REPOST: Various Artists - Sunbury '74 (Parts 1 & 2)

(Various Australian Artists 1974)
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The 70's was a period in Australian Rock Music when the industry showcased its very best at the annual Sunbury music festival. On each Australia day weekend from 1972-1975, 35,000 plus people would travel to a picturesque site 30 minutes from Melbourne, in anticipation of witnessing some of the greatest performance of our own rock bands. For those who attended it was an event not to be missed and still considered today to be the most successful rock music festival of its kind held in Australia.
The Sunbury Music Festivals were organised by a group named Odessa Promotions, said to be members of the Melbourne TV Industry. The principal of the company was John Fowler, and it’s said that the company included people who had previously worked on shows such as Uptight, a pop TV show of the late ‘60s. The company went into liquidation after the final concert of ‘75, which was a financial disaster compared to the previous festivals.

There’s just as much mythology about the spirit of the Sunbury Music Festival, with some regarding it as Australia’s Woodstock, a keypoint in more innocent times that embraced peace and a laid back life, while others saw the Sunbury festivals as an event that mirrored the decline of that flowery period with some suggesting that the festivals steadily became a beer-soaked yob fest.
While the Sunbury Music Festivals did much for the Aussie music scene, featuring an all-Australian line-up in ‘72’s first festival, it also attracted well-known acts from overseas in the later festivals with British bands Queen appearing in ‘74 and Deep Purple taking the stage in the festival of ‘75.
John Fowler's Odessa Promotions flexed their muscles for Sunbury '74. But getting Daddy Cool to reform wasn't enough. They decided to impose their first 'international' act on the festival.    So far, Sunbury had been a celebration of Australian music. Their international guests were unproven and no one had heard of Queen. They were just two albums old and yet to make any significant name for themselves. Where Queen were treated like. . kings...down to being chauffeured to the site, the Australians of course made their own way. (Nothing's changed of course. Ask the Australians who were forced to appear for free at Rumba recently). The rest of the Sunbury '74 performers resented Queen being there, resented everything their presence represented. The audience also resented the English band being there. For them, the Australian music was more than enough. Making things just a little worse, there was a mix-up over daylight savings. Queen had been booked to appear an hour before they expected. They made everyone wait until the sun went down. Queen didn't do themselves any favours, but they were SO unknown, and SO insignificant no-one held it against them later. Only for Queen was it a day they would never forget.
When Queen took to the stage, the band was largely unknown at that time on Australian shores and they were unfortunately heckled from the stage following their performance, allegedly after the announcer of that year’s festival asked the audience, “D'you want anymore from these pommie bastards or do ya want an Aussie rock band?”

 
Before leaving the stage to jeers that labelled them “pooftahs” who should go back to Pommyland, Freddy Mercury, Queen’s iconic front man (who was nonetheless fond of bottoms) boldly and bravely fired a parting shot back at the audience. He declared that when his band Queen would next visit Australia, they would be the biggest band in the world. And true to his word when they returned to our shores in ‘76, QUEEN were indeed one of the most globally acclaimed bands. [extracts from onlymelbourne.com.au]
 
The following is an account of the Sunbury '74 concert through the eyes of one of the festival's compares (and a well known celebrity from the Countdown era) - none other than Ian 'Molly' Meldrum. Reporting in his regular weekly column 'Ian Meldrums Keyhole News' (GoSet magazine, Feb 9,1974. p10), Molly gives us a wonderful run down of each band who played over the three days, and helps capture some of the excitement that occurred at what some people consider to be the best Sunbury of all. For more information about the Sunbury festival, see Milesago.com.

 

SUNBURY BLOODY SUNBURY …POP ORGY…well, that was the headline in one of Melbourne’s better known Sunday papers…their editorial went on to describe how Sunbury became Sin City…of how sex, violence, drugs, and beer-swilling teenagers turned the festival into an orgy.  Wow, SUNBURY ’74 must have been sensational…I wish I’d been there…the funny thing is that I was there for the whole 3½ days and apart from a few isolated incidents involving some yahoo’s, no way known could you describe Sunbury as a violent festival…and as for the open use of drugs, well the drug squad who were there in full force must have been blind-folded because they only made a couple of arrests…thousands of contraceptives sold??...strange that the Chemists report that they only sold about a dozen. 
In other words, WHAT A LOAD OF BULL!...in fact, I would go as far as to say that Sunbury’74 was one of the most peaceful and most organised festivals you could ever hope for…Nude Bathing?...Well, why not?...I mean, who cares?...we have, thank you, grown up at least that much…and let’s face it, it’s papers like this Sunday rag that have made us immune to it all…they thrive on the Tits and teeth bit…unfortunately the thing they forgot to mention was the great line up of talent that kept us entertained over the three days…unfortunately this column is too short to give mention to everyone…but believe me, in one way or another, all deserve a pat on the back…my fear that this year’s Sunbury would be dreary and boring like Sunbury ’73, was completely unfounded…

Friday Night and Sherbet Slayed ‘em
Friday Night…a beautiful clear sky and the satellite city is already in full swing…and wouldn’t you know once again I opened my big trap once too often RE: SHERBET…I did say a couple of weeks back in the column that I couldn’t understand why the group was performing on the first night when most of the audience would be still hitching up their tents etc etc…Wrong…the audience hill was packed and I must say that Sherbet were magnificent…but the guys should give thanks to PIRANA, ROSS RYAN and BAND OF LIGHT who were on before them because they really put the audience in a great mood…PIRANA played a beautiful set and it’s hard to believe that they are not a bigger name in this country because they deserve to be…ROSS RYAN was good but Ross’s outstanding performance was to come on Sunday…BAND OF LIGHT were, I thought, tremendous… surely they are destined to do big things on the Australian music scene this year…and then there was SHERBET… what a performance!...it was their first ever Sunbury and let me tell you right here and now that they made up for the previous two years when they were unable to appear…For months I’ve been raving about their stage act and musical talents but every time I see them they just never cease to amaze me…I’ll go as far as to say that they have probably one of the finest stage acts in the world…and I’m sure the likes of Bowie, Rod Stewart and Elton John, if they were ever given the chance to see them, would agree with me…need I say that Sunbury loved them…it should, in SHERBET’S book, go down as one of the highlights in their already dazzling career…because Sunbury is a fest and in my book, and they may disagree because I believe they weren’t happy with their performance, they get 10 out of 10
To finish off Friday night, HOME, one of Australia’s up and coming groups put the final seal to the night’s superb display of entertainment.

