Carving a unique and heartening niche in the local music scene, Melbourne’s Cherry Bar really excelled themselves this year with CherryFest. The laneway festival is the sister festival to Cherry Rock, and with two stages and 13 acts over the course of the day, it had a highly intimate and personable feel to it. It was like spending the day with 800 of your closest mates, with everyone having decency and respect for each other. In this day and age, that is something of a rare bird.
Local lads The Deep End kicked off the day in a gloriously rowdy fashion on the main stage situated at the end of the laneway. This was straight-up rock that totally lacked pretension. The four-piece served as a strong welcome to the arriving crowd, armed with some great tracks like ‘Tattoos’ and ‘Cheap Night Out’.
On the inside stage, The Mercy Kills totally kicked out the cobwebs of those who were still a bit woozy from the night before. ‘So Cold’, ‘Like The Last’ and, surprisingly, a gloriously rough cover of the Duran Duran track ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ were real standouts in what was a quality set.
In a nice bit of musical counterpoint and a great illustration of the festival’s diversity when it comes to music, Melbourne soul collective Sweethearts well and truly took over the outside area. Featuring a rotating cast of 27 musicians on stage, the all-female group (that are all still in high school) served up an engaging take on soul music. To their eternal credit, the set was made up of original material rather than resting on cover versions. The collective has an incredible sense of potential, and their spot at the festival was quite a charming one.
Playing their first hometown show in a long time after a successful tour of Europe, Money For Rope were welcomed back with open arms by the gathering crowd arriving at the festival. With a twin drum attack that was impossible to ignore, they put in a punchy, raw, and totally satisfying set, adding to the attitude and vibe of the day significantly.
After a short, noisy, and charged set from local yahoos Sheriff, who specialise in the ‘white man blues’ that The Who sang about on their legendary Live At Leeds live album from many years ago, it was time for the first of the international acts to grace the stage. It proved to be a fantastic example of taking a leap of faith as far as live music is concerned.
American-Swedish-French quartet Blues Pills proved to be one of those musical acts that, in the live setting, pin you to the proverbial back wall of the venue. Imagine a grunge/hard rock band fronted by Janis Joplin and you’re on the way to the power, passion, and ferocity that this band has in absolute spades. All four members are incredibly gifted musicians, especially guitarist Dorian Sorriaux, whose feel and tone brought to mind the late, great Eddie Hazel from Funkadelic.
However, the absolute linchpin as to what makes this band soar is vocalist Elin Larsson. With a throaty gravel that is impossible to ignore, her ability to wail and holler set the collective jaw of the crowd dropping to the ground, undoubtedly hitting the button marked “HOLY FUCK!” in the brains of many watching this astounding act do their thing. Proving owner/band booker James Young has an incredible ear for music, Blues Pills were nothing short of an utter knockout.
After picking up their jaws off the ground, the assembled were treated to a quality set from Legends Of Motorsport. Like Australia Post, this is a band that always delivers. With their keyboard-drenched take on rock, they were a great choice for the festival and got the crowd whipped into a frenzy.
Berlin trio Kadavar are one of the most hirsute bands this scribe has ever seen. Looking like the love children of legendary Texas bluesmen ZZ Top, one felt they could grow a beard just by being in the same room as them! With their face melting, skyscraper riffs and a challenging, different take on stoner rock, popularised in Western music by the likes of Kyuss and Fu Manchu, they were a strong and popular choice with the growing crowd.
By dusk, the assembled faithful were given an absolute gift by this festival. The last ever show from the remaining members of legendary local act Powder Monkeys took place. Very much a tribute to late singer-songwriter Tim Hemensley, who left us some years ago, the set featured a rotating guest of singers including Joel Silbersher, who played with Hemensley in the band God.
Powder Monkeys played a blistering, utterly uncompromising set that reminded the assembled how important and powerful a force this act was in shaping the live music scene in Melbourne. Tracks like the almighty ‘Persecution Blues’ and the incredibly cutting take on the ZZ Top classic ‘I Thank You’ went down a storm. It was sad to see the band call it a day, but this is a group that have always done things on their own terms. Respect.
Closing out the day was the incendiary Californians, The Bellrays. The band formed something of a strong bond with Cherry Bar on their visit here a few months ago. They were in spectacular form at CherryFest, absolutely tearing it up on the main stage. With an afro that could block out the sun, lead singer Lisa Kekaula was an absolute force of nature. She has a big, brassy voice that is all too rare these days, and is a band member that you simply can’t take your eyes off.
Songs like ‘That’s Not The Way It Should Be’, the less than subtle ‘On Top’, and ‘Pinball City’ reminded everyone why they love rock. The night ended with a spectacular rendition of the AC/DC classic ‘Highway To Hell’, with various members of bands that had played earlier jumping on stage to join in.
Out of all their laneway festivals, CherryFest 2013 was quite possibly the strongest lineup that James Young and his crew have ever put together. Bravo!
