With a live show that kicks harder than a mule and a positive attitude towards hard work, psych-blues, stoner rockers The Urban Chiefs have travelled all over Australia for more than the past decade.
The duo of Blake Saban (guitars, vox) and Glendon Finlay ('drum-cussion') are ready to come out of hibernation with a swag of new tunes as well as plenty of old favourites that they'll put on display at The Stag & Hunter Hotel in Newcastle at the end of the month (31 July).Here, Blake and Glendon share their top 5 places for an honest to goodness feed on the highways and back lanes of Australia.
5: The REBOC Burger
We'd finished a gig in the small town of Muswellbrook (Upper Hunter Region) and were starving. After learning there was nowhere to get a feed that late at night, we fell asleep in our twin share pub room talking about the best feeds we'd ever had.Glendo asked me if I'd ever had a REBOC Burger. "Nah bro, what's that?" He went on to describe the most mouthwatering delight! A burger with a rissole, egg, bacon, onion and cheese. "I reckon that'd taste awesome with a hash brown on it too man!" "How about avo too brother?" he added.
The next morning it was our mission to find somewhere to make us this REBOC-AH Burger. The first place we went to, this French bloke turned his nose up at us and directed us to McDonalds. F... that sh.t! We needed a real burger.
The next place was a small little café where the fine ladies there were more than happy to make said burger for us. A-MA-ZING!
4: Scallop Pie
We were on the third leg of a new album tour down in Tasmania. We'd had a massive weekend of gigs and had a lay-day down in Hobart.Our manager [of sorts] at the time had been bangin' on about these scallop pies. Being from NSW, scallops to me had always been of the potato variety so I wasn't too keen on the idea. I soon found out that this wondrous creation is something to behold and so, so delicious indeed.
A Scallop [from the ocean] Pie is a must on any Tassie visit.
3: Yiros
We had finished soundcheck down at the Crown & Anchor, aka the Cranker, in Adelaide and were feeling a bit peckish. Like a Greek goddess appearing before our very eyes, a Yiros stand flashed before us and my mouth hung open in anticipation.Made on pita bread with lamb, tomato, cucumber and as much Tzatziki you can handle, we were fuelled up and ready to rock the sh.t outta Adelaide.
2: Beef Ribs
KC's Bar & Grill in Airlie Beach is the place you go in Airlie if you want a good steak.We had finished our run of shows at the Airlie Beach Festival of Music, it was a Monday night and we had time now to chill before the big haul back to our home town Tamworth. I decided I'd take the band out for a meal and we went to the place it all started for us, KC's.
I'd been eyeing off the ribs a few times there and tonight was the night. The meat fell off the bones as I devoured what was in front of me in minutes.
These were slow-cooked too, not boiled then burnt and the house-made sauce was out of this dimension. You know those feeds you have that when you're done you are so happy you kinda feel like you're floating a bit? Yeah, maybe too much Uncle Cid but these ribs were da bomb!
1: The Grill on George
The year was 2011 and we were pretty green on the scene. We got a chance to play the Sydney Blues & Roots Festival in Windsor that year and man what a large time we had.Now you'd think maybe being one of our first festivals a highlight may be playing on stage or meeting an artist you have looked up to for years. Well these were definitely apart of those memories, but the one memory that trumped the lot and still has us going back time and time again are the best burgers we have ever tasted.
The Grill on George in Windsor, affectionately coined Georges by us, have the tastiest burgers going. The fella who runs the joint makes everything from scratch including the buns and these things are monsters. I made the mistake of ordering chips my first visit. I recommend the Dave, thank me later.
The Urban Chiefs play The Stag & Hunter (Newcastle) 31 July and 9 October.
