Review: Hannah Lewis Dalby | Photos: Sergio Martin
Sydney’s Crowbar, what a place! Home to some of the best chicken burgers in the city and still one of its most vital live-music rooms. The scene of many a dark, sweaty night (Frank Turner’s last gig here still lives rent-free in memory), Crowbar may now boast excellent aircon, but don’t worry, the vibe remains unmistakably, gloriously Crowbar. And it was in this hallowed Leichhardt haunt of rock ’n’ roll that The Datsuns staged their thunderous return.
Festival fit and full of fun!
Supporting the evening was Sydney’s own, Avalanche. Fresh off their first European tour supporting rock legends Airbourne, Avalanche were buzzing with confidence. The energy and pace barely let up as Bottle of Sin landed early, preceded by a grinning call of “Who’s drinking tonight with us, Sydney?, a rhetorical question if ever there was one. Sorry Dad, I Joined a Rock Band followed, dedicated to “people who do stupid things,” delivered with a knowing wink.
The humour continued with On the Bags Again, a reminder that yes, Sydney loves to party. Classic rock parody is part of Avalanche’s superpower, and it was on full display: synchronised ZZ Top moves, AC/DC bunny hops, and even a wildly good Men at Work’s Down Under cover, during which the guitarist stepped off the stage to jam in and with the crowd.
Festival fit and full of fun, this was going to be a tough act to follow… Little did the crowd know what was coming!
Brace for impact – “We’re back!” Coming straight out of the traps at 1000mph, The Datsuns opened with Gods Are Bored, instantly setting the room alight. Any lingering doubt about whether the band ‘still had it’ was obliterated within seconds.
Playing after the main character energy of a band like Avalanche has its risks! But The Datsuns soon reminded everyone why these Kiwi’s have shared the stage with some of the biggest bands in the world at events like Ozzfest and worked with Led Zep’s own John Paul Jones. There was no let-up and the set highlights came thick and fast. New material shone as they played Ugly Leather from their still-unnamed upcoming album, and Helping Hands, Harmonic Generator and “boogie song” Goodbye Ghosts became full crowd-participation moments.
Lead singer, Dolf de Borst embraced the return with hijinx, climbing the speakers, striding around the stage swinging the mic, and introducing the band like a preacher mid-sermon. When the set ended, the chants for “one more song” felt optimistic. But these guys don’t do things by halves. FIVE encore tracks followed, including Stuck Here for Days, Brain to Brain, a snarling cover of Dead Boys song Sonic Reducer, then MF from Hell, and ferocious closer, Fink for the Man. BOOM!
“We’re back,” de Borst declared. “There was a time we thought we wouldn’t be – but we are.” And we can all agree the music world is better off for it.
As the lights came up, the hunt for picks and setlists began, and the room buzzed with post-gig joy. Backs slapped, bar hit and smiles everywhere. Crowbar had hosted yet another classic, and The Datsuns proved they’re not just back – they’re unstoppable.