Sydney crew A.D.K.O.B make smooth and delightfully off-kilter indie pop, and are currently midway through a national tour, having already supported the likes of Sticky Fingers at their sold out show at the Enmore. Lead singer Mark has sent us a few postcards from the trip so far, with 100% accurate accounts of their progress.
We spoke to the foursome earlier in the year about their songwriting inspirations, and you’ll also be able to catch them playing at BIGSOUND later this year, supporting Dappled Cities in July, and playing the rest of the dates below. Roofs, beware.
THU 23 JUN – RAD, WOLLONGONG NSW
FRI 24 JUN – THE LASS O’GOWRIE, NEWCASTLE NSW
WED 29th JUN – SOSUEME @ BEACH ROAD HOTEL, BONDI NSW
FRI 01 JUL – CATS @ ROCKET BAR, ADELAIDE SA
SAT 02 JUL – WORKERS CLUB, MELBOURNE VIC
Leg One: Manly / Brisbane
Our first leg of the tour landed us in Manly, NSW for a free show at the rooftop bar known as ‘Moonshine’. It was a great way to kick things off. We really should have checked before taking off if the venue had a helipad, but I don’t think the fire twirlers of Manly beach minded a small obstacle on the sand for a few hours. All of our fans showed up, and it was great to speak to both of them at the conclusion.
We forgot Jane’s keyboard stand, but thankfully someone was smart enough to email through a back up, because we are professionals. It was worth the small fine we got for leaving the chopper on the beach, satisfied with the ratio of originals vs. KISS covers we tore through on the night.
Brisbane was up next, and a great time was had. Flight delays led us to develop alcoholism pretty quickly. Hewett and I were quite late to our radio interview with 4ZZZ in Brisbane, but we got there. Our answers were probably a little ‘4:20’ due to lack of sleep, but no doubt we busted a few listenable rhymes, because we are professionals.
The show was a cracker. The supports tore the roof off, and we subsequently reconstructed said roof – only to blow it off again. The roof took another absolute belting when Philadelphia Grand Jury did a midnight karaoke set that possibly changed the world of rock ‘n roll karaoke.
Leg Two: Canberra / Sydney.
As we stepped off the private jet and hit the familiar tarmac that is Canberra airport, we sucked in that beautiful capital city oxygen that only the ACT can provide. It’s no surprise Canberra is the most capital of all the Australian cities.
Our limo pulled up outside, and we were shocked to see the size of the stage and venue. “Guys, have we made it?” Jane gargled through a mouthful of Grange. “This might be us ticking that box, Jane!” I responded, wiping the caviar off my staff before twirling it expertly.
Of course, we found out soon that this was the main stage, and we would be on the ‘other stage’. We had to accept that ‘Cockbelch’ were a worthy main-stage draw-card, as their band name is much easier to say than ours (we really are sorry for that btw).
It was cold, friends. Not even the mink coats stopped the Canberra chill cutting through to our well-moisturised skin. Sound check was delayed while Harry finished up at the tanning salon, but we got it done, because we are professionals. Actually we didn’t, it was a line check only. Harry looked great, though.
Our Canberrian brethren came through for us, filing up the venue. Mostly with empty space, but some of it with human flesh. It was a doozy… We came all that way, we weren’t gonna let anyone down.
As I pondered our near-perfect set whilst being fed olives by someone named ‘mariachi boy’ in the green room spa post-show, I wondered if it was time to give the music game away… I mean, we had just played Canberra. How do you push beyond perfection?
The next night we played Sydney, and sold it out. I can only speak for myself, the rest of the band, our management, and the entire audience and venue staff, but from our collective version of events it could be summed up in the following statement: It was a good one. We are currently negotiating with the venue as to whom is responsible for re-construction costs of the roof we so ceremoniously blew off during the show. I guess I just admitted fault on our behalf. Sorry, manager.
Of course, these are all mere warm-ups for the biggest week of the tour… Look out, Newcastle and Wollongong!
