State Theatre, January 15 8.5/10 And God spake, saying, “Blessed are the rule-breakers, for they pave the road that others tread.” And God knows that 26 years on Dirty Three continue to break all the rules. Ostensibly they are a rock band, but one without singer or bassist; one that…
Category: Concert Reviews
Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, January 14 6/10 Hailu Mergia’s star waxed in the 1970s, when his Walias Band stampeded its way to being the first Ethiopian band to tour the US. Mergia stayed on to escape the military dictatorship that was driving music underground, but ended up driving cabs rather than…
City Recital Hall, January 9 6.5/10 Finally Sydney Festival returned Australia’s improvising musicians to its program. Ignoring the musical treasures in its own back yard has been a monumental failure of knowledge, taste, programming and balance. That it was Stu Hunter who broke the drought was heart-warming. The pianist’s first…