Hot Saturday
Saturday was HOT, really, really HOT…and the drink and watermelon stores were doing great business…sure, people drank booze and happily I report that gone from the festival were the dozens and dozens of kids that were there last year staggering around till the early hours of the morning…by mid-afternoon temperatures had soared to 35 but this didn’t put a downer on UPP’s energy…here is another group that’s full of visual excitement…sure, they’ve got a long way to go but I have every confidence that over the next six or seven months they will build up the following they need and they’ll be up there with the best of them…next on were the 69’ers and as usual they provided the laughs for the day…they really are an incredibly funny group and I hope that they never lose their sense of humour…like last year, they more than wowed the crowd…and to finish off their set they had an all-out cream cake fight…as compare, they were the first act that I had to bring off stage and I’m sure you will agree that it was rather fitting that I ended up with a complete sponge-cake and cream all over my face.  SKYHOOKS were the next on and unfortunately I feel that this group needed a night-time spot when they could make full use of the lights…because they are as much into theatre as they are into music….but one thing’s for sure, watch out for the name SKYHOOKS…they’ve arrived

and they’ll be here for quite a while…SID RUMPO proved to all and sundry what fine musicians they are and after their performance I eagerly await their forthcoming album…MATT TAYLOR was on next doing his solo bit…and what can I say about MATT?... he defies all convention of a ’74 pop star… I mean, name one other pop star who gets out on stage, sits down, and says to 30,000 people, Gidday…but you can’t help but love his music…and as usual, in his own peculiar way, he got the audience going… MATT was rewarded with a fine ovation and an encore…but Matt had a surprise in store for them the following day…DINGOES were next on and boy, can they rock and roll…I absolutely love this group and obviously with the response they got, so did the Sunbury crowd…but the one thing that I feel is missing is visual projection from lead singer, BRODERICK SMITH…he possesses an incredible voice…he looks good, but for some reason he fails to project….there’s an old say Brod, If Ya Got It, Flaunt It, so Start Flaunting!  Next on were CHAIN…and has this group got themselves together up in Brisbane…all the reports and fears that the group would break up were dispelled five minutes after they started playing on stage…we all know what a fine group of musicians there are but now with the added confidence that the Australian public really do appreciate them, this group has really come alive…fortunately or unfortunately for Barry Harvey, they don’t miss him as a drummer at all…the group is tight as I’ve ever seen them…why even Phil’s developed a personality…it was a brilliant musical set and it put the crowd into a great mood for what was to come.

And what was to come was four hours of sheer musical entertainment…the BALLS hit the stage with LOBBY not far behind…and did that audience develop balls!..Wow!...sure, the skinheads and the tattoo freaks love them, but so did everyone else…and I think it would be fair enough to say that the group put on their best performance ever…and LOBBY, me boy, there’s no denying it, you’re every bit a Pop Star…and what a great sight it is to see 30,000 people cheering and yelling and rocking their hearts out…ooooh, it sends shivers up me spine…and thumbs up (in the rude sense) to all those self-appointed critics who have written in to the paper over the past few months criticising this group and labelling them boring…cause when 30,000 get their rocks off on Ballpower, they must have something…next on was a surprise…it was the LA DE DAS and I thought they were bloody fantastic…it would be hard for any group to follow LOBBY successfully but the LA DE DAS did it and did it in fine style…it’s amazing the sound that can be created by just three musicians…and watch out girls because lead singer KEVIN BORICH is about to become a sex symbol…a job well done LA DE’s…

Go Set Magazine Article

Billy’s Not Over The Hill – A Rainbow Fixed That
 Next was one of the two Sunbury miracles…I must admit I felt like an ant walking out on stage with all these towers of equipment surrounding me…it looked as if we were about to restage the Commonwealth Games…but Aztec energy was about to be let loose…just before I made the announcemen I asked BILLY if the group would be wanting to do an encore…and he replied, Don’t Ask Me Man, You’ll Know From The Reaction Of The Audience…and I must confess that I thought, God, I hope last year’s no indication of audience reaction…’cause in ’73 an encore they did not want…Sunbury ’74 was possibly the greatest test this group had to go through, and I mean the Greatest…and BILLY knew it…gone is the denim and replacing it it are the superb tailor-made velvet and leather jackets etc…the next hour was one of the most amazing sights I’ve ever witnessed since I’ve been connected with pop scene…the AZTECS didn’t Wow the audience…they destroyed them!...BILLY had them literally eating out of his hands…you know, words can’t describe what happened…they did new songs, they did old songs…and ten minutes into their set BILLY was wearing the biggest smile you could imagine…he knew he had them back…one song, what was it?...you can’t go round saying What on stage??....F*CK I think…front of stage in the press and group arena it was packed…the COLOURED BALLS were down there, the DINGOES…you name them, they were there, all clapping and cheering…and the audience of 30,000 up on the hill with their arms above their heads, the bare-breasted ladies up on guy’s shoulders weaving and rocking, the Excitement…it was really Too Much…and what about when part of the audience  started chanting the AZTEC “Suck More P…” slogan…a saying that derived from their days at the Whitehorse Hotel…it spread through the audience like wildfire and BILLY said “Keep it up, Keep it up”…and then he and the group wrote a song, there on stage about suck more p…
I firmly believe that audience was ready to do anything for BILLY at that stage…after a couple more numbers like Oop Poo Pah Doo, BILLY announced that he was going to do a number that we’d either hate or love…”Here’s One For The Knockers”, he said…and, my God, he did a song that he made a hit eight years ago, ‘Over The Rainbow’…we all looked at each other in disbelief, but it was sounding great!...and on his alone THORPIE can take the title of Australia’s Top Superstar, because that he is…well, the audience just went beserk after that and they just continued to scream and yell, clap and shout and rock and roll…they finally walked off stage and I passed BILLY and I almost felt tempted to say, well it doesn’t look as if you’re going to do an encore…but I didn’t exactly want to wear a guitar at that stage…and the crowd was just screaming for more, and I do mean screaming…in the middle of my Do Ya Wanna Hear More, my voice suddenly cracked in the excitement and like, for the next two days they had to put up with a rather croaky demented Meldrum…there was no doubt that AZTEC energy was back!
What a hard job for ARIEL to follow this…but like the LA DE DAS with LOBBY, ARIEL did a grand job…all the work and effort that’s been put into their visual stage act is really starting to pay off though I must admit that the big explosion on stage that they created fair frightened the daylights out of me…they performed A Strange Fantastic Dream and is it any wonder that the album is selling so well?...what a shame the group, due to an energy crisis in England, are unable to go there in March because at this stage they are very together…obviously the gigs that they have done supporting overseas bands have helped instill a lot of confidence performance-wise into the group…musically you cannot fault them…visually they are progressing in leaps and bounds…MISSISSIPPI were the next on and this group possesses a brilliant range of harmonies…they lack the visual side but they make up for it with their voices and playing…I’m sure everyone out there agreed that they’re really nice to listen to.

