Music fans turn out for gigs

Melbourne’s music scene broke out of its COVID bonds during the last weekend of November with gigs scheduled for all of the major venues.

Some held off until the announcement on Wednesday, November 24 that the state was 90 per cent vaxxed.

Avid fans managed to squeeze in two gigs in the one historic weekend of music.

“Last night was my first gig,” Jay said, who was at the Curtin Hotel in Carlton on Saturday night to see Skyscraper Stan and the Commission Flats.

“Two nights in a row. It’s been a while,” he told Inner City News. “There weren’t that many on the week before.”

He said that before the lockdown he checked about 10 venues each weekend. “We were so spoiled,” he said.

Becky, a fan of Skyscraper, said she’d been to a sit-down gig of his in June at the Thornbury Theatre but this was much better.

“I was very excited. I wanted to get out among people and dance,” she said.

The night began with a solo performance by Skyscraper’s cousin Oskar Herbig, whose lyrics created just the right mood for a comeback.

“I’d close my eyes if I wasn’t so scared of dreaming,” he sang. Oskar hadn’t done a solo session in two years.

Next on was a neo-hippy band led by Jess Parker with driving vocals, then the great moment arrived when the headliner appeared in a grey plaid suit.

“This is a bit nice,” Skyscraper said. He had a dig at the anti-vaxxers then got to work with his original blend of country rock.

“I need to get out and share myself around,” he sang. “Every time strange things happen to me.”

Skyscraper is a tall singer from New Zealand with a sweet voice and ironic style.

It didn’t take him long to rip off his jacket. After all, the night before the band had played at an anarchists’ festival in Snake Valley.

The Curtin has a program for Music Week running from December 3 to 12 •