Unusual for me to attend a mid-week “school night” gig, but when Stan is playing on that night, what other choice is there?

Like any good night out, a feed was in order before hand, and having dined at Thai Tiki Hut once before, I knew it would be a reliable option, and indeed it was. I’m not sure why I didn’t get a better pic than this one, perhaps I was too distracted by the tasty food, but here it is.

Eleisha and I had a good time, but we were running slightly late, and we had agreed to meet our friends Mark and Emily, so we didn’t mess about too much before heading off.

The Venue

The gig was held at the Northcote Social Club, Northcote

Hobsons Bay Coast Guard

This was my first time seeing Hobsons Bay Coast Guard, and I was impressed! I liken them to a mix between B52s, Custard and Mental as Anything, but really they’re their own unique sound. Here’s a few short clips to give you a sense of what they’re about.

Skyscraper Stan and the Commission Flats

This was the fourth time I have seen Stan play, and I was impressed yet again with how great he is. His music is probably best defined as Americana folk, but that likely gives you a false sense of it. Just have a listen to some of these short clips.

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As is often the case when I head out for a night of drinking and music, I like to get a feed in first. On this night I was dining alone, so I chose my favourite cuisine, Thai! I headed to Inthanon Thai in High Street Northcote, and found myself to be the only person in the entire restaurant! The service was obviously very fast, and the food was tasty, exactly what I needed!

As I headed out I only had a very short walk down the hill to get to Westgarth, the Merri Creek Tavern was my destination. But along the way I had to stop and take in this amazing view of Melbourne.

A couple of shops before the Merri Creek Tavern I came across a sight that made me stop in my tracks. For those of you local to the area you’d be well aware of it, but I had never seen it before, nor had I ever seen anything quite like it! Things Second Hand is the name of the store, and what caught my eye initially was the sheer volume of “things” inside. A more cluttered shop I had never seen in my life. As I stood there and took it all in, I noticed an older lady sitting on a chair at the front door. The lights were on inside, but the way she was seated (not to mention all the ‘things”) made it impossible to enter, and she was giving off a vibe that indicated she wasn’t interested in anyone entering in any case.

Anyway, into the venue I headed. The Merri Creek Tavern is made up of two distinct areas, a traditional bar at the front, and a smaller music venue room at the back.

For some very strange reason I didn’t do any video recordings of Winternationale on this occasion, instead I just got these two random images. I blame the booze. Or maybe the old lady from Things Second Hand put a curse on me? I dunno. Anyway, you’ll need to take my word for it, they were great, as always.

My friends Mark and Emily showed up to watch as well, and they were suitably impressed, which pleased me no end.

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I met Jane through another friend I met online, Ian Graves. Ian and I had been mates on Twitter for quite sometime before we finally met at the Now and Forever concert in 2023. Since then we’ve been really fortunate to attend several concerts as guests of Jane, something which we are both deeply grateful for.

On June 14th 2025 we had been invited to see Jimmy Barnes and his band play a show at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda. Jane had organised multiple tickets for us, and so I was able to invite my partner, Eleisha along, as well as some other online friends, as well as Ian of course.

We caught up with another group of people prior to the show at The Cross in St Kilda. I’d been there before when I went to see Midnight Oil, and it’s a short walk from there across to the Palais, so it’s a good spot for a feed and a beverage prior.

I was in high spirits when we arrived around 3pm, and proceeded to get even higher, if you get my drift. A few drinks and snacks, and I was feeling really pumped for the upcoming show.

Just before 6PM I got a message on Bluesky from Jane

“Hi Dave. If you and Ian want to come backstage for a very quick photo with Jimmy I may be able to organise someone to grab you at 8:15. Please keep in touch and send me your mobile number.”

OMG!

So it was with great anticipation that we eventually headed down to The Palais. Around 8pm I got a text message explaining where we needed to be, and both Ian and I were very excited as we waited by the side curtains for the stage manager to come and guide us backstage.

Jimmy was amazingly gracious, and spent lots of time chatting to Ian and myself, and Jane was her typical friendly self. They’re both really nice people, and it shows.

Everyone had an amazing night, and meeting Jimmy was very special, and something I am very grateful for. Meeting Jimmy Barnes backstage wasn’t something I had planned on, but it’s something I will never forget.

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Dinner this evening was at Noi Thai in Fitzroy. Eleisha and I caught up with friends Mark and Emily, and a good nosh was had by all! For some reason I got no pics.

The Venue

This was the album launch for ‘Those Were Days’ and was held at The Night Cat, Fitzroy

Skyscraper Stan and the Commission Flats

This was my third time seeing Stan and he didn’t disappoint! For those of you who haven’t been to the Night Cat to see live music, you totally should! The stage is in the centre of the room, which allows for easy access to the bar (behind the stage essentially) which is great if you’re anything like me and enjoy a beverage or several.

