliate First – Murray Engleheart
Like most people who frequent this site, Radio Birdman changed my life when I first heard them. Too young to have seen them in their heyday, nevertheless their music inspired me in so many ways. This is a wonderful read, and Murray Engleheart has done a great job in presenting a well-rounded picture of the Birdman phenomenon. Lots of obscure tidbits too. Who knew that Jim Carrey was head of the North American chapter of their fan club?

Honourable mentions
Other live shows and releases that simply could not fit into the top 10. These acts are amazing and you should all go check them out: Jupiter 5, Beijing Bikini, Meshky, Lord Rochester, Vogli Bonze, Buddhadatta, Primo Mofo, Same Therapy, The Vee Bees, Examplehead.

Big shout out to Big Daddy K and Troy Tempest for their enthusiastic and unwavering support of live music.