REVIEW: Aussie rockers Airbourne rock Club Echo
By Thomas Copher
For thegazz.com
Every so often a band comes down the pike who rejuvenates my faith that rock and roll will never die. The new champion for the cause,
hands down, is the Australian quartet, Airbourne.
The little band from Warrnambool baptized a sparse gathering at Huntington's Club Echo on Monday with the type of meaty guitar
riffs and primal lyrics which have fueled keg parties and irked parents since the dawn of the electric twanger.
On the road in support of the full-throttle debut disc, “Runnin' Wild” (Roadrunner Records), the lads are clearly not trying to solve
any global crisis with their musical bravado. Vocalist/guitarist Joel O'Keeffe belts out numbers like "Cheap Wine," "Girls in Black"
and the radio staple "Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast," which don't pretend to be anything but booze-and-sweat-soaked rock.
The band hit the stage on this cold, rainy evening with the album's opening track "Stand Up For Rock 'n' Roll" and from there the
sermon was on. O'Keeffe and company (brother Ryan on drums, guitarist David Roads and bassist Justin Street) blazed through
"Runnin' Wild's" catalogue, accomplishing exactly what they set out to do: make the congregation forget about the crappy weather, the
wounded national economy, the circus which surrounds our choosing a new president (… yadda, yadda, yadda) and par-TAY!
No frills, here. Just Marshall amps cranked to 11. And once all was said and done, it felt good to be deaf!
Meat-and potatoes rock
Following the show, Roads spoke with me about the band's philosophy. "People want good meat-and potatoes rock and roll," he said.
Roads explained that musical fads like the downer buzz of ‘90s grunge and the present-day's guttural, faux-death metal has actually re-
energized interest in the band's type of music, referred to as the Aussie "Pub-Rock" sound.
That sound, of course, broke worldwide in the late 1970s by fellow countrymen AC/DC and there is rarely a discussion about
Airbourne without likening the two groups.
Roads was quick to respond that he and his bandmates are "flattered" by the comparison. "AC/DC is one of the greatest bands of all
time. It's an honor to be mentioned” as musically similar to them, he said.
The guitarist also pointed out that lesser-remembered outfits from Down Under (for U.S. audiences, anyway) such as Rose Tattoo, The
Angels, Cold Chisel and The Aztecs were equally instrumental in forging the style which Airbourne has been carrying for over four
years.
I asked Roads why it seems that no band except an Aussie band can pull off that special sound. His reply: "(Australia was) founded by
outlaws!"
Airbourne had a little help on this dreary night. The band Pownd got things underway with a bag of original tunes which begged for the
heavier side of ‘80s rock. Zero King was up next with their multi-genre, homespun hard rock which culminated with a rousing version of
the Beastie Boys' immortal "Fight For Your Right (To Party)." And Aussie's Finest then laid the hammer to the anvil. The rest is Club
Echo history.
It seems as though the road is endless for Airbourne. "We just keep adding dates," Roads laughed. “We're going to Europe, then back
to the U.S., then to Canada. It's been great, so far."
As AC/DC's legendary late frontman Bon Scott once sang, "And the music was good and the music was loud... LET THERE BE ROCK!!"
Amen to that, brother.
NOTE Airbourne is performing on the Rockstar Mayhem tour with Disturbed, Slipknot and a host of other hard rock bands. The tour
comes to Pittsburgh, Pa., on Aug. 2. For details, visit the tour site at www.mayhemfest.com.
Thomas Copher is a Cross Lanes, W.Va. resident, who last reviewed a book on Alice Cooper for the Sunday Gazette-Mail.
By Thomas Copher
For thegazz.com
Every so often a band comes down the pike who rejuvenates my faith that rock and roll will never die. The new champion for the cause,
hands down, is the Australian quartet, Airbourne.
The little band from Warrnambool baptized a sparse gathering at Huntington's Club Echo on Monday with the type of meaty guitar
riffs and primal lyrics which have fueled keg parties and irked parents since the dawn of the electric twanger.
On the road in support of the full-throttle debut disc, “Runnin' Wild” (Roadrunner Records), the lads are clearly not trying to solve
any global crisis with their musical bravado. Vocalist/guitarist Joel O'Keeffe belts out numbers like "Cheap Wine," "Girls in Black"
and the radio staple "Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast," which don't pretend to be anything but booze-and-sweat-soaked rock.
The band hit the stage on this cold, rainy evening with the album's opening track "Stand Up For Rock 'n' Roll" and from there the
sermon was on. O'Keeffe and company (brother Ryan on drums, guitarist David Roads and bassist Justin Street) blazed through
"Runnin' Wild's" catalogue, accomplishing exactly what they set out to do: make the congregation forget about the crappy weather, the
wounded national economy, the circus which surrounds our choosing a new president (… yadda, yadda, yadda) and par-TAY!
No frills, here. Just Marshall amps cranked to 11. And once all was said and done, it felt good to be deaf!
Meat-and potatoes rock
Following the show, Roads spoke with me about the band's philosophy. "People want good meat-and potatoes rock and roll," he said.
Roads explained that musical fads like the downer buzz of ‘90s grunge and the present-day's guttural, faux-death metal has actually re-
energized interest in the band's type of music, referred to as the Aussie "Pub-Rock" sound.
That sound, of course, broke worldwide in the late 1970s by fellow countrymen AC/DC and there is rarely a discussion about
Airbourne without likening the two groups.
Roads was quick to respond that he and his bandmates are "flattered" by the comparison. "AC/DC is one of the greatest bands of all
time. It's an honor to be mentioned” as musically similar to them, he said.
The guitarist also pointed out that lesser-remembered outfits from Down Under (for U.S. audiences, anyway) such as Rose Tattoo, The
Angels, Cold Chisel and The Aztecs were equally instrumental in forging the style which Airbourne has been carrying for over four
years.
I asked Roads why it seems that no band except an Aussie band can pull off that special sound. His reply: "(Australia was) founded by
outlaws!"
Airbourne had a little help on this dreary night. The band Pownd got things underway with a bag of original tunes which begged for the
heavier side of ‘80s rock. Zero King was up next with their multi-genre, homespun hard rock which culminated with a rousing version of
the Beastie Boys' immortal "Fight For Your Right (To Party)." And Aussie's Finest then laid the hammer to the anvil. The rest is Club
Echo history.
It seems as though the road is endless for Airbourne. "We just keep adding dates," Roads laughed. “We're going to Europe, then back
to the U.S., then to Canada. It's been great, so far."
As AC/DC's legendary late frontman Bon Scott once sang, "And the music was good and the music was loud... LET THERE BE ROCK!!"
Amen to that, brother.
NOTE Airbourne is performing on the Rockstar Mayhem tour with Disturbed, Slipknot and a host of other hard rock bands. The tour
comes to Pittsburgh, Pa., on Aug. 2. For details, visit the tour site at www.mayhemfest.com.
Thomas Copher is a Cross Lanes, W.Va. resident, who last reviewed a book on Alice Cooper for the Sunday Gazette-Mail.
| Down and dirty Australian rock has found its avatar in Airbourne. |