Sunday – Madder Seals Crown
Sunday was just as hot and the St.Johns ambulance brigade were working overtime treating people for cut feet, heat exhaustion and other minor injuries…what would a festival like this be without them?...I shudder to think…GLENN CARDIER played a beautiful set that afternoon and it’s easy to see why he was given a Commonwealth Grant…he may not be everyone’s cup of tea but with that selected audience he really does entertain…RICHARD CLAPTON is another who performed that day and although he was very nervous, he proved what a talent he has, both as a singer and as a songwriter…CAPTAIN MATCHBOX were very entertaining…like SKYHOOKS, they are more a theatrical group and it’s good to see that the Australian music scene has now found a place for this type of group…one highlight of that afternoon had to be KUSH and LINDA GEORGE…KUSH are a brilliant brass-orientated group and with JEFF up front camping his way through song after song, ’74 should see this group emerge as a top seller on the record market…LINDA GEORGE was superb…she’s undoubtedly one of Australia’s finest female singers and you can see her confidence growing day by day (an unintentional pun!)…It’s also good to see that Sunbury has come of age and is able to present artists of her caliber on such a festival…there were some fine vocal backings also by the COOKIES…

Matt Taylor

Next on were the DINGOES who gave another fine rock and roll performance…another appearance by MISSISSIPPI and then MATT TAYLOR hit the stage with a rock group backing him…and what emerged was the MATT of old, the MATT TAYLOR that we once knew as lead singer of CHAIN…he really got that audience jumping and in so many ways I strongly feel that MATT should perform with a rock group more often…and what a gas to hear him sing once again “Grab A Snatch And Hold It”…it was yet another great performance by MATT and the audience fully appreciated it…and then came the big wait…for the appearance of QUEEN…apparently there were a lot of hassles with setting up the equipment etc. and I am not going to attempt to go into who was right and who was wrong…but one thing I will say…I don’t think any group should be subjected to the insulting remarks that were made on stage prior to them going on…after all, they were asked to come here and they wanted to give the best performance they could give…the remarks made by this certain person who, I might add, was not one of the comperes, were unfair and totally unjustified… and worse still, it put a downer on the whole audience…QUEEN finally hit the stage,  with all the odds stacked against them…no, they didn’t receive the greatest applause in the world but with a very tight set, they did swing the audience back and at the end the audience gave them a polite but genuine applause…unfortunately the next day they could not appear because their lead singer was legitimately ill…perhaps a few people will have to eat their words over the next year if QUEEN make the top ranks on the international scene.

Queen at Sunbury

The saving grace of the night was the next act that was on…it was MADDER LAKE and they were really fantastic…first they had the hard task of pulling the audience out of their downer…once they achieved that they worked on the audience to bring them to what had to be the all-time high of the day…like the night before with THORPIE, the audience started to dance and wave their hands in the air etc…MADDER LAKE for the first part of their set, performed their new album, ‘Butterfly Farm’ and if you go by the audience reaction they should have no worry about it being a top seller…for the latter part of their show they performed numbers from their ‘Stillpoint’ album as well as their hit singles…and the audience ..well, need I say, just went ape…my only regret was that every programmer from interstate weren’t there to see MADDER LAKE perform…they are without a doubt one of Australia’s unique sounding bands…they are full of originality and are full of entertainment…just ask any one of the 30,000that were at Sunbury.

Queen's Setlist

After MADDER LAKE came JOHN GRAHAM and BLACKSPUR…Now there’s an under rated artist for you…but keep at it JOHN because they’re going to wake up soon…AYERS ROCK then hit the stage and what fine group of musicians they are…and full credit to them for getting the audience rocking and rolling again at 2.30 in the morning…they lack nothing in musicianship whatsoever and perhaps need a front man to give them some visual effect…once this is achieved I would imagine the sky’s the limit…both their performance this night and the following day proved that we have some really top-line Australian musicians…I thought they were great…to finish off the night, well as a matter of fact it was the very early hours of the morning, MACKENZIE THEORY played an amazing set…they really are an unbelievable group…there can be no other group like them I the world…and if they stick together then I’m sure someone from overseas is going to grab them…the worth of this group speaks for itself, but might I add that there were around about 4000 people who stayed up until 4 o’clock in the morning just to listen to this group…the group also played on the second stage and packed it out…

Daddy Who? Daddy Cool (Getting ready to go on stage at Sunbury 74)

Monday – 35C Cool Entertainment
Monday was a very tiring day…it was hot and muggy…once again PIRANA, AYERS ROCK, SID RUMPO and CHAIN entertained the crowd…ROSS RYAN made his second appearance that day and I would imagine it was one of the best performances he’s ever given…ROSS has always been full of confidence and unlike so many artists, he really knows how to work his audience…he has, over the last 12 months, emerged as one of Australia’s top singer –songwriters and his performance that day proved why he has become just that…
One group that emerged on that Monday who were virtually completely unknown before was BUSTER BROWN…they really got the crowd rocking so Watch Out For Them…that’s a definite name to put in your little black book…but Monday really belonged to DADDY COOL…they played as though they’d never ever broken up…and they somehow re-created the excitement of ’71…the crowd just went mad…Absolutely Deliriously Mad…just prior to the group coming on, they adored the stage with three giant Australian flags and during their performance they issued to the audience hundreds of toy flags…the scene was quite unbelievable…the did all their old hits…look, what more can you say…DADDY COOL HAD RETURNED…and so had the excitement…I really believe that they could have played all day and all night and the crowd still would have called for more…it was a great ending to a really successful festival…
I thank all and sundry who organised the festival, especially Odessa Promotions...and Mr. John Fowler…Sunbury ‘74 proved that the Australian music scene id very much alive…but more than that, it proved that Australian artists and musicians are amongst the finest in the world…
Sunbury Pop Orgy???...No!...Sunbury was full of Fun, Music and Entertainment…yes, this year at Sunbury a man died but also for the first time at Sunbury a baby was born… MOLLY xxxxxx
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Now, firstly it should be noted that there are some discrepancies in Molly's account which should be noted. It has been reported (by Milesago.com) that Skyhooks were booed off stage at Sunbury 74 (apparently the audience wasn't really ready for all of the glam and glitter that they brought to the table) and it is because of this that their first lead singer 'Steve Hill' left the band and was replaced by Graham "Shirley" Strahan, and of course the rest was history.  So, I guess Molly forgot to mention this in his report.
Another discrepancy lies with Milesago documenting that Blackfeather performed at Sunbury '74, yet Molly makes no mention of them playing in his extensive account. Likewise, another Sunbury review in GoSet by columnist Mitch entitled 'Front Row Reviews' (Feb 16, 1974) makes no reference to Blackfeather in amongst his listing of bands.  So, unless someone can provide direct proof, I think Milesago has got it wrong.
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One real mystery associated with the recordings released by Mushroom on their Anti RipOff label (see below) is the inclusion of a recording made by an unknown group called 'Full Moon'. There has been much speculation about who they were yet 'Full Moon is absent from any reviews or articles in the GoSet Magazine at that time. There was a UK group with the same name (but are certainly not the same band) based on their style of music.

One hint that might help, is when Molly refers to a 'second stage' when discussing MacKenzie Theory's performance. It is possible that Full Moon may have performed "Freedom Jazz Dance" on this second stage to a smaller crowd, and the recording used to diversify (or fill) the Mushroom release - Part 2.
Apparently, the new concept of a 'second performing stage' was added to the Sunbury festival in 1974 to include "alternative performances such as jazz recitals, theatre, dance, mime, poetry and acoustic music." which seems to fit in with this explanation.
As to the identity of the band Full Moon, ChickaMunro provides us with the only info at hand, on the Midoztouch forum when he reports:  'From the front cover of a promo booklet from Open Sky Productions, who were putting on a gig at the Dallas Brooks Hall, Nov 1975'.
Ayers Rock, Silver Sun, Phil Manning, in concert at The Dallas Brooks Hall
Conceived in our illustrious Gardenvale, Silver Sun makes it's first public appearance tonight.
After months of solid slogging in that fine suburb, the band features John Pugh, a former member of Healing Force and FULL MOON, on lead guitar and vocals. Barry Sullivan,...bass,...Sunil De Silva from Skylight and the Dingoes on drums...Sam McNally...Mal Logan...jazz, soul and blues...funky...Herbie Hancock...Marvin Gaye..."
This has something to do with the whole Healing Force thing - who also had their biggest gig at Sunbury 73, didn't they? Also the Company Caine precursors had Pugh - and so the trail leads all over the place in Melbourne.  Any further information about this mysterious group would be gratefully received !

