Live Review
The Trafalgars & The Wanderers
JIVE Saturday 25 July 2020
Words – Geoff Jenke
At last live music is slowly making its way back into Adelaide clubs and pubs. It has been four months since I last attended a live show, not counting live streamed acts. Saturday saw the reopening of Jive in Hindley St as a live venue and when only local bands are available, who better to open again with than with the rock of The Trafalgars and the soulful groove of The Wanderers. And credit to the people of Adelaide, the gig sold out before the night.
The Trafalgars opened the evening with a set of mainly newer songs as after all, there is a new album coming our way (eventually?) “The Trafalgars, Chinese Democracy album” commented singer/guitarist Rhys, making reference that this album has been years in the making, ala Gun’s N Roses. It was also 17 years, almost to the day, since The Trafalgars first played Jive.
London Taxi received a loud cheer as it is probably their best-known track, but the next song Girl, was a definite highlight of the evening. If there is still such a thing as singles, 7 inch or CD, this would have to be the lead one off the new album.
The band were tight but were also having fun. The guitar work from Rhys precise, with some great short bursts of energy, the drumming from Matt, exact, all the while helping out with backing vocals and the bass from Jason, powerful. An “oldie but a goodie” in Strawberry Milk was dragged out. “We may have played this 17 years ago when we first played Jive” said Rhys. Strawberry Milk is so good it deserves an official release, maybe on the back of one of those “Singles” things. If the Beatles were still releasing songs today, this is what they would sound like.
They rounded out the set with 500 from the 2003 Thank You Captain E.P. (remember those) and Live in a Dream, which had a few excerpts of other songs embedded in it. Was that a part of an Even song I heard? Probably, given their love of the band Even.
Welcome back Trafalgars, let’s hope we see you more often and that album gets out soon. I can’t wait to hear it on the back of the songs we heard this evening.
I have to admit not knowing The Wanderers. My friend with me said they were great and judging by the number of people in the room, they are very popular. I was immediately impressed with the soulful groove that emanated from the band and the voice of lead singer Dusty Lee.
I didn’t know the songs they were playing, something I will need to fix, but the six-member band were simply wonderful. Great and at times wistful, harmonies beautifully added to the band’s sound on stage.
This is one band now on my radar to catch more of.
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