Artist:   Airbourne, Stone Gods & Sound and Fury

Venue: Carling Academy, Newcastle  

Date:  17 November 2008 

While most of us were waiting eight years for the new AC/DC album 'Black Ice' another two Australian brothers were about to unleash their own brand of no holds barred riff fuelled high-energy rock n' roll upon the world. 

The brothers Joel and Ryan O’Keefe first got into Hard Rock by stealing their uncles Rose Tattoo and AC/DC albums so the seeds were sown.

When you hear a buzz about a band you become a little wary, are they one hit wonders or are they the genuine article, and without actually seeing said band before it was hard to judge.  But such is the impact Airbourne have had on the rock public and press in the UK and abroad, with sell out shows tour after tour, I thought I must check out this phenomena myself. 

With Newcastle’s main hall just about bursting at the seams, it was clear that this group of Aussies fanbase have grown and tonight's capacity crowd were going to be in for one hell of a treat.  In fact tonight's show turned out to be one of the gigs of the year by a mile, but more of that later.

But first the support slots, up first tonight were Canadian Punksters Sound And Fury, who got the evening underway with their mix of Sleaze Punk/Metal with front man Luke Metcalf donning a bowler hat and doing his own tribute to Alex DeLarge and had the attitude to carry it off.

The band ripped through their set with like a buzz saw opening up with ‘18’, a power punk spectacle with John Kern's slung down bass and Chris Avalos’s ferocious drumming igniting the crowd into an instant frenzy.  

The band continued their assault with track like ‘Bad Touch’ and it made me wonder what came first, the bands name or their sound, because this was total Fury and Sound in frenzied harmony.  

The band sure made their presence felt as they continued to rock hard with the excellent ‘Night Of The Ghouls’ and the thunderous ‘I’ve Got Rabies’ before rounding things off with ‘Supercharged’, which ended a set that sent an electricity around the venue and left the crowd baying for more. 

Well you wanted more high octane rock more you got as Dan Hawkins, Richie Edward and the rest of the band hit the stage running in their own unique style with ‘Burn The Witch’.  Where Sound And Fury left off, The Stone Gods took over and kept the party atmosphere going as the capacity crown chanted along with every word.  Such has this bands mighty rise to fame been as it was only a few months ago when they were playing the small room up stairs.  At the time lead singer Richie vowed next time they returned it would be to the main room of the venue and sure as eggs is eggs, here they are where they deserve.

The band left the chitchat to a minimum on this set, as it was straight into ‘You Brought A Knife To A Gun Fight’.  This was one Monday night in Newcastle every one in the venue would remember.

The hard rocking just kept on coming with the massive ‘Make It Hard’ and the glorious tones of ‘Knight Of The Livin' Dead’, it was clear the big stage is where this band are more suited as they looked really relaxed and enjoying every minute of it.  Dan Hawkins showed us all just what a great guitarist he is as he spewed out the riffs with such ease tonight, it was a joy to watch.

New boy on the drums Robin Goodridge got ‘Start Of Something’ going after a short plug for the new album then it was all guns blazing once more with ‘Don’t Drink The Water’,  'I’m With The Band’ and the superb 'Defend Or Die’.

Then it was time for the icing on the cake as the band ripped through Metallica’s ‘Whiplash’, which nearly ensued a riot as bodies and hair were flung around the venue in one of the biggest mosh pits I’ve seen in ages.  I was beginning to wonder if the crowd would have any energy left for the headliners.   

My fears were soon put to rest as the lights went down and the stack of Marshall’s was unveiled and as the intro into ‘Stand Up For Rock And Rock’ opened up the whole place just erupted and Joel O’Keefe set about rocking every inch of the Academy stage with fellow guitarist David Roads and bassist Justin Street head-banging like kickass windmills.  It was like watching three Angus Young’s on Red Bull, while Ryan O’Keefe pounding away at the drums like a Animal from the Muppets it was clear from this opener the night was gonna be special.

It was straight into ‘Hellfire’, another snarling Hard Rock assault with Joel once again giving 110%.  It was only song two and already the temperature in the venue had been raised some 10 degrees.  The crowd by this time were at fever pitch with every inch of the venue being covered in sweaty hard rockers having a good time, it was like new year had started early such was the party atmosphere in here tonight.

The set continued its frenzied pace with ‘Fat City’ and the tremendous ‘Diamond In The Rough’, from then on there was simply no stopping the band as they just rocked on through with the crowd loving every sweaty rock note from the quartet.  This was old school kicking nu-school in the arse big style.

To say the band were on fire would be an understatement, they were an inferno and the band showed they could turn it up another notch with the ‘What’s Eating You’.   I don’t know if it was the heat of the venue or the smouldering PA but Joel decided it was time for a drink and worked his way through the crowd to the bar and poured himself a cold one before returning to the stage without spilling a drop.  I gotta say, he got served quicker than I did, perhaps I should try that approach next time?

Then it was time for one of my favourites off the 'Runnin Wild' album, the great bluesy rocker ‘Cheap Wine and Cheaper Women’ before ‘Heartbreaker’, which Joel dedicated to all the beautiful women in tonight, or should that have been all the beautiful Shelia’s?

Now was time for Joel to really show his guitar skills with his solo spot in which he ripped up a virtual six-string storm, before the band rounded the main set off with ‘Too Much Too Young Too Fast’.  

The band left the stage to monstrous applause and returned shortly after for the pounding encore of ‘Running Wild’ and Blackjack’ which rounded off a great set.  

If you haven’t seen Airbourne before then I would advise you to get out there and check out one of the hardest rocking bands I’ve seen in years.  These guys are going all the way and when the second album comes out be prepared for seeing them in Arena sized venues.  

 

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