One final note, before I close this 'rather long post'. Apparently, Sherbet was supposed to have "Hound Dog" included on one of the featured albums but pulled the plug at the last moment for some reason and Thorpie's XXX rated track "You Can't Go Around Saying F*ck On Stage" was pulled by Mushroom in fear of legal repercussions.  In addition, EMI would not allow its acts to appear on these albums, hence the absence of tracks by Ariel, Coloured Balls, Mississippi, Ross Ryan etc..
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This post consists of FLAC rips taken from vinyl, both in excellent condition.  Full album artwork is also included for both vinyl (mine) and CD (thanks to Bondie), a multitude of newspaper articles (from Go Set magazine thanks to RAM) and photos (sourced from The Age archives and anddum.com with gratitude).

Artwork and associated Sunbury literature are also included as a separate download for those you who already have the music, and only want this support material. 

IMPROVED RIP
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Track listing:
(Sunbury '74 - Part 1)
01 - Lizards (Madder Lake)
02 - I'm a Dingo (The Dingoes)
03 - Gonna miss you babe (Chain)
04 - Big Shake and Hi Honey Ho (Daddy Cool)

05 - New Orleans (Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs)
06 - Hey What's the Matter (Skyhooks)
07 - Roll over Beethoven (Buster Brown)
08 - Buster Brown (Buster Brown)
(Sunbury '74 - Part 2)
01 - Payday Again (The Dingoes)
02 - Morning Magic (Ayers Rock)
03 - Supreme Love (Mackenzie Theory)
04 - Love On The Radio (Skyhooks)
05 - We'll Never Do The Same Again (Matt Taylor)
06 - Wang Dang Doodle (Sid Rumpo)
07 - Sweet Home Chicago (Sid Rumpo)
08 - Freedom Jazz Dance (Full Moon)
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Sunbury '74 - Part 1&2 FLAC Link (476Mb) New Link 20/10/21
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Sunbury '74 Artwork and Photos (36Mb)

Various Artists - Sunbury (1972)

(Various Australian Artists 1972)
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Though not the first major music festival in Australia, the Sunbury Music Festival was the first to turn a profit and to run consecutively for several years. For 4 years from 1972, the festival was held on the Australia Day long weekend at a private farm on the outskirts of Sunbury near Melbourne, attracting around 35,000 punters of pop. Likened at the time to Woodstock, today Sunbury can be seen as a forerunner to big festivals like Big Day Out, Falls and Splendor in the Grass. Line-ups included home-grown acts such as Skyhooks, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, Sherbet, Daddy Cool and Captain Matchbox; with international guests like Queen and Deep Purple headlining in later festivals. However, it was Deep Purple who tolled the death knell for the Sunbury festival in 1975. Operating at a loss, organisers paid out the UK rock stars at the expense of the local acts who went home penniless.

Sunbury 72
 David Hill (a youthful ABC journalist) reported the pioneer festival culture at Sunbury '72 as a mix of hippies, yobbos, organic food stalls and makeshift tents and swags. The first Sunbury concert was held over the Long Weekend period from 29th to 31st January, 1972.
Tickets cost $6 for the 3 days and there was an estimated 35-40,000 in attendance. Gerry Humphreys (of the The Loves Ones) was the MC and the festival sported the largest number of bands of all the Sunbury concerts.  Bands playing at the festival were:

The Bushwackers and Bullockys Bush Band
Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band
Glenn Cardier
Carson
Chain
Company Caine
Friends
Healing Force
The La De Das
Mackenzie Theory
Phil Manning
Max Merritt and the Meteors
Pilgrimage
Pirana
Wendy Saddington
SCRA
Spectrum
Tamam Shud
Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs
Total Fire Band
The Wild Cherries
Greg Quill & Country Radio
Highway
Indelible Murtceps
The La De Das
Mulga Bill's Bicycle Band
Blackfeather
Barry McCaskill & The Levi Smith Clefs

Because the site of Sunbury Music Festival was closer to Diggers Rest than Sunbury itself, many patrons travelling by train to the festival would get off at Diggers Rest station. However, the "Diggers Rest Pop Festival" just didn’t have the same zing to it. While the inaugural concert of 1972 is usually remember as being an all-Australian event, many of the performers actually hailed from New Zealand. But as we do, we’ll turn a blind eye to that and claim them as our own, especially Thorpie.

Sunbury '72 also exemplifies the male domination of the popular music scene at that time, although photographs indicate that the audience seems to have been fairly evenly split in gender terms, almost all the performers were male. Wendy Saddington was the only female headliner on the bill, and only one other band, Mackenzie Theory, featured a female member (violist Cleis Pearce).
The festival was organised in late 1971, when a company called Odessa Promotions was formed in Melbourne. Its principals were, according to Adrian Rawlins, "industry people" from the Melbourne television scene, including several TV floor managers and directors; it is likely that several had worked on Melbourne pop TV like Uptight. The principal of the company was John Fowler.
By this stage, five other major festivals had already been mounted, and the oft-repeated claim that Sunbury was Australia's first rock festival is quite untrue. Unfortunately, none of these earlier festivals was financially successful. Undeterred, Odessa Promotions organised and promoted a major rock festival with an all-Australasian line-up, although it's important to note that we don't know for sure whether this was a deliberate decision (or one merely dictated by financing) or whether or not Odessa considered bringing in overseas acts (or not).
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The evidence suggests that Sunbury's success was a mixture of good luck and good timing, rather than careful planning and good organisation. Like Woodstock, Sunbury almost didn't take place, when they began looking for a site, the organisers discovered that few landowners were willing to allow their property to be used for a three-day rock festival that would attract tens of thousands. Fortunately, the festival was saved by a local landowner who offered Odessa the use of part of his property at Glencoe, just outside the township of Sunbury, about 35 km north-west of the city. The farmer, Mr George Duncan, was reportedly motivated to make the offer because he "believed in young people".

Opinions vary greatly about Sunbury's significance. Most commentators claim that it was a turning point in Australian rock, a symbolic coming-of-age for youth culture, and the birthplace of the pub-rock scene. These theses have been prosecuted by rock historian Ian McFarlane and the writers of  'Long Way To The Top', among others. As a result, the assertion that Sunbury was a defining moment in Australian music history has been accepted virtually without question, and without reference to any other evidence, and much of the information about it remains unconfirmed and anecdotal. As far as we know, no-one as yet has undertaken the tasks of recording a comprehensive oral history that includes performers, organisers and patrons.
However, the website used in the above account of Sunbury 72, probably boasts the most extensive accounts and photos of the four Sunbury concerts, and is worthwhile visiting.
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Sunbury 72 (extract from The Real Thing)
According to Billy Thorpe, 'Australia was always about two years behind the States. They had Woodstock in 1969 and we had Sunbury in 1972.' Billy continues: 'I went to Sunbury for five days with my wife and we got a tent backstage and lived there while they built the site. It was a real community. And the vibe was just extraordinary.'
The first day of the Sunbury pop festival, 28 January 1972, marked the beginning of the modern era for Australian rock & roll. Held over three days on a 300-acre site just outside Melbourne, Sunbury was the biggest single rock event to be staged in Australia. The bill was largely home-grown and, as Thorpe points out, all the architects of the Successes  of the '70s  were  at that  festival— Michael  Browning, Michael  Chugg, Michael Gudinski, Sam Righi and Roger Davies. The acts were even more crucial. Max Merritt and The Meteors flew back to Australia from the UK for the gig, which also featured every major Australian artist with the exception of Daddy Cool. As with Woodstock (the film of which had recently been shown across Australia and which had done more to propagate the myth of the rock festival  than the event itself), Sunbury was  a celebration of youth culture.

