Ash Grunwald @ The CornerHotel, Melborne (05/08/2011)

Sun 14th Aug, 2011 in Gig Reviews

With his solo work gaining attention since 2002, Ash Grunwald has a loyal, albeit mixed, following. Middle aged men wearing their Sunday best, wife beaters and indie-kids all jostled for position at the Corner. This is a testament to the versatility of Grunwald’s sound.

To experience the live guttural blues-rock fusion that is Grunwald’s sound is like going to meet Muddy Waters and Hendrix down at the pub for a chat. The beat heavy tunes turned even the most modest gig-goer into head nodding, foot tapping beast.

The Hot Momma Vibes release moves away from the more traditional blues sounding work and sneaks into the rock scene, with a pinch of electronic and a load of percussion.

This tour, dubbed the Road Dog Diaries, was designed as a chance to incorporate Grunwald’s love of his live audience and music while documenting the contrast in audiences and venues across Australia. The hand held cameras came out and filmed the performance and audience reaction in what is sure to be a documentary praising Grunwald’s love of sun, surf and music.

Highlights of the set included The Dolphin Song, which did not fail to produce grins as it is based on Grunwald’s own experience as a surfer being protected by dolphins from a shark. Elsewhere, Tear the Roof Off triumphed, as did Hot Mamma Vibes, which was playful and ballsy at the same time.

The appearance of Kram (Spiderbait) introduced a jam like quality to the night; he and Grunwald gelling in a way that made you feel like you were hanging out in your best mate’s garage while he mucks around. It was homey and charming and served to showcase his raw talent.