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HOODOO GURUS
+ Dallas Crane
@ Hindley St Music Hall,
Adelaide,
November 23rd 2024
(Live Review)

Review by Colin Reid

Photos by Elise De Simoni (@elisedphoto)

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HOODOO GURUS / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Adelaide’s Hindley Street Music Hall (HSMH) was packed to capacity on Saturday night in order to witness the Hoodoo Gurus honour the 40th year anniversary of their classic debut album ‘Stoneage Romeos’.

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DALLAS CRANE / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Opening up the gig were Melbourne band Dallas Crane and it was really great that Adelaide showed up early to give them the support they deserve with a near full house being present to catch their set.    They are best on a big stage, so it was great to see them showcased under the HSMH lights, belting out their big sound.  You have to love a band who wear their own merch, especially when it looks as good as drummer Steve Pinkerton’s retro Dallas Crane disco logo t-shirt did.  They delivered a near perfect swag of songs, with familiar hits like ‘Sit on My Knee,’ ‘Dirty Hearts,’ and ‘Numb All Over’ reminding everyone just how good these guys are and the new release, ‘Sycamore Street’ was also well received. If the musically tight band and the cheeky cowboy hat wearing frontman Dave Larkin hadn’t already revved up the crowd enough, their ferocious rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” left no doubt!  It had been raw, electrifying, sweaty and loud and Dallas Crane give us everything we wanted from a support band and warmed the crowd up for a first-rate night.

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HOODOO GURUS / Photo – @elisedphoto

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The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation for what was to be a very special night, I don’t think that I’ve ever seen HSMH this full.  There really is a lot of love in the room for the Hoodoo Gurus and huge applause greets the band.  Dave Faulkner is resplendent in a rose-pink jacket matched to a satin shirt of slightly deeper hue. He mouths hellos to the crowd and the band kick into (Lets All) Turn On the opening track from Stoneage Romeos.  Right from the start that are on fire.  Drummer Nick Rieth’s pounding the skins and beating us into rhythmic submission whilst guitarist Brad Shepherd drops to one knee in front of his amp feeling every one of the notes he was playing and demanding feedback for a little more interaction between the guitar and amp.

“Hello Adelaide, we’re here and we’re turning on” Dave calls out and without further comment they are into ‘I Want you Back’ with accompaniment from what seemed like the whole crowd singing the chorus with every had in the air.  Next comes ‘Arthur’ which Dave introduces as being somewhat of a tongue in check, joke song to explain why the band never had a bass player for their early gigs.

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HOODOO GURUS / Photo – @elisedphoto

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“Thanks for booking tickets and for being here” Dave addresses the crowd who respond with huge cheers. “We were sure if anyone wanted to see us anymore” he continues.  I think the full house is confirmation that Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian institution that is very much still in demand.

The wonderful ‘Dig It Up’, which sounds more like The Cramps than the Cramps themselves, is followed by ‘My Girl’ which has the crowd attentive and enthralled singing along and phones recording.  Dave tells us that one of the reasons that he enjoys doing a full album retrospective is that it gives them a chance to play some songs that they don’t normally do live before laughing as he realises that the next track ‘Leilani’ is one that they do rather a lot!  They really give this one everything, the tribal ritual of the song vividly bought to life with pyrotechnics mimicking the volcano’s eruptions, smoke and Dave leading us in a group chant for the ancient angry gods.  

‘Tojo’ is another huge crowd pleaser.  The opening chords hanging in the air before Richard Grossman’s driving bassline forces the song along and Nick’s drum beats hit us like a heavy calibre machine gun.  Richard tosses his pic into the crowd making one punter very happy.

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HOODOO GURUS / Photo – @elisedphoto

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The album closes out with ‘I Was a Kamikaze Pilot’ which is my favourite Hoodoo’s song and they delivered the best version. The band is on fire, Brad’s guitar superb and Dave’s voice triumphant – what a range he has and the ability to hit the high notes is incredible.