Max Merritt And The Meteors

The Acacia River was the inevitable site for skinny-dippers, coverage of which was the most interesting phenomenon for the mass media. Two young men were arrested for public indecency after having sex with a sixteen-year-old girl, two babies were born, and the kids behaved well.
Nudity notwithstanding, the show really belonged to Thorpie. The Aztecs were then at their absolute prime and they blew the heads off most of the music fans with a two-hour set of relentless boogie. By the time they rocked into 'Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy' it was clear that Thorpie was king and that the country had a new national anthem.

By early 1975 Billy Thorpe and The Aztes had become the loudest and heaviest band in the country. Their appearance at Sunbury '72 cemented their popularity with the yob crowd and resulted in the Live at Sunbury album. Also in 1972 the band released the single 'Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy' which became Billy Thorpe's first Top 10 hit in seven years. The album More Arse Than Class followed in 1974 which found favour with the 'Suck More Piss' crowd. [extract from 'The Real Thing (1957-Now)', Toby Creswell & Martin Fabinyi, Random House 1999, p58-59]
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This post consists of MP3 (320kps) and FLACs ripped from my treasured double vinyl set, which I acquired some years ago at a garage sale (and let it be known that the early bird does catch the worm).  I couldn't believe my luck when I found this gem tucked away in amongst some throw away titles and happily paid the $2 price tag.  When I discovered its immaculate condition, I knew it was the find of the century.
So here it is folks, in all its glory. No pops or crackles to be heard and full album artwork for both LP and CD are included (thanks to Micko for the CD Artwork).  I have also chosen to include the full rendition of Mamma (by Billy Thorpe And The Aztecs) released on their own Live At Subury album, which is 2 minutes longer than this release.  In addition, the bonus Sunbury 72 recording " I Wanna Make Love To You" by SCRA is also included to help fill out this resulting 2 CD set.
I would also like to acknowledge the use of photos sourced from the National Australian Library and others taken by Soc Hedditch.

Update: I've just added a tribute track by Max Merritt entitled "Sunbury" which was released on his 2020 album 'I Can Dream', a song he wrote about the 1972 Sunbury Concert.  RIP Max - we miss you mate.
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Track Listing
01 - Morning Good Morning (The La De Das)
02 - Roundabout (The La De Das)
03 - Gonna See My Baby Tonight (The La De Das)
04 - Soul Sacrifice (Pirana)
05 - Some Good Advice (Spectrum)
06 - I'll Be Gone (Spectrum)
07 - We Are Indelible (The Indelible Murtceps)
08 - Be My Honey (The Indelible Murtceps)
09 - But That's Alright (The Indelible Murtceps)
10 - Try A Little Tenderness (Max Merritt And The Meteors)
11 - Fanny Mae (Max Merritt And The Meteors)
12 - You Touch Me (Max Merritt And The Meteors)
13 - Roly Poly (SCRA)
14 - Mamma (Billy Thorpe And The Aztecs)
Bonus Tracks
14 - Mamma (Billy Thorpe And The Aztecs - Full Version) *
15 - I Wanna Make Love To You (SCRA - Bonus Track) +
* Taken from The Aztecs Live At Sunbury
+ Sourced from YouTube
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Sunbury 72 Link (MP3) New Links 21/10/2015
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Sunbury 72 Part 1 (FLAC) New Link 12/11/2016
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Sunbury 72 Part 2 (FLAC)

Max Merritt - Sunbury (FLAC)  New Link 05/05/2021

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Various Artists - Sunbury 73

(Various Australian Artists 1973)
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The word 'Sunbury' has etched itself into Australian rock music folklore. Forty years ago it was a farming town just 40 'miles' (70s speak) north of Melbourne, an hour's drive from suburbia into a gently rolling rural landscape. In 1972 and for the three subsequent years, during the late January Australia Day weekend the word 'Sunbury' became associated with a rock music festival on a farm out of the Sunbury township. Today suburbia lurks so close to the Sunbury Pop Festival site if you turned up Billy Thorpe's amp to its obligatory '11' you'd get complaints from the neighbours on the hill. But the site is still there, identified only by the rusted wire fence surrounding the area where the stage stood, and the foundations of the toilet block nearby, in front of Jackson's Creek. Behind the creek a steep incline, in front a gently rising hill, a natural amphitheatre. 

 There had been rock festivals before and there have been rock festivals since. But Sunbury looms large as 'Australia's Woodstock' - erroneously. It could just as easily be called the first 'Big Day Out' -- held during the same weekend. Or a prototype of Meredith. Australia's real 'Woodstock' was held at Ourimbah in NSW on the Australia Day weekend in 1970. During the intervening two years 'the Woodstock nation' had been replaced by another generation of teenagers, another generation of music, another set of values The Beatles had been replaced by Led Zeppelin. But for the media those Woodstock images lingered. That's what they went to Sunbury looking for. That's what they came away with. That's what sticks in people's minds as 'Sunbury'. Those who were there remember the 'bonged out' sitting next to the underage drinkers and bikers collapsed in their own vomit after a night of shouting 'suck more piss' from the hill. The similarity between Sunbury and all festivals is the freedom to be young and free, to the soundtrack of the day's music.

Australian music had shifted dramatically during those two years between 1970 and 1972, between Ourimbah and the year of the first Sunbury in 1972. In 1970 Australian music had struggled to be 'progressive' like the rest of the world. Our record companies weren't interested. Then during the last half of that year a record ban forced the Australian music released by the major record companies off radio airwaves, retiring many of the pop stars of the day. Music fans had to go 'out' to get their music fix. In Melbourne they found Daddy Cool and Spectrum north of the river. Chain and Billy Thorpe's 'new' Aztecs south of the river. In Sydney the music retreated to the Kings Cross nightclubs entertaining servicemen on 'r and r'. The first Sunbury festival tapped into that still very alive thirst for live music. Somehow Australian music had forgotten to look over its shoulders at overseas trends and musicians and their audience were happily following their own path. In January 1972 it led to Sunbury.
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The festival had been organized by an unlikely 'hero', John Fowler, a middle-aged Channel Nine employee. While their children were smoking dope and drinking and dipping nude in Jackson's Creek elder Australians were watching John Fowler lighting the soundstage for their own addiction, 'In Melbourne Tonight'. Fowler and his advisers thought that the popular acts of the day weren't quite enough and for that first Sunbury Festival organised for the return of Max Merritt and the Meteors after just over a year in England. Ever competitive, Billy Thorpe would have made conquering the Sunbury hill his goal anyway. Having old rival Max top of the bill was an added incentive. Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs turned up the volume and made Sunbury 72 theirs'. Within weeks Billy released 'Most People I Know' and later that year a live album of the Aztecs at Sunbury became a national top ten. The only other Australian-made top ten album that year had been Daddy Cool's 'difficult' second album 'Sex Dope And Rock'N'Roll'

