Here are the Sonics! Australian tour
Garage-punk pioneers The Sonics hit Perth on September 27 for a once in a lifetime show.
“Finally hitting our shores after a four decade long career were USA veterans The Sonics, that saw the venue fill to capacity. With a great amount of energy, a sexy slab of sax, and favourites such as “Have Love, Will Travel”, they commanded the crowd and made up for their long absence.”
The Sonics laid down the blueprint for garage-rock back in 1963 with the release of their first single The Witch. They followed that up with even up with even more grease and oil soaked nuggets in Psycho, Boss Hoss, Cinderella, Strychnine, He’s Waitin’, Shot Down and Have Love Will Travel before calling it quits in 1968. Reuniting briefly in 1972 and again in 1980, The Sonics then took permanent leave while the rest of the world caught up with them.
Revered and / or covered by the likes of The Black Keys, Robert Plant, The Cramps and The Fall (alongside a list of Australian bands too lengthy to mention) the influence and spirit of The Sonics has never waned and in 2007 they answered the call reforming at the invitation of the New York garage festival Cavestomp and followed that up with an appearance at Barcelona’s giant Primavera Festival, the London Meltdown (curated by The Kinks Ray Davies) and in 2012, Dig it Up! The Hoodoo Gurus Invitational. Most recently The Sonics have toured as special guests of Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) toured South America to Beatles-like addition and in 2015 released This Is The Sonics - a brand new studio album and their first in almost 50 years...
“The Sonics’ children are legion, and every generation of garage rockers owes them. The Sonics surely know this, but from the timeless sound of This Is the Sonics, they might just as well be oblivious to their legacy. Legacies are for the dead. The Sonics are alive and viciously well.”
Lead by saxophonist Rob Lind and featuring one time Kingsmen bassist Freddie Dennis and drummer Dusty Watson (Link Wray) The Sonics return to Australia in 2016 to perform all the ‘hits’ from those iconic ‘60s releases: Here Are The Sonics and Boom! plus This Is The Sonics and more. Unfortunately, due to illness, original members Gerry Roslie and Larry Parpaya are unable to travel, their spots having been taken by Jake Cavelier (Fuzztones / Lords of Altamont) and Evan Foster (Boss Martians) maintaining the garage factor and keeping the fuzz intact.
It isn't often that you get to see such an influential band live in Perth. Their music is truly captivating and has inspired so many artists and musicians to go on and create amazing things. As a result, the crowd at the Rosemount will be terrifically diverse. This is NOT to be missed.
Tickets available here.
