As I ride my bike to the Great Northern Hotel, just a couple of blocks away from my place I can’t help wondering what kind of night I’m in for: is this going to be another band from the 70s getting together again to make a few quick bucks with a bad album as so many of them have done lately or am I about to experience the full blast of the classic Radio Birdman experience?
The moment I walk in I immediately take note of the varied ages of the crowd. First there were those who witnessed the beginning of the group back in 1974. Next there were people who had gotten the opportunity to be in the 1996 Big Day Out to watch the reunion of the original line-up, and then there was a scattering of younger ones, who were in for the Birdman experience for the first time just as I was.
The night kicked off with the original musical blend of The BellRays which got the crowd dancing non-stop all through the set. But as the time Radio Birdman was due on stage got closer the air became charged with the emotion of all the expectant fans.
The band modern line-up walked in to stage very confidently showing their 30 years experience on stage, as although there’s now Russell Hopkinson on the drums and Jim Dickson on the bass, these are also seasoned musicians that give a professional touch to the show. The band started off with the classical surf-style ‘Aloha Steve & Dano’ but then they plunged straight into their new material with songs from the new album Zeno Beach like ‘Remorseless’, ‘You Just Make It Worse’, ‘Like April’ and several more.
Although most of the show focused on the newly released CD a few of the classics still popped up now and then such as ’Do The Pop’, ‘Non-Stop Girls’ and ‘Anglo-Girl Desire’. All of which got the crowd singing along and reliving the hits of the past..
Rob Younger and his personnel (as they prefer to call themselves) proved to us that although the years go by, Radio Birdman has no intentions of stopping, or even slowing down. The energy and enthusiasm put in the show was only diminished with the last two songs of the encore due to a unlucky malfunction in one of the guitar amps which stopped the show for a couple of minutes. Then, when the staff couldn’t fix the problem the show had to end with a guitar missing on stage and an angry Rob singing the last verses of the concert.
Excepting a couple of minor feedback incidents and the final guitar problem the show was good and I feel most of the crowd left more than satisfied with the initial concert of the new Radio Birdman international tour.
The Sydney Band showed that although they have a new line-up, the Radio Birdman original spirit is alive and well within them. They have a huge advantage that their style of music has come back to the mainstream. And if they want, they can stay on the stage for a very long time to come.
The Zeno Beach tour will cover most of Australia and thereafter will touch New Zealand, the United States and several European countries