Sunbury 73 was set up as the most important event on the Australian music calendar. Clearly. whoever won the hill at Sunbury 73 was set up for the rest of the year. You had to be there.
A lot of people get the four Sunbury's confused. In their minds they've become one. But 1973 was THE one. In bygone years there had been a thing called the Hoadley's Battle Of The Sounds, where the bands of the day allowed themselves to be judged. The winners were kings for the year. Often the losers broke up to think of a way of winning the following year. That was the mood with which Australian music entered Sunbury 73. You had to be there. It was important to make an impression. It was the year the Sydney acts - Sherbet, Country Radio - descended on the festival, and Mississippi performed with a 35-piece orchestra. It was so important to be there, even pre-70s rock legend Johnny O'Keefe came, determined to stay in the game. And Michael Gudinski was there to record it for his just-formed Mushroom Records.
Of course Billy Thorpe was also there, returning just in time to top the bill after trying his luck in the UK. This was our chance to celebrate his return. There was no clear winning at Sunbury '73 but the points decision probably went to Thorpe. There were a lot of winners, a lot of sets went back to the traditional venues and found keen audiences for the rest of the year. [written by Ed Nimmervoli]

While Sunbury '72 was widely touted as the beginning of a new era, Sunbury '73 was the one that consolidated the festival's success. However it also marked a changing of the guard, with a number of notable bands -- Carson, Country Radio, Friends, Healing Force -- all splitting for good in the months following their Sunbury appearances. It was also the final Australian performance by Flying Circus, who had already been in Canada for some time. They returned specially for the festival, but were coolly received, and returned to Canada immediately after Sunbury, where they remained until they split some years later.
The Aztecs headlined again, reprising their huge success of the previous year and Max Merritt & The Meteors again returned from the UK to perform. One of the surprise hits of the festival was rock'n'roll legend Johnny O'Keefe; he was cheekily introduced as a "newcomer" by MC Paul Hogan, but despite an initially derisory reception, he won the crowd over and by the end of his set, as Ian McFarlane notes, he "had the audience of hippies eating out of the palm of his hand".

"Sunbury 1972 was the first, but the 1973 festival is often remembered as the best. It has a place in our music history, just like the vintage clips of the Easybeats performing 'Friday On My Mind' and AC/DC travelling down Melbourne city streets on the back of a tray truck while belting out 'It's A Long Way To The Top'."  - Steve Waldon, The Age

Like Sunbury '72, the performances were taped using a mobile multi-track facility; it is presumed that some film or video footage was made but it is not known how much of that (if any) still exists. The sound recordings were edited to become the inaugural release for the newly established Mushroom Records label, founded by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans. With commendable hubris, it was the first Australian triple-album set ever released.
The fine performance by Carson (which would prove to be their last major concert appearance) was also released by EMI as the On The AirLP; this has long been out of print but it is scheduled for re-release on CD by Aztec Music. The other major recording culled from the festival was the extended early-morning jam session between The Aztecs, Lobby Loyde's Coloured Balls and Leo De Castro, which was released on the Havoc LP Summer Jam. This has recently been reissued on CD by Aztec Music. [extract from milesago.com]

SUNBURY - THE VENUE
Owned by George Duncan, he generously offered the use of his property at no cost to the organisers, even going so far as allowing toilet facilities and rubbish bins to be installed on the property in later years of the festival. Which really makes sense, considering he’d have had as many as 40,000 people in his “backyard”. You don’t have to be a mathematician to know a crowd like that plus three days of food and booze equals a mess that would make even Keith Moon blush.

With the Duncans’ farmland providing a natural amphitheatre, the scene of the Sunbury festivals has since become an isolated area, far from the bustling hub it was during one of music history’s most famed events. Residential subdivision in the area has since limited public access to the site and redeveloped the landscape.

According to a document on the website of Hume City Council, little remains there now but there are still the remnants of the toilet facilities and bins, along with echoes of the event that linger to this day with “small artifacts such as items of footwear and drink can pull-rings” scattered over the area.
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For more information on the Sunbury 73 concert, refer to the following websites:

hume.vic.gov.au
nla.gov.au
onlymelbourne.com.au
wikipedia.org
theage.com.au
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It was the Sunbury 73 that got me first hooked on 'Aussie Rock'. My brother owned the triple album set originally (having being lucky enough to attend the festival) but I soon managed to talk him into selling it for a bargain basement price.  Being a young teenager at the time, I was listening to overseas artists like Robin Trower, Alice Cooper and Grand Funk Railroad. However, the bands and the infectious aussie rock that they played at this famous festival was the turning point in my life. I suddenly realised that there was 'real talent' in my own back yard.  And I've never looked back.
Bands like Madderlake, Chain, Carson, Blackfeather and the Aztecs have been a huge part of my passion for music and I owe it all to this wonderful recording, released on the legendary Mushroom label (thanks Gudinski)

My only regret is that I was too young to attend the 73 Festival although I did manage to fulfill my long life dream to a point, by attending the 2010 Sunbury Backroad Festival, featuring Madderlake, Spectrum and Chain. See my review
If you haven't heard this Sunbury 73 recording, then you have really missed out on a vital chunk of Aussie Rock. Need I say more?
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The post consists of an MP3 rip (320kps) taken from my cherrished vinyl copy, which is in relatively good condition considering the number of plays it has had. The artwork included (with CD2 and as a separate link) was taken from a CD release that was circulating on the web at one stage (possibiliy C/- of the Midoztouch Forum).
Some choice photos of the venue and crowd are also included.
As a bonus, I have included a recording of Mississippi's "Kings Of The World" which was also recorded at the Sunbury 73 festival but never made it onto the triple set (sourced through YouTube)

Note: There was also a promotional E.P released featuring 6 tracks taken from the triple Sunbury album set and is one of the items on my Holy Grail List of wants. I have yet to see it turn up on ebay, and can only dream of the day when I might find it! (see pictures below bottom)
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Tracklist
CD1
01 Johnny O'Keefe – High Rollin' Man 2:57
02 Friends – Bird On A Wire / La La Song 6:58
03 69ers – Harry Rag 6:58
04 Coloured Balls – Johnny B. Goode 4:51
05 Madder Lake – Down The River / 12lb. Toothbrush 14:40
06 Band Of Light – Messin' With The Kid
07 Aztecs – Going Back Home 13:31
08 Blackfeather – I'm Gonna Love You 9:53
CD2
01 Carson – Friday Night Groove 4:53
02 Mighty Mouse – Sunset Song 10:05
03 Healing Force – Erection 6:47
04 Country Radio – Silver Spurs 4:51
05 Matt Taylor – From Brisbane To Beachworth 8:50
06 Sid Rumpo – Sailing 8:38
07 Mackenzie Theory – New Song And 8:47
08 Glenn Cardier – Australia 2:28
09 Bakery – Living With A Memory 12:12 
10 Mississippi - Kings Of The World (BONUS) 2:38
 