Playing ‘Stoneage Romeos’ in full was brilliant but it wasn’t even half of the show.  They press on but not just with a greatest hits type set list.  They are clearly up for a bit of fun and know their back catalogue inside out.  Dave asks the crowd if there is anything we want to hear.  A few obvious hits are shouted back “no, no don’t worry about them, they be along later, I’m after something you don’t normally hear live”.  Just how good is a band that is willing to take the risk on a random song no matter how obscure?  Thirty years on from its debut at Adelaide’s Thebbie Theatre ‘Crossed Wires’ is what is picked.  The band loves it so much that Dave asks for another request and they do ‘Middle of the Land’.

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HOODOO GURUS / Photo – @elisedphoto

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The set list gets back on track and the big songs and singles come out ‘Come Anytime’, ‘The Right Time’. ‘Bittersweet’, ‘Miss Freelove ’69, and ’1000 Miles Away’.  It was such a blistering version of ‘The Right Time’ that was hard to believe anything could be better.  The large crowd has really come to life now, there is lots of singing, hands waving in the air and the gentle sway gives way to more active dancing before a huge group sing-a-long to ‘1000 Miles Away’.  They close out the regular set with band anthem and theme song ‘Be My Guru’.

After the shortest of breaks they are back.  Never short on surprises they treat us to the first outing of 2024 for ‘Hang With The Girls’ before closing with the smash singles ‘What’s My Scene’ and ‘Like Wow – Wipeout’.  I can’t overstate just how great they have been tonight, such a treat for the big crowd. Forty years on and sounding as good as ever, this was a reminder of how good Aussie guitar rock can be.

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HOODOO GURUS / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Check out Elise De Simoni’s (@elisedphoto) full gallery of this event HERE

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HOODOO GURUS / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Follow HOODOO GURUS
Website – Instagram – Facebook
Spotify – Youtube

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HOODOO GURUS / Photo – @elisedphoto

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Press Release 22nd May 2024 (below) HERE

HOODOO GURUS
announce new shows in
Sydney, Melbourne and Perth

Back to the Stoneage
National Tour

Performing
Stoneage Romeos
in its entirety
 plus all their hits!

#HoodooGurus

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Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul NSW
With special guests: Tumbleweed
NEW SHOW

Thursday, 14 November 2024
Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul NSW
With special guests: Tumbleweed
SOLD OUT

Friday, 15 November 2024
Civic Theatre, Newcastle NSW
With special guests: Dallas Crane
SOLD OUT

Saturday, 16 November 2024
The Entertainment Grounds, Gosford NSW
With special guests: GANGgajang, Spy V Spy and Allniters

Thursday. 21 November 2024
The Forum, Melbourne VIC
With special guest: Adalita
Tickets go on sale at 10.00am on Friday, 24 May 2024
NEW SHOW

Friday, 22 November 2024
The Palais Theatre, Melbourne VIC
With special guests: Dallas Crane
 SOLD OUT

Saturday, 23 November 2024
Hindley St Music Hall, Adelaide SA
With special guests: Dallas Crane

Thursday, 28 November 2024
 Llewellyn Hall, Canberra ACT
With special guests: Spy v Spy

Friday, 29 November 2024
Sydney Coliseum Theatre, Rooty Hill NSW
With special guests: Spy v Spy

Saturday, 30 November 2024
Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
With special guests: Tumbleweed
SOLD OUT

Sunday, 1 December 2024
Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
With special guests: Tumbleweed
NEW SHOW

Thursday, 5 December 2024
Eaton’s Hill Hotel, Brisbane QLD
With special guests: Screamfeeder
NEW SHOW

Friday, 6 December 2024
The Station, Sunshine Coast QLD
With special guests: Screamfeeder
SOLD OUT

Saturday, 7 December 2024
The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane QLD
With special guests: Screamfeeder
SOLD OUT

Sunday, 8 December 2024
 Miami Marketta, Gold Coast QLD
With special guests: Screamfeeder
SOLD OUT

Thursday, 12 December 2024
Astor Theatre, Perth WA
With special guests: Rinehearts
SELLING FAST!

Friday, 13 December 2024
Astor Theatre, Perth WA
With special guests: Rinehearts
SOLD OUT

Thursday, 12 December 2024
Astor Theatre, Perth WA
With special guests: Rinehearts
NEW SHOW

Ticket details for all shows are available at hoodoogurus.net/tour

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AMNPLIFY – DB