pocketwatch

This Saturday in Sydney will be huge when X return to the city of their birth. All-girl leather-clad groovers DollSquad and teenage tyros Pocketwatch will be in support at Marrickville Bowling Club with tickets selling here. If you're quick, you can pick up two tickets for the price of one by using the code RETURNOFX at the check-out. 

It’s Time - Pocketwatch (self released)

Pocketwatch sprang out of the garage and onto the Sydney music scene just on a year ago, and within months were a “must see” with their infectious and full-on energy shows.  

Capturing the spirit of 1977 and the melodic British punk of The Jam and The Clash, they had lashings of melodic hooks. Their youngest member was only 15-years-old which limited the venues they could play. Despite that handicap, they had a work ethic - and it showed. They became tighter with every gig and delivered some blistering shows.

Songwriter Angus Ross emerged out of his bedroom with a batch of songs he’d been creating for a fews years and teamed with the amazing rhythm section that is Jamie Woodward on bass and Sam McInerney-Wand on drums. 

Mick Medew and the Mesmerisers
+ The On and Ons
+ Pocketwatch
Marrickville Bowling Club, Sydney
Saturday, 5 November 2022

Photos by Vic Zubakin of Look Sharp Photography

The 1980s was in many ways a dire period in music: if you look at the charts or are forced to endure a few re-runs of “Countdown”, you’ll agree. Mainstream music was based on synth and a chorus pedal, gated snare and re=recordings of “Funky Town”. And there was fucking Phil Collins and his drums.

The padded shoulders and “eat the poor” mentality that saw the rise of the trickle down economics of Reagan and Thatcher.  Whenever I see any sentimental recall of the ‘80s, I run the other way. The exceptions lie in pockets of underground music

Sydney particularly reacted against the culture of Ken Done tea towels and pastels and third rate sounds. We real street music with some of best bands in the world, many of whom you could see live for five bucks.

Just as then, we still have a Sydney underground music scene in 2022. We can still see shadows and glimpses of the past and talented young bands who have been handed the baton.

_{Pete Bourke, Phil Van Rooyen and Pete Trifunovic from Sonic Garage.}

Sonic Garage
Pocketwatch
Bayley and the Liquid Squid
Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
Friday, 11 March 2022

You can say “Boring Old Fart” but it’s good to stare rheumy-eyed into the middle distance, drool into a beer and recall much less complicated times in hushed tones. Times like the early 1980s, when the biggest challenge on a Friday night was to decide which two or three rock and roll shows you were going to attend, all of them within a short distance of each other.  

If they were local bands, the door charge was free or modest, and if the headliner was on the national touring treadmill, entry might set you back a ten spot. At least one of the supports was a band you’d never heard of, but paying your money and taking your chances was all part of the ritual. You got to conduct a post-mortem as soon as their set was over or over a hair of the dog at your local the next day. 

_{Photo by Emma Wand Photography.}

Sydney prodigies Pocketwatch will release their latest EP, “Break Out”, this Friday with a high-profile show at Marrickville Bowlo with supports Liquid Zoo and Overboard. Tickets are selling here.

“Break Out” is a four-track EP produced by multiple ARIA winner Wayne Connolly that continues to showcase the band’s established power pop sound while exploring new creative directions.

_{Photo by Emma Wand Photography.}

Sydney prodigies Pocketwatch will release their latest EP, “Break Out”, this Friday with a high-profile show at Marrickville Bowlo with supports Liquid Zoo and Overboard. Tickets are selling here.

“Break Out” is a four-track EP produced by multiple ARIA winner Wayne Connolly that continues to showcase the band’s established power pop sound while exploring new creative directions.

Break Out - PocketWatch (self-released)

Pocketwatch burst onto the Sydney scene about two years ago.  With the two youngest members just turning 16, they put on infectious live shows and had attitude. With a range of influences (Power-pop, Britpop and Grunge), these kids were no shoe gazers. The band’s rise has been meteoric on the street-level live circuit and they are now packing out the likes of Marrickville Bowlo.

It's less than year since their debut release, the “It’s Time” EP.  It captured their live sound, pointing to a raw punk ethos served with a side dish of meat and potatoes, no frills production. And it was the right record at the time.

Young bands need to spread their wings and find an empathetic producer who can bring to the table their decades of skills and create a shared vision. Enter Wayne Connolly.

