flywheel

Last night, Ashtray Boy, G T Stringer and Flywheel played at the Vic in Brunswick. I hadn't been to the Vic since they knocked down the walls between the two front bars: I can't say I think that's a great improvement, and they've stuck up a revolting backdrop behind the stage (which is back where it originally was - on the Sydney Road side of the bar) I guess just in case Bob King or Tony Mott drop by to take shots of the secret U2 warmup gigs that'll be happening there on September 12 and 13th.

Ashtray Boy - we played OK. GTS - you could certainly say this was a group with mass appeal, and exceptional proficiency, the band do very solid r 'n' b/ska/surf instrumentals with a pleasing overlay of theremin and saxophone. In both cases, you'd have to with all objectivity asked yourself why weren't two hundred people there having a good time, which they would have, instead of twenty, who were admittedly appreciative and having a good time? (Which is the main thing). Still, the Flywheel conundrum has struck me even more than usual. For AB and GTS have good songs, etc, and you can see they deserve to be a strong minority interest if not more (I'm not damning with faint praise, but what I really want to talk about is Flywheel). If I had wandered into that bar that night having never heard Flywheel, I would have been immediately sold on these amazing catchy pop songs. They are a very strong pop band and deserve at least some kind of a fanbase outside their immediate friends. I can't understand it, but then I never could understand that kind of thing. And I never will probably.

By the way the top of the picture does not feature steam coming off the pumpin' group, but weird fishnet junk they've stuck on the ceiling. It looks quite good. Also if you look to the left you can see two chicks dancin'. And how!