Ah the Vandas, who woulda thunk they were ten years old? That's right, double digits. They've achieved so much collectively and singularly, so why not help them celebrate the good times with a rare live show on December 14th.
Two EPs, one LP, two Big Day Outs, and countless shows with the likes of Elvis Costello, The Beasts of Bourbon, You Am I, The Drones and The Stems, and all of a sudden The Vandas are about to turn 10. To celebrate, the band are playing a rare live show - their first in nearly two years - at Melbourne's newest live venue, the Spotted Mallard in Brunswick, on Friday, 14 December.
The boys became the local darlings of the mid noughties on the back rave reviews for their song-writing and live shows. In recent years the band has evolved into something of a supergroup in reverse. The band’s members have collectively appeared on or produced close to a dozen albums of their own solo work or those of their peers and been in demand as live guns for hire.
In addition to multi-instrument duties for Lobby Lloyd, Tim Rogers, Wagons, Susannah Espie, Van Walker and Emma Russack to name a few, vocalist-guitarist Chris Altmann relocated to North America in 2011 and is to release the second of two critically acclaimed solo country soul albums in 2012.
Vocalist-guitarist Mikey Madden's fuzz psych trio, Gruntbucket, released its EG Award-nominated second album 'Songs From An Empty Room' earlier in 2012 and it's a gas.
Gus Agars can also be seen drumming for The Gin Club, Tim Rogers, Mike Noga, and Tex Perkins, while Julien Chick supplies the bottom end for Mick Thomas' Roving Commission and Michael Meeking & The Lost Souls.
The Vandas are much more than the sum of their parts. Despite the " at odds" musical tendencies of its members the band itself comes together as a cogent and commanding force to be reckoned with. The best way to hear it is live, so get your skates on and put this in your diary so as not to miss out.
The Vandas will be supported by special guests The Gung Hoes (feat. Tim Rogers and Davey Lane) and newcomers, Cold Irons Bound.
So many happy memories you shall find... like this one.
