Top Marks Gig Guide December 2019

Ben Mastwyk and Rose  Zita Falko- Thursday 5th December, Merri Creek Tavern, Westgarth 

Country troubadour Ben Mastwyk will bring his honky tonkin to the cosy Merri Creek, the intimacy of the Merri Creek will emphasise Ben’s superior talent, it’s a great venue to really get to know an artist, because everybody in the room is literally 50 meters from the stage, they really bring you into their world. Ben will be supported by the entrancing Rose Zita Falko, with her devastating set of country heartbreakers. 

Heartbrokers, Mr Teenage, Ezra Lee Show ( Ft Red Rivers ), 6th December  Spotted Mallard 

Anything that Van Walker is involved in already has certified seal of approval, he’s been around for years and along with his brother Cal, they have been in a million different bands, so when you bring Jeff Lang, Ash Davies and Ezra Lee and Cal Walker to the party, it’s automatically ensured that the gig will be a powder keg. 

Keyboardist for the Heartbrokers Ezra Lee is an amazing talent in his own right, he’ll be setting the crowd on fire before the main act, also on the bill are Mr Teenage.

Mr Teenage sound like every power pop/ rock band everyone loved from the 70’s and 80’s, Cheap Trick, KISS, etc. 

They’re are good time party band, so they will compliment the Heartbrokers perfectly, when I saw them recently, I walked away thinking that every song in their set could be a single, they really know how to write a riff. 

Halfway, Ups and Downs, Killjoys, Charles Jenkins,  7th December, Spotted Mallard, Shake Your Popboomerang Vol 3 Launch

Popboomerang is a long time Melbourne label that promotes and releases all things power pop, jangle and country pop.

This gig is a launch for the latest Popboomerang album release, which is a release of unreleased and new tracks from the Popboom label artists and other related bands, Melbourne's own king of power pop Charles Jenkins will be kicking of proceedings, then long time indie poppers The Killjoys will keep the party going. 

Ups and Downs make a rare appearance, they have been around since the 80’s, so their loyal fanbase will be flocking there to catch them. 

Headlining will be Halfway making the trek down from Brisbane, Halfway sound is a soothing sound of classic country, they have been around for about 10 years, so they have their sound honed. 

The Mallard hosts a lot of folk/country/Americana acts, so this will be the perfect setting for the gig. 

Rockdogs Supergroup - Christmas edition 19th December, Northcote Social Club

The Rockdogs are a charity football team, who are a motley bunch of musicians who get together once a year for a charity football match called the Community Cup, but outside of the football match, they have a super group, who play gigs a couple of times a year, it's Christmas time so they have decided to do a Christmas gig, these gigs are loose just like the musicians that play in the band, the super group will be supported by Brian Eldorado’s Tuesday People, who will be bringing their special brand of funk-rock for the festivities, also playing will be Third Earth who are very interesting band because they play Christmas songs all year round, not carols as such but Christmas themed songs, the Rockdogs gigs are always a riot, so get a long you never know what’s gonna happen. 

Lime Spiders 21st December, Croxton Bandroom

The Lime Spiders are celebrating 40 years, of being one of the wildest garage punk bands our scene has produced, original singer Mick Blood is back on the mic after suffering from a serious assault a number of years ago, The Spiders don’t play around often, so this will be a rare chance to catch the carnage, shout yourself a Christmas present and get along. 

When the warm weather finally arrives, you’ll have no excuse not to get out and about to catch some bands.

So as always love life, love live music. 

Mark Ireland