Live Music

Summer in Sydney wouldn’t be the same without the Sydney Festival. How could we party away balmy evenings, dance the blues away, sing to our hearts content and picnic under the stars with the rest of the city without the Sydney Festival?

We couldn’t. We wouldn’t. We’d be strapped to a fan moaning about the heat.

If it wasn't for the Sydney Festival, we’d simply melt if their line up didn’t get cooler and cooler each year. It’s practically the only thing between us and global warming!

One of the beauties of living in this fair city is the opportunity to witness really top notch overseas bands at smaller venues.

Bands that may be huge in their own country sneak into Sydney under the radar and play to small but very appreciative audiences.

Doves, in the country for Splendour last week, played the first of 2 sell-out shows at the Metro on Wednesday, to a packed, and it was be said, decidedly backpacker-esque crowd.

One cannot help but be a follower to some degree of such a band as Augie March. When I heard they were touring this month of July, rumour had it for possibly the last time before an indefinite break, I jumped at the chance to catch one of these precious gigs.

The Metro Theatre opened its doors to all ages, spawning a wide mix of punters that displayed the longevity of Augie March’s career and their appeal to all breeds of listeners.

This world has seen some pretty amazing beards - Jesus by all accounts sported some razor sharp facial decorations, would a wizard really be all that magical without one? And my grade 5 primary school teacher was sick for a whisker.

But all of these cats seem to be positively balding after seeing the hirsute spectacular that is Steve Merry, lead singer and guitar bluesman extraordinaire.

It was thick, it had depth, it had colour (I've been watching alot of Masterchef) it was absolutely sensational. And it sang! Rather well actually.