It's a Saturday evening (29 October) and I'm making my to an industrial estate in Caloundra West (Sunshine Coast) to a relatively new live music venue, the Norton Music Factory (NMF) that apparently operates about every other weekend.
This is my first venture to NMF and although I have no idea what to expect inside, on entry I immediately feel at home. Like a warm blanket of familiarity, the surrounds scream live music vibes of the late '80s and early '90s.The industrial building is flanked by heavy duty marquee/ awning structures – I see a kitchen tucked away to the side, a well-stocked bar, cool wine barrels topped with resin-covered CDs as the table top. That's at a first glance.
Later, I realise that one full marquee side panel has a bunch of band branding all over it. I take a stab that these must be all the bands that have played and I notice another panel, which is filling up and I see The Poor have been added to it for tonight's show.
There are quite a few punters already here and staff are friendly and helpful on arrival. I know I'm in for a good night among all these chilled vibes – and that's before the bands have even kicked off. I chat with locals and some visitors who tell me how much they love the place and how eager they are to be seeing tonight's headliners.
Right on cue, first act Von Hazeler are preparing to give us a set of their best and I am keen to know how they sound. As the Sunny Coast three-piece start to play, heads snap up from drinks in the bar area as ears prick to the grungy sounds hitting our ear lugs.
Von Hazeler - image © Clea-marie Thorne
While some punters stay at their seats and watch the live stream of the stage on the wall, others can see into the stage area from their perches. Not me. I am joining in, close up to the action with some other eager early arrivals.
For a three piece, their sound is thick and full. The songs bounce between a psychedelic rock-grunge fusion and a loose, alternative-rock sound that ventures into punkish vibes on occasion; I think the band is familiar to some in the venue and even though this is a first time listen for me, I find it easy to get involved in the instrumentation and enjoy the trip they are taking me on.
Catching Salmon are the second support for tonight. They set up cool, calm and collected, and seem right at home on the stage in front of the gathering crowd, including some fans who are giving them a very warm welcome.
Right off the bat, the frontman exudes a self-confidence and by golly, this vocalist has every right to be so! Great pipes and vocal style – take it away, lad!
The vocalist and guitarist bounce off each other during the set; there is a true dynamism between them and the drummer is wild to the point of insane on his tools. As he smashes them, he can still make eye contact with the faces in the crowd as his hair flings about his head like a sea anemone! His energy can be felt all the way out in the mosh pit.
Catching Salmon - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Catching Salmon are giving an energetic set and are inspiring a lot of us in the crowd to become their latest fans. They're rocking out hard and tight, and are ensnaring us with their awesome groove rock. Catching Salmon go a'ight and then some! A little bit of Violent Soho crossed with the funk of RHCP twisted around a Nirvanaesque-QOTSA diversity. Do yourself a favour and check them out.
It was not a log wait for Aussie extreme hard rockers The Poor to claim the stage. Without so much as a "hooroo" before they are launching head on into their set.
Anthony 'Skenie' Skene, the frontman with all the rock & roll moves you can imagine, is bounding about in front of the cheering crowd with a stamina, charisma and vocal prowess that is as virile and immense as it was decades ago.
The Poor created a nostalgia in the room that transported me back to when live music and especially good hard rock was the flavour of my weekend diet – in Queensland that is. You know, before the machines took the floor space of pubs and clubs and claimed many a home of live music. For a time anyway.
The Poor - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Now following COVID's shot at killing the scene, The Poor are again showing us they're here for a rollicking good time by the explosive energy they're conjuring up – for a long time to come!
Skenie and Daniel Cox (guitar) get intimate with the crowd. Skenie thrusts out his microphone to punters, once even while attached to the stand. He's accepting handshakes, while he and Cox are posing for diehard fans in the frontrow while they film and take selfies as they are singing and playing guitars from the stage barrier. I get why you'd never want to miss a single show when they come to town. Partee!
Punters are being treated to a pretty full-on set list including their old-school hits like 'More Wine, Waiter, Please', which cause a rowdy sing-along from the crowd. Other set-list highlights (from memory) were 'Ain't On The Chan', 'Poison', 'Trouble', 'Love Shot', and recent single, the heavy and loaded 'Payback's A Bitch'. Many a punter are sporting this tee tonight.
The guitar solos and constant barrage of riffage from Cox is driving punters nuts. The dynamic rhythm section of Matt Whitby thrumping on bass and Gavin Hansen smashing solid beats; oh my! What a machine on those tubs!
The Poor - image © Clea-marie Thorne
As they plough through their set with what seems to be unending vigour, punters young and younger at heart are returning a frantic energy to the band. The mood in the room is loose and getting wilder with each song as bodies dance and hands are flung high into the air.
Skenie gives his powerful grunt-rough vocals emphasis with his pro hair flicks and rock poses. Cox shows us his axe magic and finger dexterity while striking well executed guitar stances as he delivers tasty guitar licks above the low bass notes and hard bass drum kicks from Hansen and Whitby.
All this keeps us fixated not only by the music but also on the polished rock & roll spectacle before us. The Poor are definitely rich with a seasoned talent in serving us up a super supreme rock & roll show with all the added extras.
The Poor - image © Clea-marie Thorne
My take home. Get along to The Poor, whenever they are in town or close by.
More photos from the show.