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Sunbury 1 mp3  Link (155Mb) New Link 01/10/2026

Sunbury 2 mp3 Link (183Mb)

Sunbury Artwork & Photos (20Mb)

Sunbury 1&2 in FLAC (897Mb) New Link 06/09/2024

Sunbury Backroad Music Festival (April 10th, 2010) CONCERT REVIEW

(Australia, Victoria - Sunbury)
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Well - I never thought I'd get a second chance to attend a legendary 'Sunbury Concert' but after 37 years, the dream is about to come true. I picked up my ticket today for the 'Sunbury Backroad Music Festival' which is to be held this Saturday (featuring the legendary bands Madder Lake, Spectrum and Chain)
I was only 14 years old when the first Sunbury Concert was held in 1972 and I was not allowed to attend any of the 4 annual concerts because my parents said I was too young. To rub salt into the wounds, my brother (who was 4 years older) was allowed to go and went to the legendary Sunbury 73 concert. I was green with envy when he told me about some of the antics he got up to with his mates and the fantastic Aussie rock he got to hear and see.
So now it's finally my turn and I can't wait to see some of my all time favourite bands from the Seventies hit the stage and pump out some of those classic tracks that I have listened to (over and over again) for more than 35 years.
My kids think I'm crazy and my wife just laughs, but hey, I reckon I've got the biggest laugh cause' my bother is currently overseas on holidays, and can't get back in time! So it will be my turn to make him green with envy.
For more details on the concert and how to purchase a ticket, go to the Backroadfestival website
Another interesting link is a newsletter entry for Jan 2010, from Mike Rudd and Bill Putt's newsletter called The Bloody Newsletter
Although the concert is only a one day event (unlike the original Sunbury concerts that ran over a long weekend) I reckon it will be worth every dollar of the $75 ticket (see displayed)

Concert Review (13th April)

Well, it's official, I can honestly say I made it to a Sunbury Concert and what a concert it was!
Not only were the heavens kind (although it threatened many times to bucket down) but the organisation was also top notch with every amenity and service one could ask for. A far cry from the original concerts I believe! and a credit to Bernard Lakey who was the key organiser of the 2010 festival.

One of the highlights for me were the local wines that were available for sampling (at reasonable prices), and definitely helped to keep me focused on the music!
The concert was filmed for Asylum by several Channel 31 camera crew of which highlights will be shown over the next couple of weeks. Rod Quarrel (who presents a radio segement on 3NRG Sunbury Radio on Saturday mornings) was the MC for the day and provided the audience with interesting background information for each of the bands. On ya Ron !
I will try to give as full an account of each band that played over the 12 hour period, but as many bands were new to me, song titles may be somewhat inaccurate. I also missed the opening act (Sunbury Divas) as I was running a little late, so no details for the opening act - sorry Divas.
My only regret for the day was that I didn't organise a better camera - my whimpy Kodak digital was next to useless at night, so most of my shots of Spectrum, Madder Lake and Chain were too dark. I was very envious of those in the crowd who came armed with SLR's and Nikons!
I am told by Bernard that the official number of attendees was 530 (give or take a few gate crashers) which was probably a little disappointing for Bernard and the bands based on the amount of effort that was put in by everyone. However, this did not discourage anyone from having a great time on the day and soaking up the wonderful sounds made during this truly nostalgic music festival. Let's hope there are many more to come !

Tempting Fate
Play List: Rock N Roll, Takin' You Down, Wake Up Call, You're Bitter, Crash and Burn, I'm Restless, Best Of Me

A young four piece rock band from Sunbury featuring Brianna Ridge on vocals, Dave Cutting on drums, Robbie Cutting on lead guitar and Kieran McNamara on bass. From their opening song (a Led Zeppelin cover 'Rock N Roll') these kids caught my attention immediately and proceeded to belt out 5 originals while Brianna commanded the show with her strong and confident lead vocals. Robbie Cutting was also very impressive on lead guitar (looking a lot like Jimmy Page) showing incredible skills for a 17 year old. Favourite tracks were a ballad entitled 'Your'e Bitter' and a hard rock number which I think was called 'Crash & Burn'
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The Red Jane Show
Play List: Lips On Fire, Give Me What I Want Tonight, Give It To Me, Barry Hodson Street Light, Bohemian Rhapsody

A 5 piece ( 2 girls / 3 guys) theatrical and very visual funk rock band, their 5 part vocal harmonies and animated stage act were a breathe of fresh air.
All members of the group wore face masks while performing well rehearsed actions in unison and I was somehow reminded of crazy Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come stage act from the 70's.
Best tracks for me were Barry Hodson Street Light and their brilliant cover of the Queen classic 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Such a hard song to pull off - and they did it so effortlessly.
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Rick Steele
Play List: It's Off The Hook, White Ghetto, Next Time The Blues Comes Around, A Charlie's Daniels Band cover?, Goin' Up The Country, Jessica, Clyde


Opps ! - forgot to take a photo - I was so engrossed in Rick's performance. That's how good he was - his repertoire of blues and country rock was astounding and was aptly backed by Mark Gordon on slide guitar.
Rick has been in the music industry for more years than the early Sunbury concerts can boast and has passed on his musical talent to both his children, in particular his son Luke who is currently enjoying international stardom with the band Emperor Of The Sun.
Rick chattered between songs, giving a wonderful insight into the life he has lead while following his musical passion in life - living the blues. Highlights for me were his covers of the Canned Heat and J.J Cale classics, 'Goin' Up The Country' and 'Clyde' respectively.
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BenziNe 
Play List: Meet Me On The Corner (Lindisfarne), Next Year (Foo Fighters), The Unkindness Of Truth, Strange Land, The River And The Sea, Falling, Dawns And Departures (all originals), Breakfast At Tiffany's (Deep Blue Something) and Way Out West (Dingoes) - thanks to Greg Judd for supplying an accurate playlist.

.The only International band to play at this Sunbury concert, BenziNe are a folk-rock band based in Hong Kong. Although their music was enjoyable, I found it hard not to question why it was necessary to have a non-Aussie band playing at this festival at all. I'm sure there would have been plenty of local bands who could have filled the bill just the same. I think the same question was asked of the 1974 Sunbury concert when Queen performed and Deep Purple headlined Sunbury 75. However, I can't take away the fact that this band played some diverse music and a wide range of instruments. In particular, Scott Hughes was incredibly skilled at playing guitar, mandolin and alto sax; while Nick Benzie held his own on vocals and guitar. The remaining members of the band were Greg Judd (an ex-Melbournite) on Lap Steel guitar, Joshua Knight on bass, Pete Benzie on backing vocals and guitar and Dave Tonn on drums and percussion.
Although I wasn't happy about the band choice, there was some retribution when they chose to finish their set with the Dingoes classic 'Way Out West'.
Note> having received some feedback from a Greg Judd (see comments) regarding my opinion about the choice of an International band for the concert, I would like to qualify that at no stage was it meant to be a criticism of the band itself and I hold the utmost respect for them as musicians and their performance on the day. I apologise for any offense that my review might cause.

