Later this month The Angels will headline the opening night of Weekend Of Rock – a three-day concert series staged at Adelaide Oval – which is a pretty special treat for the home-town legends.
With 2021 marking their 47-year tenure together, the longstanding rock outfit first performed at the venue in 1978, supporting the late, great David Bowie on his Bowie Down Under tour."That was the first show of the tour, we did the whole Australian tour," recalls guitarist John Brewster. "It was a fantastic honour."
The Angels' performance with Bowie at the Adelaide Oval marked the beginnings of a surreal, whirlwind experience for the band, who showed Bowie the underbelly of the late '70s Australian rock scene, much to the musician's enjoyment.
"There was a famous venue in Sydney, called the Bondi Life Saver, and we used to play there," John says.
"One of the nights [of the tour], Bowie had a night off – therefore, we had a night off, but we did this gig at Life Saver.
"We started playing our first song, 'After The Rain', and there was a bit of movement down below us. It was Bowie and his whole band, came to check us out. Stood there the whole show.
"I was pinching myself going, 'I can't believe this!'"
Of course, that nostalgia and the opportunity to create new magical moments comes full circle when The Angels – alongside Chocolate Starfish – take to the iconic Adelaide Oval once more. The other Weekend Of Rock concerts feature Zep Boys and The Masters Apprentices (20 February) and Jon Stevens, Daryl Braithwaite, and Boom Crash Opera (21 February).
"Chocolate Starfish are great, we're good friends with those guys," John says.
"They were on the Red Hot Summer Tour with us recently, so I'm really pleased they're our special guests.
"Zep Boys, I've seen them. I think they do a great job of playing Led Zeppelin. The kind of band that anyone wants to get out there and be a tribute to Led Zeppelin would want to be good at it, and they are!
"And of course, The Masters Apprentices. It's the original band, apart from Craig Holden – he was the guitarist in our first band, The Moonshine Jug and String Band, so he's a good friend."
Being able to perform at the Adelaide Oval was a catalyst for a special part of John's life and career. Even now, the venue still retains a certain reverence for the guitarist.
"We haven't played there a number of years now, the Oval has been completely redone but retained all the original characteristics of the original Oval, anyway.
"I saw the Rolling Stones there a few years ago and it just sounded like a record. Just great acoustics in there."
In their 40-plus years together, looking back and thinking forward, change and experience have been the foundation for the band's continued longevity. "The thing about The Angels is that I'm proud to say we've written a lot of songs that people love," John says.
"The line-up is very important. [Singer] Dave Gleeson has been with the band for ten years now.
"My son Sam plays [bass] with the band also. And of course, Nick Norton plays drums. Wonderful drummer.
"But really, the biggest thing of the lot, is if anything we play better than we ever did. What ever me and my brother do [Rick Brewster, lead guitar] is backed up incredibly well by a wonderful rhythm section in Sam and Nick, [and] a great singer in Dave.
"We're a very happy camp, I must say. It's been quite incredible through all these years, played so many shows.
"The band continues to pull huge crowds, and we're having the time of our lives, to be honest! Just can’t wait to get back out there again."
The Angels joined by Chocolate Starfish play Weekend Of Rock at Adelaide Oval 19 February, Trip The Switch Festival (Brisbane) 27 February, 2021 Bluesfest (Byron Bay) which runs 1-5 April, and Deni Ute Muster (Deniliquin) 1 October.
The Angels 2021 Tour Dates
Fri 30 Apr - Bridge Hotel (Sydney)Sat 1 May - Bridge Hotel (Sydney)
Fri 7 May - The Gov (Adelaide)
Sat 8 May - The Gov (Adelaide)
Fri 14 May - Taren Point Hotel (Sydney)
Sat 15 May - Revesby Workers (Sydney)
Fri 21 May - Chelsea Heights Hotel (Melbourne)
Sat 22 May - York On Lilydale (Melbourne)
Fri 28 May - Belmont 16s (Newcastle)
Sat 29 May - Hornsby RSL (Sydney)
Fri 4 Jun - Mansfield Tavern (Brisbane)
Sat 5 Jun - Kings Beach Tavern (Sunshine Coast)
Sun 6 Jun - Wallaby Hotel (Gold Coast)
Fri 11 Jun - Ravenswood Hotel (WA)
Sat 12 Jun - Charles Hotel (Perth)
Fri 18 Jun - The Juniors (Sydney)
Sat 19 Jun - Doyalson RSL (Central Coast)
