Aerosmith, Slash bring all-star rock extravaganza to Sydney STEPHEN COOKE ARTS REPORTER Published September 12, 2014 - 8:56pm Last Updated September 13, 2014 - 6:48am Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedinMore Sharing Services Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler belts out a number at Cape Fest 2014 in Sydney on Friday night. (STEVEN WADDEN) SYDNEY — Feeling left out of the mega-concert craze that swept the Maritimes over the past decade, Sydney staged its own all-star extravaganza, Cape Fest 2014, on Friday, bringing Aerosmith and Slash to Open Hearth Park for the final date of its Let Rock Rule tour. Presented by local promoters Martin Entertainment, the show turned the former site of the Sydney Tar Ponds into a sea of denim, black leather and rock tees, with one of the highest per capita displays of Sons of Anarchy apparel yet seen on the East Coast. But before the former Guns N Roses guitar slinger and Bostons most famous rock band could take to the massive stage, it was time for some Nova Scotia talent to entertain the gradual swelling of bodies expected to reach over 10,000 by the time the headliners appeared. Island band Breton Rocks opened for those lucky enough to have the afternoon off, with a set of random classic rock covers stretching from a Toto medley to U2s Where the Streets Have No Name, warming up the stage for the provinces favourite party trio, Slowcoaster. Broad daylight felt out of place for a band used to The Darkest of Discos, but the blend of rock, reggae and pop on God Is a DJ and The Real You suited the breezy atmosphere as a blast of sunshine came through the clouds. Are you feeling better? asked singer/guitarist Steve MacDougall of the steadily growing crowd. You better be, its a giant rock concert in Sydney, for Christs sake! I know, I know, it happens every weekend. Making the most of their time at what MacDougall called the biggest event on the Tar Ponds since they cleaned up the Tar Ponds, the Cape Breton band earned bonus points for bringing out North Sydney sweetheart Carmen Townsend for its final few songs, thus ensuring that Cape Fest wouldnt be a total sausage fest. Because theres an unwritten law that states you cant have a large outdoor show without them, Antigonish-born band the Trews got the last of the light while the 9-to-5ers arrived at Open Hearth Park. Touring behind their self-titled fifth album, the quintet cranked it up with the recent single Rise in the Wake, while encouraging the crowd to rise up out of its portable folding chairs. Sitting down? At a rock show? Really! exclaimed singer/guitarist Colin MacDonald incredulously. Well, were stoked to be here! If youre going to be stoked, it might as well be a place called Open Hearth, and the crowd responded with a warm round of whoops to hits like So Shes Leaving and 30 Days in the Hole, which reminded me of the drive to Sydney on a bumpy Hwy 4, a.k.a. 30 Holes in the Road. Slash winds out his signature riff for Sweet Child O Mine at Cape Fest 2014 in Sydney on Friday night. (STEVE WADDEN) Guitarist Slash, with his band Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators, avoided highways altogether, following the swirl of a circus music intro with a furious Nighttrain. The guitarist in his trademark leather top hat, presumably with an epoxy lining to stay atop his dark, curly mane, cruised the stage with locomotive speed, while Kennedy called us all aboard with an Axl-y snarl. The band could hold its own with newer material, Kennedy betrayed a powerful bellow on the bluesy Back From Cali, but there were a lot more raised fists and beer cans when they tore into GnRs blazing hit from Terminator 2, You Could Be Mine. Its been brought to my attention that this is the first festival of its kind in this city, Kennedy said in a cultured tone of voice. Would you say this has been a good thing for the community? Slash and his band Kennedy & the Conspirators got the crowd moving at Cape Fest 2014 in Sydney on Friday. (STEVE WADDEN) The response was a hearty roar, which the band rewarded with a new track, the title to Slash, Kennedy & the Conspirators next record World on Fire. Due out next week, the chunky rocker was indelibly tattooed by Slashs perfectly gritty guitar tone and ragged upper fret burning. But when Slash stepped to the front of the stage and wound out his signature riff for Sweet Child O Mine, the crowd erupted and made its presence known with a cheer that could be physically felt as stage lights illuminated an ocean of faces as far as the eye could see. Slashs expression remained blank behind his mirrored shades, but the audience ate it up and basked in the moment. Aerosmith rocked Cape Fest 2014 on Friday night, bringing an epic show to Sydney. (STEVE WADDEN) And now, from Boston, Mass. to kick your ass, AEROSMITH! boomed an announcers voice as the famed winged logo burst onto the giant video screen at the back of the stage. While bassist Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer and rhythm guitarist Brad Whitford churned out a locomotive beat, Steve Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry rose up out of the catwalk like the gypsy-clad undead to hit the horde with Train Kept a Rollin. Taking us out of the station, what followed was an express crash course in some of the most iconic classic rock of the last four decades. Ditching his white frock coat and top hat, Tyler was free to be even more of a whirling dervish to the slinky groove of Love in an Elevator, while Perrys too-cool-for-school vibe was enhanced by an off-kilter newsboy cap and leopard-print scarf. The champagne ice bucket in front of the guitarists Marshall amp added just the right note of decadence. Things got epic for the medieval fable Kings and Queens from 1977s Draw the Line, with Whitford getting a chance to display some sweet melodic chops, and Tyler delivering one of the most challenging vocal parts in Aerosmiths repertoire. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry prowl the stage in Sydney on Friday night. (STEVE WADDEN) But then they kicked out the jams on the title track to 1975s Toys in the Attic, with Perry tearing up the neck of his guitar at the end of the catwalk. It sounded fierce and mean, the way its supposed to. I could have done without the Armageddon power ballad I Dont Want to Miss a Thing, the bands only No. 1 hit. Id rather watch the awful Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band movie that at least gave Aerosmith a successful cover of the Beatles Come Together. It still sounded solid in their hands Friday night, especially leading into the song that is to Aerosmith what Satisfaction is to the Stones: Walk This Way. If anything made the audience reconnect with its inner teenager, it was this signature strut, later revived with the help of Run DMC, delivered with as much sass as Aerosmith could muster. Which at this stage of the game, is a lot more than youd expect.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 23:36:01 +0000
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