Here’s how Stan describes himself on his website;

Antipodean songwriter Skyscraper Stan is a true believer in the power of words. One sentence, massaged just the right way, can be an entire story in and of itself. “I write songs slowly” he says “I think about everything I put down. Every line I sing, there’s a meaning to it”. Across a career spanning the better part of a decade, two studio albums and countless live performances, he has established himself as one of the most thrilling lyricists working in Australia today. Endless months on the road, “singing for his chips”, observing the lives of people in town and country and putting it all down on paper has sharpened Stan’s songwriting to a fine point. 

Anyway, it’s probably easier for you to watch a few clips instead. Here are some from the night;

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I woke up one morning and was scrolling my Facebook feed whilst enjoying my morning coffee when I cam across an image that made me stop in my tracks. It showed a hand drawn advertisement for The Living End playing at the Punters Club in Fitzroy, and it promised free entry. The date was May 7, today’s date. I was instantly excited, but then deflated, as I realised the post was in a “music of the 90s” group I am in. Obviously it was an old poster, and someone posted it because the date was the same as today.

But as I read further, I realised that in fact, it was a poster for a gig that was happening, tonight, at the Punters Club, and it was free! OMG! I needed to go to this gig! But first I needed to get buy in from Eleisha. As soon as she woke up, I asked her. She said “sure, go”, so that was it, I was going!

Knowing that the place would be absolutely jam packed with…..well….punters, I made an effort to arrive early. So around 4pm I arrived at the venue, and my timing couldn’t have been better. Because who else but the band themselves were there doing sound check. There’s nothing quite like seeing an extremely popular ban like this in a room with no more than a dozen people watching them go through their paces. It was very cool.

I enjoyed having a few (several even) drinks whilst the band completed sound check, and once they were done I headed outside for a bit to take in a vape and some late afternoon vibes of Fitzroy.

The newly re-opened Punters Club

I could very easily live in Fitzroy. I love the vibe of the place, I love how many live music venues there are. I would save a huge amount of money not paying for Ubers every other weekend making the trek from Mooroolbark and back again.

Fitzroy skyline

I headed back in and grabbed any beverage, and spent a relaxing half an hour or so perusing the Beat Magazine. My good mate Johnny used to deliver Beat back in the day, when we are all younger fellas. He’d load up his Combi and try and rope us all into helping lug these heavy (back then newspaper style) bundles out the door as he made the various stops along the route. Anyway, I digress….

An icy cold bourbon and a Beat

Time was beginning to march on, and by this stage I’d had very many drinks. Wisely I thought it would be prudent to grab a feed, so I had a squiz at the menu to see what was on offer. South Melbourne Dim SIms with Lao Gan Ma chilli oil, FUCK YEAH! I ordered two and another drink.

Life doesn’t get much better than this

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An awesome part of the Riverboats Music Festival is the riverboats themselves. The festival arranges for sideshows to happen on one of the riverboats, and on this beautiful sunny Sunday morning, hungover from two days and nights of excess at the festival proper, there was no better place to be than on a leisurely cruise down the mighty Murray River.

The wharf has been updated over the years, but still gives a sense of the history. By the 1870s, Echuca had risen to prominence as Australia’s largest inland port. Being the point of shortest distance between the Murray River and the major city of Melbourne, Echuca was both a key river port and railway junction. Paddle steamers would arrive at the 332-metre long redgum Echuca Wharf, were unloaded by hydraulic crane, and the goods then transported by rail to Melbourne. Wool, wheat, other grains, livestock, and timber were the most common commodities transported to Echuca. The wharf has been listed as a Heritage Place on the Australian National Heritage List.

Skyscraper Stan and the Commission Flats

Stan and band made their way onto the paddlesteamer, along with approximately 60 people or so, and we were off. Over the next hour or so we paddled downstream, turned around, then came back to the wharf again. Here’s some of the awesome entertainment we experienced along the way;

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Staged in the twin-towns of Echuca-Moama on the third weekend in February each year, Riverboats takes place under towering river red gums in a natural amphitheatre next to the mighty Murray. Historic paddlesteamers meander past all weekend, and occasionally the corellas get a bit raucous at sunset. We have one stage and plenty of room for dancing, brilliant artists and some of the best food trucks going round.

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Venue: Bergy Bandroom, 64 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056

Date: Fri April 26, 2024

Artist/s: The Kittyhawks, After School Care, Dear Matilda, Westall 66

Official blurb

After School Care, a heavy alt/pop punk vibe that’s equal parts Violent Soho and Weezer, yet 100% infectious with tracks like ‘Better’, a driving rock anthem that will be stuck in your head for days.

