Photos to Follow!!
Moonstomp 99
Green Square Hotel
Backy Skank, The Last Hemeroids, Dr Raju,
All Systems Go, Bedlam Beggars,
Tank O Piss, Speckled Foam
and
DJ Flounder
14th August 1999
Just say it was your birthday .... How would you like to go to Moonstomp 99 to celebrate?
DJ Flounder set everyone up for a huge nite before the gig even started. He played a few tunes I must admit I dearly love (from the Skankoholics Anonymous CD - Moonska and others). Throughout the nite in between sets the energy didn't change with great tunes pumping out. It's awesome to go to a gig with the music in between bands being tunes ya like instead of the normal crap ya seem to end up listening to. (That reminds me of the worst ..... the DJ at Kallangur Hotel when VGS played in 1999).
Bit of a shit the Hitler Patrol was on the lookout for ID's. I know a few people got turned away and two members of one band weren't allowed in until they were about to hit the stage. I hear though one very smart lad hide in the loos for eons.. if interrogated what he doing for so long... his reply musta been .........it was my curry lunch.
There was a decent size crowd (around 300 I think) with a lot of punters many had not seen before. There were also the same ol' same ol' faces. Ya know the ones that NEVER miss a gig even if they are dieing. Crew came from Wollongong, Central Coast, Canberra, Brisbane and locally. The catch cry of the nite was yet again.... Arrrhhhhh How's it Goin?? The owner of this phrase is soon to become legendary.... or is he already? Many indulged in one of my favourite past times.. drinking beer. I reckon I should take a vote at a gig on who drinks what beers. Whatya reckon? For me it's Toohey's Old but for many Sydney siders it seems to be VB (known to me as Vile Brew). I know there were a few sores heads that nite and the next day. The crowd was a mixture of ages, fashion statements and sexes with no testesterone power having to come out. Mmmm nice checked jacket Susan (Norbert from Dr Raju wife) had on! Who was that smooth dude smoking the cigar? I got told he was a bastard, but is he?
Speckled Foam didn't suffer too badly from first band syndrome, though punters were a bit shy to dance. They did a smashing set. These guys don't play full on ska.. more a punk style with ska influences. Joe (lead singer) must drink a lot of milk cause he was certainly lasted tonite. His jumps and energy were nearly the best of the evening. (Only being outdone by The Last Hemeroids- Little Dave and Martin). Tim (guitarist) looks like he is having a ball whilst playing, I dig it when I see this. They played my favourite tune ... BEER! So I was happy. Other tunes included: Teenage Sex and some Degrasse High Cover (? forget name).
Tank O Piss reckon this was there last gig. Mmmmm I wish I had seen em at least one more time. I will admit these guys look like a bunch of hoodlems ready to go on the prowl to cause trouble...instead they cranked out some great sounds. Tunes included: These Boots are Made for Stomping and Enjoy Yourself ( NO not a Specials cover!).
Bedlam Beggars, I have been wanting to see for a while now, cause I wanted to see what a mates band was like. Well I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. There was no begging going on for getting punters up to skank around, everyone did on their own accord. For guys who used to play Oi! These guys can crank out some awesome ska numbers.Tunes included: Friday Night Knickers, Rude Boy, Under Pressure, Who Shot Sirus. These guys have a CD out soon, be sure to look out for it. It will be worth the buy!
All Systems Go (soon to be All Systems Know I think) are AWESOME! I love these dudes. Heaps of energy, heaps of brass, heaps of skanking numbers, heaps of fun, should I continue? I know they will hate me for saying this but they are The Australian Less Than Jake Show. Though they don't do fire breathing... (yet?) What they do is entertain and bloody well. The dance floor was choc-a-block with crew skanking their arses off. Tunes included: All My Friends are Going to Sydney, Good Moon Rising, It's Cool Man, Please Explain, Poster Pigs and Five Dollar Suckie Suckie. One heckler in the crew yelled out it was much cheaper than $5 ... Who knows? Whenever this lot bring out a CD I want to get my hot little hands on it ASAP!!!
Dr Raju were like legends to me. Coming from Brisbane I have never been able to see em. This was my CHANCE and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Though I will admit I was totally taken back by Norbert cause I expected him to be so much older. If I said they were professional I assume you would think they were just cranking out songs but not having a ball whilst doing it. Well trust me they looked liked they had an ace time as well as doing a great job at it. Printed set lists rule! ( Hint: The Last Hemeroids do some set lists I want to steal one!) Jane ( lead singer) has the most amazing voice, I can honestly say I don't normally like female voices that much normally but her's rocks! Tunes included: Mr Right, There ain't nobody here but us Chickens ( mmm weird song I must say), Cheer Up, Running on the Spot and a birthday dedication ....Leaving on a Jet Plane. I picked up a way cool T shirt for a lobster ( ie $20). When can you make a date in Brisbane????
The Last Hemeroids are certainly a crowd pleaser, I don't think there would be any arguements with me there. These guys have got a huge following and after this gig probably got a few more ( especially some from other bands). I hear they wanted to play a mainly ska set but due to punters yellin out there Oi songs they had to do what the crowd wanted. So on went the Oi! I can't complain either, I love all there songs. (OK I fib.. there is one cover they do which they didn't do tonite I hate). But a few ska numbers got into the set as well. Tunes included: Packet of Smokes, Fuck Authority, Honey, Noonan, Crowd Control, I Don't Want to Go (my personal fav). Little Dave and Martin were in fine form with there famous crowd pleasing jumps. Damn when is there NEW CD coming out????
Take a step back in time and listen to Backy Skank. This are Two Tone (should have been a title for a CD .. oh it has been!). These guys even dragged out the suits and works. Shit they must have been boiling skanking around with them on. There set really is a list of nearly all covers but if you love these songs you would have been screaming out each and every word and skanking your heart out. Mmmm I digged Simon's (lead singer) shoes as well.... creepers!!! Rumour has it there were a few stand ins for the band as some were overseas on secret missions. Brett (Allniters), Shannon (The Last Hemeroids) and Martin (The Last Hemeroids) decided to treat the punters with them jumping on stage for a number. I have to say Backy Skank have a real professional air to them. Whether this is a good or bad thing is up to the punter. Tunes included: Do the Dog, Nightboat to Cairo, Little Bitch, NiteKlub and Simmer Down. Those two tone tunes rip!!
All the bands were so different but each and every one playing ska with a different twist. So no matter what ya flavour.... you would have gone home stuffed like a SkaPig.
Now to answer my question above: THIS WAS A BIRTHDAY GIG I WON'T FORGET FOR A LONG TIME!!! A special thanks to the organizer. He knows who he is.
The nite continued at the Oxford Hotel for many a punter, with more amber fluid being the mission statement. With missions like that who can argue? I didn't. Later that nite it continued at a nameless establishment. I hear some great pool was played, a certain person missed his chair when he went to sit down and another drove home without knowing what he did till the next day.( Note: the author does not promote drink driving). 7amer's home rule!
As another ska band says: Skank Hard and I did!