Szilvia GombolaOZ Rock Map
February 28th 2007 08:28
In Dublin recently, I stumbled across a great map in a local tourist magazine.
It was a self-guided musical trail around the Irish capital highlighting historic landmarks in the country’s musical history, such as first gigs, last gigs, song inspirations, homes, graves, arrests and watering holes of the likes of U2, Bob Geldolf and the Boomtown Rats, Shane McGowan and the Pouges, Thin Lizzy, the Corrs, Van Morrison and Ronan Keating.
Anyway, this got me thinking about a similar kind of map highlighting Oz rock landmarks for travellers looking for a rocking good time down under.
Now this needs lots more attention (and hopefully your help), but as a work in progress this is what I have come up with so far:
WA
Freemantle Cemetery – grave of former AC/DC frontman Bon Scott.
NSW
The Manly Ferry to Circular Quay – immortalised in Australian Crawl’s all-time Aussie classic Reckless with the line “As the Many Ferry cuts its way to Circular Quay.”
The Sandringham Hotel, Newtown – Known locally as The Sando, this is the spiritual home of several Sydney bands, including The Whitlams who formed there during the Saturday afternoon acoustic sessions and wrote a song about the pub titled “God Drinks at the Sando”.
Glebe Point Bridge – One of You Am I’s classic inner western Sydney icons. “Had a scratch only you could itch underneath the Glebe Point Bridge” from their Purple Sneakers track.
Sydney from a 727 at night – Paul Kelly track of same name: “Have you ever seen Sydney from a 727 at night, Sydney shines such as beautiful light and I can see Bondi through my window way off on the right.”
VIC
Sunbury – home of Australia’s own Woodstock, the Sunbury Music Festival from 1972-1975.
The Esplanade Hotel, St Kilda – legendary live rock venue and setting for SBS TV’s Rockwiz program. Paul Kelly’s declares his love for the St Kilda’s Esplanade precinct and its superiority to Sydney Harbour in “From St Kilda to Kings Cross.”
The MCG – Viewed from a distance always brings to mind Paul Kelly’s lyrics from Leaps and Bounds: “I’m high on the hill looking over the hill to the MCG.”
Carlton – The spiritual home of Aussie rock legends The Skyhooks. Their first gig was at St Jude’s Church Hall and their Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo) track sings of the area’s “pizza places” and ‘Spaced-out faces”.
QLD
Vulture Street, Brisbane – name of most recent album from Briz rockers Powderfinger.
The street, located in the suburb of Woolloongabba, is also home to The ‘Gabba cricket ground.
Any verandah in North Queensland – to relive the classic Gangajang lines “out on the patio we’d sit, and the humidity we’d breathe, we’d watch the lighting crash over canefields, laugh and think, this is Australia”.
NT
Bow River – more a creek bed than a river, this small outpost between Kununurra and Hall’s Creek was the title of a classic Cold Chisel track about the desert landscape and tropical rain written by band member Ian Moss, who grew up in Alice Springs.
Anywhere in NT – whack Midnight Oil’s iconic ‘Beds are Burning’ track in the car stereo for extra atmosphere, particularly the opening lines:”Out where the river broke, the bloodwood and the desert oak, holden wrecks and boiling diesels, screaming 45 degrees.”
SA
Langs Pier Hotel, Adelaide – legendary live rock venue and birthplace of Aussie cult heroes Cold Chisel, The Angles, Paul Kelly and the Masters Apprentices.
TAS
???
Note: There are plenty of old landmarks that no longer exist, so the rough criteria is that there still has to be something for the rock-loving tourist to see (except a new apartment building) no matter how much they have to use their imagination to picture past glories or original inspirations.
All suggestions welcomed!!!!
It was a self-guided musical trail around the Irish capital highlighting historic landmarks in the country’s musical history, such as first gigs, last gigs, song inspirations, homes, graves, arrests and watering holes of the likes of U2, Bob Geldolf and the Boomtown Rats, Shane McGowan and the Pouges, Thin Lizzy, the Corrs, Van Morrison and Ronan Keating.
Anyway, this got me thinking about a similar kind of map highlighting Oz rock landmarks for travellers looking for a rocking good time down under.
Now this needs lots more attention (and hopefully your help), but as a work in progress this is what I have come up with so far:
WA
Freemantle Cemetery – grave of former AC/DC frontman Bon Scott.
NSW
The Manly Ferry to Circular Quay – immortalised in Australian Crawl’s all-time Aussie classic Reckless with the line “As the Many Ferry cuts its way to Circular Quay.”
The Sandringham Hotel, Newtown – Known locally as The Sando, this is the spiritual home of several Sydney bands, including The Whitlams who formed there during the Saturday afternoon acoustic sessions and wrote a song about the pub titled “God Drinks at the Sando”.
Glebe Point Bridge – One of You Am I’s classic inner western Sydney icons. “Had a scratch only you could itch underneath the Glebe Point Bridge” from their Purple Sneakers track.
Sydney from a 727 at night – Paul Kelly track of same name: “Have you ever seen Sydney from a 727 at night, Sydney shines such as beautiful light and I can see Bondi through my window way off on the right.”
VIC
Sunbury – home of Australia’s own Woodstock, the Sunbury Music Festival from 1972-1975.
The MCG – Viewed from a distance always brings to mind Paul Kelly’s lyrics from Leaps and Bounds: “I’m high on the hill looking over the hill to the MCG.”
Carlton – The spiritual home of Aussie rock legends The Skyhooks. Their first gig was at St Jude’s Church Hall and their Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo) track sings of the area’s “pizza places” and ‘Spaced-out faces”.
QLD
Vulture Street, Brisbane – name of most recent album from Briz rockers Powderfinger.
Any verandah in North Queensland – to relive the classic Gangajang lines “out on the patio we’d sit, and the humidity we’d breathe, we’d watch the lighting crash over canefields, laugh and think, this is Australia”.
NT
Bow River – more a creek bed than a river, this small outpost between Kununurra and Hall’s Creek was the title of a classic Cold Chisel track about the desert landscape and tropical rain written by band member Ian Moss, who grew up in Alice Springs.
Anywhere in NT – whack Midnight Oil’s iconic ‘Beds are Burning’ track in the car stereo for extra atmosphere, particularly the opening lines:”Out where the river broke, the bloodwood and the desert oak, holden wrecks and boiling diesels, screaming 45 degrees.”
SA
Langs Pier Hotel, Adelaide – legendary live rock venue and birthplace of Aussie cult heroes Cold Chisel, The Angles, Paul Kelly and the Masters Apprentices.
TAS
???
Note: There are plenty of old landmarks that no longer exist, so the rough criteria is that there still has to be something for the rock-loving tourist to see (except a new apartment building) no matter how much they have to use their imagination to picture past glories or original inspirations.
All suggestions welcomed!!!!
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