Next up we have the the boppy singalong energy of punk/pop punk quartet Dear Matilda who just want to make you dance – but if you listen closely, you’re hit right in the feels with personal accounts forged through this rollercoaster life. Their new single ‘Anymore’ kicks off a new direction for the band and does so in a blaze of melodic pop punk glory that will find its way into the hearts of pop punk fans both new and old. 

Emo/pop punk newcomers Westall 66 are here to keep the good times going – coming off the release of their debut EP and the singles ‘The Weekend’ & ‘Leaving Me Behind’, these middle aged stalwarts bring their explosive live show, introspective lyrics and hookiest melodies to the Friday night lights.

The Kittyhawks are our headliners and are sure to bring the show home with an upbeat, boogie ya pants ska punk tour de force. While a brand new addition to Melbourne’s illustrious ska scene ‘The Kittyhawks’ feature several ex-members of beloved ska rogues, Sounds Like Chicken, rounded out with some fresh faces.

If you love your ska forged with a dash of heavy, a smattering of jaunty and extra horney (the brass kind) then you simply cannot miss watching ‘The Kittyhawks’ in action.

Review

A Friday night watching live music is always going to be a good night, but when it’s spent watching four talented acts with one of your best mates, well it’s going to be a great night!

And so it was. The Bergy Bandroom is a great venue. Awesome space, great staff, friendly security, what’s not to like?

Jimmy and I have been mates for 40 years, and even though he’s a bass player from back in the day, he’s still a clever fella. And he doesn’t mind getting dragged out to live gigs with me, so that makes him even better.

He had come to my birthday gig at the same venue to see The Kittyhawks, but he wasn’t feeling great that night and ended up leaving early, so he didn’t get to see them. So when the opportunity came up to do it all again, he was in!

We arrived early and grabbed a feed at Baba Kawker. The food wasn’t astounding, but it was tasty enough, and ensured we had some food in our stomachs to ensure we could go the distance later on.

You can see for yourself some examples of the four bands who entertained us in the images and videos down below. The standout for me was Westall 66. They were super energetic and extremely entertaining. I look forward to going to see them again.

The Kittyhawks impressed as always. This is the third time for me seeing them live, and I can’t get enough. I’m a sucker for a band with horns, and these guys have horns aplenty. Great live act!

We finished off the evening with a kebab, as you do. Huge shoutout to Rexy Kebab. The kebabs were amazing, and the chips were hot and super tasty. Five stars, which had nothing whatsoever to do with the copious amounts of alcohol I had consumed.

After School Care

Listen to After School Care on Spotify

Dear Matilda

Westall 66

Westall 66 take their name from a reported UFO sighting in Australia that occurred on 6 April 1966 in Melbourne, Victoria. The object was observed by multiple individuals, including students at Westall High School. Specific details vary between accounts, which increases the difficulty of identification. The sighting has been commemorated with documentaries, reunions, and a local UFO playground.

Videos

The Kittyhawks

Listen to The Kittyhawks on Spotify

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Held at the Brunswick Ballroom, the gig also featured other psychadelic and progressive rock bands “Druid Fluids” and “Heavy Amber”

My mate Hamish got me the tickets to this gig. Whilst not my “normal thing”, I went along anyway and had a good night.

If you’ve not been to Brunswick Ballroom before, I can highly recommend it. The room is super spacious, and the high ceilings add to the feeling of space in the room. There’s also an awesome balcony which looks out over Sydney Road which is handy if you wish to head out and fill your lungs with….something.

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This was the second time out seeing the band, and despite some issues with the sound system, they put on a high energy show to an absolutely packed house at the Cherry Bar, which is no longer where it used to be!

The Kittyhawks 

Pirateska Rebellion

The Resignators

Sanny Veloo

Melbourne’s newest ska punk band “The Kittyhawks” have hit the live music scene like the sonic boom they promised. It is a live show not to be missed!

Their long awaited debut album, “From Brass to Bullets”, hits shelves on March 1, 2024!Born from the dying embers of Melbourne’s lovable rogues Sounds Like Chicken, The Kittyhawks have already released 3 singles, “Danger in the Middle”, “Rally Cry” and “World Tonight”, to great acclaim all round the world; a phenomenal achievement for an upstart ska-punk outfit! 

The album draws inspiration from everything from a classic love story between two serial killers, a song inspired by a horn riff that appeared in a dream on honeymoon, through to a song about a pig with a misfortunate condition.“The album is superb, the band is simply superb. I make no bones about it, this is the future of Australian ska punk” – Ska Nation Radio

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