Falloe
Play List: Gravedigger, Diamond and the Thief, Sometime My Lover, Winter Time, Ballad of Jimmy James, Let Dead Dogs Lie
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OK - now this was more like it. From the start of their set with 'Gravedigger' I new that this band had all of the credentials to be part of this festival. The band can only be described as an electric folk/roots band lead by a very talented and extroverted vocalist and acoustic guitarist (Wade F Piva), who could easily pass as a Ned Kelly look alike. Speaking of look a likes, the double bass player (Neil Tolentino) looked like Guy Sebastian from a distance while Rennie Paonessa and his dreadlocks could pass as a Bob Marley sibling.
Their music (all originals) was incredibly catchy and portrayed a rich colonial atmosphere that typified what this festival was about. Best songs were definitely their Ballad Of Jimmy James and Gravedigger.
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Jan Preston
 Play List: Unfortunately, many songs played were not named (only the styles) and being unfamiliar with Jan's music I can't provide an accurate list, except for Black And White Rag (the theme to Pot Black shown on ABC during the 70's)

Jan Preston played Boogie Woogie electric piano while her husband provided rhythm backing on brush & snare running through a multitude of boogie and 12 bar blues tunes during her set, including some Winifred Atwell classics. However, not really my cup of tea I'm afraid and this tired old rocker broke for refreshments and a pit stop before the next act came on.
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Jarrah Thompson
Play List: Woke Me Up In My Mind?, ?, Hold On?, On My Own, I Am The One - most tracks coming from his new Stargazer album.
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From the first fuzzed out wah-wah (Joe Walsh) rock riff to fingerpicking folk to guitar/flute jams, I new this band was something special. Jarrah had a real Billy Miller (from the Ferrets) look about him, especially while thrashing out his guitar solos and displayed a true professional presence throughout his set. However, the female member of his 4 piece band 'Asha Henfry' nearly stole the show in my opinion, as she gained more and more confidence throughout the set, displaying some brilliant flute interplays that were reminiscent of Jethro Tull in many ways. Her double tonguing technique and command of chromatic scales was nothing short of brilliant.
What can only be described as ‘experimental flute / rock blues’, Jarrah Thompson's band is destined to be the next big Australian act in my opinion.
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Bronnie Gordon
Play List: Stranger In My Bed, Whatcha Doing Tonight, I'm On Fire, Ball and Chain (again, many songs played were not named and being unfamiliar with her music, so I can't provide an accurate list)

Bronnie had no inhibitions at being out front on vocals and with a voice that soars and sweeps up the soul emotions, she gives the band a sizzling edge. Bronnie is no stranger to the stage, and was in complete command throughout her set, belting out R&B and soul tunes in fashion similar to Janis Joplin and Etta James. Her voice was both powerful and vibrant, and her backing band consisted of seasoned musicians: Mick Rohotas, Ray Moon, Ian Logie, and John Longo. Judging by Bronnie's response to the 'wind up' call she was getting from Ron, it was clear that this lady doesn't take 'crap' from anyone - on ya Bronnie !
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Spectrum
Play List: I'll Be Gone, Jamaican Farewell, Launching Place (Part 2), I'll take You Higher, (I am) The Laughing Man, Some Good Advice, Silicon Valley, I Just Wanna Make Love To You.....
What can I say - simply brilliant. By starting off with their first hit single "I'll Be Gone'" they cleared the way to play their other material, leaving the audience wondering what they would finish their set on. Not only did Mike Rudd and Bill Putt sing some classic Murtceps_Spectrum tracks but they also threw in several Ariel tunes for good measure.
Mike's nasally voice and harp work was spot on, sounding no different to when he first sang 'I'll be Gone' back in 1971. And of course Bill Putt stood out amongst the others with his tall stature and oversized moustache, playing some of his great bass lines. Peter ’Robbo’ Robertson fitted in nicely on drums while Daryl Roberts provided some nice backing harmonies on keyboards.
Highlights for me were '(I am) The Laughing Man' which must have gone on for at least 15 mins and their final song, a Foghat cover "I Just Wanna Make Love To You". So, what more can I say - simply Indelible!

Madder Lake

Play List: Salmon Song, One Star & The Moon, Goodbye Lollipop, Mothership, Money Honey, Calling, Drive My Car?, Song For Little Ernest, 12 lb Toothbrush

.I gotta be honest and say that Madder Lake was the one band I really wanted to see the most. Having not had the chance to see them play back in the 70's and Stillpoint is my favourite album, I really thought I had missed the boat !
We'll, this Sunbury reveler stood gob smacked for the whole hour they played, it was like a dream come true. Mick Fettes was still the extraverted, crazy guy that I remember seeing on T.V, although he's much shorter than I imagined he would be, and of course all of his curly hair has disappeared. Brendon Mason showed that he was the master of guitar and was able to reproduce many of the sounds that we associate with Stillpoint and Butterfly Farm. Kerry McKenna was also sensational on both bass and guitar while Andy Cowan produced sounds on his keyboards that typifies the Madder Lake sound. Highlights? - well there weren't any because every song they did left me breathless and grinning from ear to ear.
To top it off, who should join them on stage to do a few Na,Na,Na,Nanna,Na's while singing their hit single but the great man himself - Matt Taylor.
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Chain
Play List: Texas, Cold Wind Blowin', Northern Song, Grab A Snatch, Slow 2.30 In The Morning Type Blues, Black and Blue, I Remember When I Was Young, A Tribute to Muddy Waters

.Let me first qualify that I may have missed a few songs because Chain played a lot of new material that I wasn't familiar with. That's the price you pay when you're stuck in the 70's !
Having said this, their newer material was great and although it was typical R&B, it had a fresh and exciting feel to it. Matt's ability to spill out flawless lyrics with interplay harp work is pure magic and their 15+ minute epic 'Slow 2.30 In The Morning Type Blues' was no exception. Phil Manning's guitar work was sheer magic and only confirmed what everyone knew beforehand, that he is the Australian king of blues guitar. Dirk DuBois on bass was quite bemused by the whole affair but still put on a solid bass line for the rest of the boys to follow.
Barry Harvey played his drums while stripped down to a singlet top (even though the temperature had dropped quite considerably in the later stages of the evening) and maintained the R&B rhythm without a hiccup. One of the highlights would have to be 'Black and Blue', but not because it is such a classic, but because Brendon and Kerry from Madder Lake joined Chain on stage to sing along with the chorus, as did everyone in the audience - no matter how young they were. With Brendon and Kerry both assisting on guitars, they then proceeded to play a 20 minute rendition of 'I Remember when I was Young' in varying musical styles - a reggae version, a disco version, a rap version, a death metal version, a punk version to list but a few!
How good was this. But just when we thought the concert was over, Matt told the MC to stuff it and broke straight into a Tribute To Muddy Waters which covered the classic 'Rollin' and Tumblin' and other familiar tunes whose titles escape me at present.

It was 12.15am when the music came to an end, and this happy Sunburyite Camper packed his belongings and headed off home - content with the thought that he had finally made it to a Sunbury Concert.
12 hours of great, Aussie Music and entertainment and a lifetime of memories to cherish.