Sydney teenage powerhouse rock trio pocketwatch, will mark the release of their debut EP, "It's Time" in their home town on Friday. Rock along to Marrickville Bowling Club and you’ll receive a CD copy as part of your admission.

“It’s Time” will also be on all major streaming platforms from August 4. Support acts are Polly and Vertigo and tickets are here. Accompanied under 18s will be admitted.

_{Dave and Hoody: The Crisps. Shona Ross photo}

The Crisps
+ PocketWatch
+ The Hot Ness
Marrickville Bowling Club, Sydney
Friday, 7 April 2023

Photos: Shona Ross

Seventeen years after they last stood together on a Sydney stage, The Crisps are hitting the road up and down the Australian East Coast, partly to promote the release of an EPand partly for fun. Tonight’s show is number-two of the run and happening on the Friday of an Easter weekend.

1. R.I.P Ron Peno and Louis Tillett
To start on a sad note we lost Two of our greatest vocalist/Front men within days of each other in August last year - Louis Tillett and Ron Peno.

I don't have any of Louis Tillett’s albums apart from The Wet Taxis’ “From The Archives” record, but had seen his live performances lots of times over the years.  Of course, there were his legendary shows with Paris Green during their residency at The Sandringham Hotel in Newtown in the late '80's, and I recall seeing him solo on piano at Bar Broadway in the early '90s.  The last performance I saw him was at The Factory Theatre which I think was one of his last gigs.

First, I’ll get the rant out of the way. I’ve spent more time working with younger bands this year and there seem to be a few issues… 

Firstly, there are so many new young bands that they can’t find gigs… especially appropriate ones. The King Street strip in Sydney’s Newtown and surrounds has about eight venues and on any given night there are only up to 50 people in each room. 

2022 was another year that was hampered by the pandemic; while we are seeing green shoots of recovery, the scars are still pretty deep. I’ve spent most of the year doing the usual stuff, so this is some of what has poked it’s head up in my rounds.

1. Guitar sales
2022 wasn’t all bad news for rock and roll. It seems that the market for new guitars has nearly reached $3b globally… which is a helluva lot of new Fender Strats. I know I’ve been doing my bit, but it does mean that the death knell for guitar based rock and/or roll may have been premature.

2. Young Rock Renaissance
On the back of those sales we’ve been seeing an increase in younger rock acts taking up the mantle. While the standard bearers of the Aussie bogan rock scene, Amyl & the Sniffersand The Chats,  have gone from strength to strength, I’m seeing a lot of younger acts finding their feet on the live scene in Sydney. Special mentions to Euterpe, Polly and of course, out of self interest, Pocketwatch.

_{The Barman on tour in Japan at Mr Death's Crampstore with The Grand Wizard of the Psychotic Turnbuckles.}  

Top Ten Albums and Other Things In No Particular Order (with a qualifier that I never review gigs promted by the Bar but, fuck that, it’s my Top Ten.)

Ten Albums
1. Dark Country – Sonic Garage (self released)
This turned up on the eve of an overseas trip so a full review from yours truly isn’t among the glowing tributes already posted. A step up on the debut (which was pretty good in its own right) with lots of weaving guitars and classy keyboard textures. Sydney Old Man Rock and Roll. Just buy it.

2. Hackney Diamonds – The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones Records)
You might have wanted to hate it. Lead “single” “Angry” was so-so but turned out to be one of the parts of a sum that’s much better than it could have been. There's a formula here but it's not a negative when it's in the hands of its inventors. Trust your own ears: It sounds contemporary but this is still The Stones being the Stones, even without Charlie.

Marcus' Top Ten Albums for 2024 (with Spotify playlist after the fold)

1. Bad Nerves - Still Nervous:
I'm hooked on this album ! Full-throttle garage punk but with an ear for hooks and melodies. They're from Essex and have lately been opening for the likes of The Hives, Royal Bloodand The Darkness. Billie Joe Armstrong has labelled them “the best band in England right now." This album is so much fun !
Fav Track: You've Got The Nerve

2. The Lemon Twigs - A Dream Is All We Know:
These guys are absolutely brilliant ! With this album, they've really honed in on the 60's Pop/Baroque sound but also with elements of 70's power-pop. A couple of tracks on this sound like The Raspberries ! Amazing songwriting/performances and they look cool, what's not to like?
Fav Track: How Can I Love Her More?