Now you're squawkin'!

At the Metro Theatre, my fave arena for appreciating musical stylings, Wollongong three-piece Stone Ox generated a mildly infectious, protracted noise. Sydney three-piece Mandrake offered struttin', shared-vocals pub RAWK eclipsed by the overblown lead guitar. I haven't seen axework that indulgent since the French Revolution (dramatic re-enactment). UK three-piece Budgie mesmerised with their charm-person lyrics and intense virtuosity; each song was like a Saturn V rocket launch that left us wondering at a mighty vapour trail. "Panzer Division Destroyed", "I Turned To Stone", "Parents", "Napoleon Bona Parts 1 & 2"... There were no lowlights. The untouchable trio made us wait, wait, wait for the encore: a hyperspeed, solo-studded, strangeloop rendition of "Breadfan". I whistled it all the way home, accompanied by those cicadas in my eardrums that awaken after concerts.


Non-Budgie band T-shirts worn at the gig: The Clash, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, KISS, Metallica, Mortal Sin, Motorhead, Pink Floyd, Ramones, Rush (on a gurl!), Trivium, Yes and [indecipherable death metal group]. Talk about yer broad appeal!