Radio Birdman - Sydney - July 5 2024

The last time I saw Radio Birdman was in December 1977 at the Paddington Town Hall. I’d bought myself a white business shirt, safety-pinned a few well placed tears and silk-screened the band’s logo in black on the back. Together with a thin black tie, my dark purple hair and a Patti Smith badge I was a mixture of influences which most young Australian punks were back then. It was an event to go down in the band’s history and I was privileged to have been there.

These days any performance of the band is historical, especially when it’s possibly one of their very last. Back on stage in their home city were Deniz Tek (guitar), Rob Younger (vocals), Philip ‘Pip’ Hoyle (keyboards), Jim Dickson (bass), Nik Reith (drums) and Dave Kettley (guitar). And didn’t they sound great! Who would have guessed that this tour marked their 50th anniversary. From their 23 songs I recorded seven:

Do the Pop (00:08)
We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today) (02:55)
Descent Into the Maelstrom (06:49)
I-94 (11:21)
Anglo Girl Desire (14:33)
Hand of Law (18:02)
New Race (23:24)

My selection reflects those earliest years, a nice bookend to their “Live at Paddington Town Hall 12th December 1977” recording. If only we had the visuals to go with that.