“Aren’t you that guy from that ‘Black Parades’ band?” – a farewell to My Chemical Romance

Fans and foes are alternatively mourning and rejoicing following My Chemical Romance's announcement last Friday that "like all great things, it has come time for it to end". The band that drew comparisons to everyone from Marilyn Manson to Queen, that (back in the day) modeled their sound on Morrissey joining the Misfits, and that gave every man and his dog an easy (if not misguided) definition of 'emo' have called it quits just shy of 12 years.

Concert review: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

All Phones Arena

Monday 18 March 2013

Wow. Just… fucking… WOW.

This is my third go at writing this review. I keep getting a few pars in and deleting everything I've written because none of it has gone close to either accurately recording and commenting on the facts of last night's gig or adequately explaining the way it made me feel.

Album review: 'Familiar stranger' - Bob Evans

Schnitzel: It's been a long time between drinks for Bob Evans fans since Goodnight, Bull Creek! (2009) drew his wonderful "suburban trilogy" to a close. Moose and I (along with Mrs Moose and Mrs Schnitzel) were keenly awaiting this new record (something which shouldn't surprise you as I included the first single, 'Don't wanna grow up anymore', on my top ten for 2012, and Moose bumped it from his at the last minute because I'd already included it), making do with The Double Life - EP in the meantime. We're all going to see Bob (AKA Kevin Mitchell) in May (happy birthday Mrs Schnitzel), and can happily say that this album has only gotten us more excited.

Concert review: Guns and Roses

Newcastle Entertainment Centre

Wednesday 13 March 2013

SCHNITZEL: It was the concert that almost didn't happen… if you take me not attending as it 'not happening'. After a late (as in after Sunday's Neil Young and Crazy Horse concert) and fortuitous turn of events (a friend not being able to attend anymore), I was gifted a ticket to see Guns and Roses at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. I'd been interested in seeing them when tickets first went on sale, but money and the need to prioritise concerts meant that I was giving it a miss. But when a ticket was just sitting there, about to go to waste… who am I to say no? So, I got excited, I ran through the discography in preparation, I left work early so I could feed and bath my daughter before heading out… and then… DISASTER!

Concert review: Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Sydney Entertainment Centre

Sunday 10 March 2013

Expectations were high as my party-of-six converged on the Sydney Entertainment Centre last night to behold the spectacle that is Neil Young and Crazy Horse. We had heard mixed reviews of the shows from this tour so far, and each of us had different songs we were hoping to hear, others we knew there was a snowball's chance in hell we'd hear and some we knew we'd hear.

In the end, the best and worst of our collective expectations were met.

Festival review: Soundwave 2013

Sydney Olympic Park
Sunday 24 February 2013

For all the cancellations, set clashes, public twitter wars and general bravado some would call bullshit...you've got to hand it to AJ Maddah, because Sydney Soundwave 2013 was one of the best festivals I have ever been to, and I’ve been to a lot of festivals. In my usually timely manner I'm going to review this festival one week late, but that's the Moose you’ve come to know and love, so who am I to let you down?