Dallas Crane, Tim Rogers andthe Temperance Union, Peabodyand Cannon @ Selina's, CoogeeBay Hotel, 07/01/06

Sat 14th Jan, 2006 in Gig Reviews

“If we survive this tour” Cannon frontman Mitch drawls “it’s gonna be fuckin’ great”. The Melbournian three-piece are doing more than just surviving tonight, and as opening act of the On The Beach tour, an old-fashioned rock and roll bill, they are pretty fucking great. With their tight jeans, skinny frames and vague air of whisky-soaked depravity they look a lot like, and sound a lot like, a more famous three piece: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Their brand of dirty blues-based rock is unlikely to ever have the word ‘original’ applied to it, but Cannon are nonetheless a safe bet for some undemanding thrills.

Sydney scene veterans Peabody make an unexpected appearance – no mention was made of them in some of the gig guides – and give a typically whole-hearted and likeable performance. Their solid, no-frills rock is played with a fan’s enthusiasm and the songs from last year’s album release, The New Violence have an agreeably nasty edge. There are times, though, when they appear to be having a lot more fun than the crowd. Still, frontman Bruno is undaunted and manages a bit of tongue-in-cheek rock star attitude, sneering to the crowd that if anyone is waiting to hear Wrecking Ball they can “sing it to (themselves), ‘cause we’re not playing it”.

There is, of course, no such indifference to the charismatic knockabout everyman and out-and-out genius that is Tim Rogers, tonight accompanied by his heavier backing band, The Temperance Union. An early highlight is a ramshackle “I left my heart all over the place”, about the night’s only venture into the acoustic-based songwriting Rogers does so well. Instead, tonight is all about the rawk and we get rollicking versions of I’d Rather Be Drunk, Something and snippets of Summertime Blues. In between swilling vodka from the bottle and engaging in some typically hilarious stage banter, Rogers reminisced: “It’s good to be back at Selina’s… the things I’ve seen from those balconies”. While perhaps not as vital as his material with the Twin Set, much less the sainted You Am I, these songs are the agreeable sound of a major talent having fun away from the day job and indulging some passions, most notably his love of Stones swagger and bluesy riffing.

After such a display of effortless rock prowess, it seemed almost strange that there was still a headliner to come. That could only be an anti-climax, right?
Wrong. Dallas Crane are, quite simply, living proof that all those obituaries for the much-maligned genre of pub rock may have been a little hasty. Their records may not reward repeat listens and their sound may never be distinctive enough to create great radio singles, but as a live band, Dallas Crane make perfect sense. This is where their sweaty, unpretentious take on AC/DC and The Rolling Stones truly shines. Old favourite Dirty Hearts and the slightly dodgy pub anthem Sit on My Knee are obvious standouts in a set that also includes some newer material, which unsurprisingly, fails to reinvent the wheel but bodes well for fans of this hard-working band.

Beers are downed, beach balls are knocked around the crowd and a sweat-soaked Dave Larkin reluctantly farewells the punters, holding his guitar aloft a la The Boss as the applause rains down around him. It’s an essentially humble gesture, as though telling the fans: it’s not me you’re applauding, it’s the ROCK. After a well-deserved encore, it’s out into the night sky and onto Coogee Beach, head swimming and ears ringing, glad the On The Beach tour rolled into town.