Airbourne + Stone Gods + Sound and Fury @ Birmingham Academy – 5th November 2008

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Well, this tour couldn’t have been better timed if they had tried; what with AC/DC finally releasing a new record, Aussie pub rock is very much the flavour of the month, while Airbourne themselves have just been named as Classic Rock Magazine’s ‘Best New Band’ for 2008. It’s safe to say that life is pretty good for these four young guys from Down Under at the moment, and judging by the large crowd gathered tonight, their popularity is ever increasing.

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Opening up proceedings are Canadian punk rockers Sound and Fury. Their music and their image on stage are very punk influenced, sounding in particular like the Ramones are high up on their list of influences. Their stage show is lively, and the crowd drink it all up ensuring that the band gets a decent reception despite the terrible sound. Of their seven song set, “Bad Touch” proves to be most memorable, partly due to its hooky chorus, but also because the song title is repeated countlessly throughout. While their performance is good, you feel that musically they aren’t that special at the moment, but certainly have the potential to be a lot better in the future. Maybe in another 12 months we’ll see what this band is really made of.

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Second on the bill are Stone Gods who take the stage to a huge cheer. The Brit four piece have had a great 2008 themselves; they were also nominated for the ‘Best New Band’ award that tonight’s headliners won, but as frontman Richie Edwards says “if you’re gonna be beaten, then make sure it’s by a fucking good band!” As with their last show in these parts, Stone Gods rock from start to finish, playing punchy classic rock that gets heads nodding and fists pumping. Their set is all songs taken from their debut album, with “Makin’ in Hard”, “Don’t Drink the Water” and “I’m With the Band” already sounding like future classics. The one real down point of Stone Gods’ set is its length, or lack of it; they are only on stage for just over 25 minutes, and when you have a band as talented as they are then that simply isn’t long enough. That said, the 25 minutes that we did get were superb, and they continue to earn new fans wherever they play.

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And so, as Stone Gods’ amps are taken offstage a wall of Marshall amps appear, and it is time for Airbourne to deafen everyone in the room with their incredibly loud, but incredibly clear rock and roll. This band has been an almost instant success since the release of their debut album, ‘Runnin’ Wild’, last year, and the fact that they are Academy headliners on only their second UK tour is testament to that success. They take the stage, beer in hand, to a massive roar from the crowd made up of all kinds of people — from little kids through to old rockers. As the band launch into “Stand Up For Rock ‘n’ Roll” you realise that, despite it being by no means original, their music is highly enjoyable, and Airbourne play it so well and with so much balls that it’s impossible not to enjoy.

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As you would expect, the whole of their debut album gets played tonight, along with one of their older songs — “Dirty Angel”. If you thought that Airbourne have punch on record, then wait until you experience them live — their pounding rhythm section goes right through you, and the gang chanted choruses give them an almost punk attitude. Quite simply, it is brilliant to watch. “Hellfire” is brutal, “Diamond in the Rough” is raw and dirty, “Girls in Black” is full of great riffs, while the slowed down versions of “Cheap Wine and Cheaper Women” and “Too Much Too Young Too Fast” give them added gusto, added bite and make them sound even better than their recorded versions do.

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With the help of plenty of jammed sections, the band manage to play for just about an hour — set lengths are always a problem when a band gets this big with only one album to their name, especially when said album is only 36 minutes long. The encore of “Runnin’ Wild” and “Blackjack” well and truly brings the house down, and ensures that everyone goes home happy.

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Airbourne have caught the market at precisely the right time in this country, and their sudden popularity should go a considerable way to ensuring their longevity. This is rock and roll should be; easy to get into, a pounding beat, great riffs, and everything turned up as loud as they’ll go — marvellous!

Review and Photography by Dave Musson

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