Simon RushworthThunderous Aussie-German wrecking crew Sweet Electric have just wrapped up another hellraising UK headline tour. We caught the NWOCR trailblazers at their bulldozing best.
Brad Marr brings the rock and roll party
Strutting from side to side in his gold lame tracksuit, matching baseball cap and sneakers, Brad Marr looks nothing like your typical rock star. But then there’s the flowing Melbourne mane, whip ‘em into a frenzy vocals (think John Farnham meets Bon Scott and Danni Minogue) and ability to down (almost) a whole bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale without pausing for breath. Looks can be fucking deceiving. This man’s a bona fide rock and roll monster and he’s coming for you, ready or not.
German efficiency paired with Aussie unpredictability
Every frenzied frontman needs to be surrounded with shredders capable of tearing down the walls and a rhythm section built to smash right through them. Marr might look like he’s lost his marbles but there’s a savvy entrepreneur safely ensconced somewhere within that tiny bobble head. From day one the former Massive frontman knew he needed the BMW of bands to drive Sweet Electric forward and this supercharged line-up is built to last. You won’t see a better live combo than Mike Schneider, Michi Krol, Jonas Bareiter and BoBo.
The Monsters have Risen!
On November 1 Sweet Electric dropped their devilish debut The Monsters Are Rising. That the company pressing the band’s vinyls went bust just a few weeks before the release date was a real bummer (and financially crippling) but the new music’s still out there. And a heroically upbeat UK tour showcased modern classics including Heir To The Throne, Hard Times and Hey Kid. Oh, and Rushonrock favourite Leading The Blind (where Marr goes full James Hetfield) inevitably kicked everything else into touch. Given the demographic devoted to Sweet Electric’s cause, it’s an incredibly apt title… and our song of the year.
Sweet gesture as headline trek introduces Electric local talent
Nobody knows better the importance of big breaks in the music business. Check out Brad’s video on the origins of Sober (genuinely, it’s a great watch) for first hand proof of the generous vocalist’s happy knack for unearthing future stars. This tour was no different as a raft of brilliant live bands were afforded a golden (not as golden as Marr, of course) opportunity to open up for the NWOCR godfathers. Take Newcastle, for instance, where reformed chorus bandits Baby Rattlesnakes returned to Trillians in some style — 20 years down the line and Adam Barnes’ bunch of pop punk reprobates still sound like McFly on steroids, with a nod to classic rock’s flamboyant 80s heyday. But no Beautiful To Me? It’s like watching a Scorpions gig with no Wind Of Change(which we’ve also done).