There are some bands that you think would never set foot on Australian shores and in the case of a band like legendary rockers, Blue Oyster Cult, you have every right to believe that.
Thankfully, our good friends The Hoodoo Gurus and those fine folks behind the Dig It Up! Festival decided to do us all a favour and bring the iconic rock band to Australia in their first ever tour down under.
As one of only two sideshows that Blue Oyster Cult planned, there was simply no time for support bands on this cold Wednesday night as the headliners advised they would be playing the entire show; a two-hour spectacle of arena rock squeezed within the confines of St Kilda’s Princes Bandroom.
Fronted by original members Eric Bloom and Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser, the band were in great spirits from the moment they hit the stage.
Promising a lengthy show of hits and classics, they wasted no time in getting this party started with a hot little instrumental jam full of groove and guitar solos before jumping into ‘This Ain’t The Summer Of Love’ and creating a whirlwind storm of rock n roll proportions.
It became immediately apparent that we were witnessing greatness. Both Bloom’s and Dharma’s vocals sounded fantastic and the entire band were a note perfect pile of legendary awesomeness! It truly was a sight and sound to behold.
By the time ‘Burnin’ For You’ was underway, there was not a long face in attendance. Blue Oyster Cult knew exactly where to inject that special sensation of sound and get your joints jumping. The band took it up a notch with an extended jam on ‘Then Came The Last Days Of May’, filled with insane guitar leads and a whole other world of sounds. It was quite hypnotic and most welcomed.
With a stomping thunder came ‘Godzilla’ a tune so instantly recognisable nowadays which thankfully has in no way lost its effect as Bloom and Dharma sang harmoniously from one melody to another. The enthusiastic audience sang with them, arm in arm, fists raised, as chants of “Go Go Godzilla!” rang through the air. It was momentous.
As soon as Dharma started the infamous opening to their most recognisable hit, ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’, the crowd cheered in response, while couples embraced and stoners lit up. The whole show had come to this one singular moment for many. To hear a song so sweet and seductive, so rock and roll, so perfectly written, now played before our very eyes was a moment to behold. This was Blue Ooster Cult at their finest.
Returning to the stage for a hugely receptive encore of the ass-kicking ‘Hot Rails To Hell’ and riff filled ‘Cities On Flame’, nobody wanted this night to end. The audience both amazed and fixated, hung on to every word as the Americans rocked right on through a flawless set of hugely underrated space travel jams played by a band who have both seen and done it all. This was something special. This was the rock n roll. Let’s hope it isn’t a one time deal and we see them return to Australia in the near future.
