PAUL NASSARI
February 22, 2009 08:30am
AFTER a 17-year absence, 1980s' teddy-boy revivalist legends The Stray Cats rocked Thebby to its foundations.
From the charged-anthem opener Rumble In Brighton to a rapturously received closing cover of I Fought The Law, the Cats laid down an energetic slam-banger of a show against an old-school, minimal backdrop.
The resplendently dressed trio took an equal frontline with extroverted drummer Slim Jim Phantom playing stand-up drums (just a bass drum, snare, hi-hat and crash cymbal) on the left, a trim-looking Lee Rocker playing a good looking double bass on the right, and master of ceremonies Brian Setzer playing mean Gretsch guitar (he handled a number of these handsome guitars through the night including a leopard print, blue/purple, a sparkly number and his usual orange) right in the middle.
All had high quiffs and were dressed to the nines in super-cool teddy-boy high fashion.
And from go to whoa, the crowd appreciation was at a premium and just got better as the night progressed. It must be said that they earned some of the loudest applause and whistles I've heard in recent years from its diverse, all-ages crowd (from rockabilly enthusiasts to punks to metal fans to regular dudes and dudettes.
It was one helluva good-looking audience - ladies, take a bow, you looked fabulous. Extra points go to the purple-haired young lady to the right with authentic bangs and matching earrings.
There was no holding back from either side of the stage as they ripped through Seven Nights To Rock, an incredible cover of Gene Vincent's Double Talkin' Baby and Something's Wrong With My Radio. The three jumped from their instruments with an abandon that threw into question their age (all about 50, not that you'd notice).
The selections throughout the night covered their entire career including a handful from 1993's covers-packed Original Cool (I Fought The Law but sadly not their killer version of Eddie Cochran's 20 Flight Rock), 1992's Choo Choo Hot Fish (Cry Baby, Please Don't Touch - more about that later - and Lust`n'Love), 1989's Blast Off (Del Shannon-esque Gina, the Lee Rocker-sung Bring It Back Again, Gene & Eddie and the ultra-infectious big red rocket of a title track), 1983's Rant N Rave (well received (She's) Sexy and 17 and second encore's 18 Miles To Memphis) and a slew from 1981's beloved self-titled debut.
Special mention has to go to Setzer's outstanding vocals and endlessly incendiary, inventive and authentic guitar work, flawless on every count. The man is a wonder.
Their three huge Australian hits Stray Cat Strut (which Setzer introduced as ``the Slim Jim Shuffle''), first single Runaway Boys, and Rock This Town, all drew wild cries of exultation from the already giddy and dancing crowd.
Other major highlights were crowd favourite Fishnet Stockings (which had a pre-amble about the origins of rockabilly plus, in the solo section, breakdowns to showcase first drums then bass before a rip-roaring Setzer solo that cheekily snuck in the entire solo from Bill Haley's Rock Around The Clock) and a great cover of Ian Dury & The Blockheads' Sweet Gene Vincent, which successfully merges a ton on lines from cool Gene Vincent songs (including Who Slapped John and Pistol Packing Mama).
The onstage banter was another plus with Setzer ensuring he engaged the audience as often as possible (to winning effect). A particularly memorable moment came during the band member introductions when he specifically gave away Slim Jim's hotel room number at the Hilton (324 for the curious) not once but four times. Odds on there was a helluva party at his place that night.
With all this to choose from, it's hard to pick my own personal favourite moments but I'd have to give the medal to both Gene & Eddie, which Setzer introduced as a song he and Jim wrote.
That was before going arm-in-arm with the boys to do a brief a cappella Be-Bop-A-Lula, and then citing just about every Gene Vincent or Eddie Cochran tune they can within five minutes.
And even better live and first encore's sensational rendition of Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' drop-dead brill Please Don't Touch. I've loved that song to bits since I was knee high to a munchkin so it came as an extra big thrill to me. You couldn't have asked for more.
The only bummer is that, as it is the Farewell (Australia) Tour, there's a slightly bitter after-taste as we realise this is actually the last international tour the Cats plan to do, as Setzer is sick of the hotel/airport/long-flight grind.
Anyone wanting to see them again will have to catch them in the states. Or maybe not as Brian cryptically added ``we'll meet again'' before finally leaving the stage.
The Stray Cats
Thebarton Theatre, February 17
**** (four stars)
In Short: Quiff City meltdown!
Reviwer: Paul Nassari
Home 
Subject: calling Slim Jim in room 324...:) 
Fri Feb 20, 2009 11:56 pm
