Members went on to Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls, the Lime Spiders, Hell To Pay, the Screaming Tribesmen and The Bambalams, but The Grooveyard was the one that got away in the febrile Sydney inner city scene of the 1980s. Next weekend's I-94 Bar presented reformation shows in Canberra and Sydney are some of the most keenly anticiopated of the year so far and supports have been announced.
Local heroes Il Bruto are on the undercard at Smiths Alternative in Canberra on Friday, February 7 and are an obvious choice with a set list reprising many of the songs that influenced Australia's underground scene, while at Sydney's Marrickville Bowling Club on Saturday, February 8 supports will be powerpop supremos The On and Ons and Van Ruin.
The On and Ons have played only sporadically in recent months and their membership includes former members of the Hoodoo Gurus, Screaming Tribesmen and Died Pretty. They were personally requested by Grooveyard's Jon Schofield.
Van Ruin are making their city debut and are Phil Van Rooyen (ex-Panadolls, Circus Chaplins) with former members of the New Christs, Lime Spiders and The Visitors.
The Grooveyard made a telling but brief mark on Sydney with a Chris Masuak-produced 45 "Avalanche of Love" in 1984 and an EP, both of which against the prevailing Detroit Rock trend of the time. More Byrds than Birdman, their jangle pop sounds are as fresh now as they were back then.
It's an early start to the Canberra gig (6.30pm) and tickets are here, and Sydney pre-sales are briskly moving here.
