The Black Sorrows-On The Road-Business As Usual
Tale Of Two Gigs
The Black Sorrows
6 July-The Roxy Room, Katoomba
8 July-Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
This past Friday The Black Sorrows came to the Roxy Room at the ‘salubrious’, Gearin Hotel in Katoomba for their first stop over in the Blue Mountains in at least 5 years. With the pub crowd on their feet and eager to gather around the stage, dancing and music appreciation with a drink in hand were happening from the kick off.
With the cold and crisp air invigorating the band and the audience, (I think it was the air?), Camilleri and his group took us through the many chapters of his career. From the soulful, “Ain’t Love the Strangest Thing” from 1992, “The Chosen Ones” from 1988, a couple of Van Morrison covers including “Brown-Eyed Girl”, and the ubiquitous “Harley + Rose” which usually pleases most in the crowd, there was something for everyone on this 2 hour menu.
At 70 years old, Camilleri has more gas in his tank then many a younger musician on the road these days. As always Joe just grooves and jams with his band whether it be on guitar, sax or his voice and the songs branch out with exceptional solos that are the heart and soul of this band. As many know, Joe never has a set-list, so no each show takes on a special jam like form.
Friday night saw a bit of pogoing along with the Jo Jo Zep “Shape I’m In” and continued rock and roll dancing during “Daughters of Glory”. Joe is as always pushing ahead and has a new album in the can, Citizen John, and is going to take it on the road in Europe starting next month. He is a creative juggler and his love of performing and developing music is his driving force.
The Black Sorrows
6 July-The Roxy Room, Katoomba
8 July-Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
This past Friday The Black Sorrows came to the Roxy Room at the ‘salubrious’, Gearin Hotel in Katoomba for their first stopover in the Blue Mountains in at least 5 years. With the pub crowd on their feet and eager to gather around the stage, dancing and music appreciation with a drink in hand were happening from the kick-off.
With the cold and crisp air invigorating the band and the audience, (I think it was the air?), Camilleri and his group took us through the many chapters of his career. From the soulful, “Ain’t Love the Strangest Thing” from 1992, “The Chosen Ones” from 1988, a couple of Van Morrison covers including “Brown-Eyed Girl”, and the ubiquitous “Harley + Rose” which usually pleases most in the crowd, there was something for everyone on this 2 hour menu.
At 70 years old, Camilleri has more gas in his tank than many a younger musician on the road these days. As always Joe just grooves and jams with his band whether it be on guitar, sax or his voice and the songs branch out with exceptional solos that are the heart and soul of this band. As many know, Joe never has a set list, so no each show takes on a special jam-like form.
Friday night saw a bit of pogoing along with Jo Jo Zep “Shape I’m In” and continued rock and roll dancing during “Daughters of Glory”. Joe is as always pushing ahead and has a new album in the can, Citizen John, and is going to take it on the road in Europe starting next month. He is a creative juggler and his love of performing and developing music is his driving force.
Sunday night saw JC with a seated crowd in Marrickville at the Camelot Lounge. With a sold out room and some hot spots on the stage, the entire band was working up a good sweat on a chilly winter night. There was a bit more banter and more jokes about time passing this evening, maybe this was due to the demographic of the audience or Joe just feeling a bit more weary, although that never showed. Although this may be the first time, I have seen Joe exclude “Brown Eyed Girl”, that femme was not missed during the two sets they played.
Claude Carranza (guitar) has now been with The Black Sorrows for a couple of decades and his interplay and solos are incendiary. The insertion of John Mcall on keyboards has funked up the situation for the band and he fits in perfectly. The somewhat ever-changing line up of the Black Sorrows has been one of the most intriguing and joyful musical communities to watch through the decades.
Joe joked about doing 18 gigs in 24 days and how that took another 5 years off his life, so at this count he should live to 120. Joe closed it down with another Sorrow’s chestnut, “Chained To The Wheel” and a little bit of very old reggae written by Marley in the 60’s, “Stir It Up”, which the Sorrows have been covering for a ¼ of a century.
Finishing the night with an encore and tipping his hat to the man who made a lot of this music possible, Chuck Berry, was a tasty piece of rock and roll, “Memphis, Tennessee”. With that done, another Black Sorrows gig was added to the hundreds of gigs that preceded it. Australian pub rock truly developed Camilleri into the performer he is. Whether he is singing or blowing that pink sax, his music comes from deep within his heart and soul. Joyful, touching, rocking and soulful are just some emotions you experience at one of his gigs. Check him out whenever he comes to town; he is as vital as ever.