9th Nov @ Carringbah Bizzo's

The Sydney leg of the Bluekilla tour actually started the night of the 8th at Annandale , but I was turning 18 the following night so the dizzybeat leg of the tour started on the 9th. I'd been looking forward to seeing Bluekilla the first time I'd heard them, what must be two years ago now when I was doing some shite awards website that got even fewer hits than this site does. Anyway, the point is although the music was pretty good on cd, I had the distinct feeling that like many bands, the Bluekilla live experience would be noticably better than the recorded experience. Of course I turned out to be right.

The day began with a train trip from Wollongong into the big smoke where Kate, Ned, Ben, Stoot, Danielle and I started the drinking about 2 pm at the Central station bar. After a bit've wandering, purchasing and further drinking we decided to head back towards Carringbah around 6 pm with Cohan, Porter and Hayley also joining us. This train trip meant I was once again sober by the time we reached the Business man's club and we were all hanging out for a drink. Upstairs we stood out like sore thumbs with the average age at about 65 so we went up the road where the next hour or so was spent drinking at the Carringbah Inn. We then made our way to where the bands would be playing at Bizzo's where we sat at two tables.

Pete Porker: "Sorry guys, I was just about to get that table for The Porkers to use."
Kate: "We didn't come all this way and pay 14 bucks for The Porkers to take our fuckin' table.
Pete Porker: "I think we just found another one anyway."

And so the first band, This Way Down played to what was a small, rather unenthusiastic crowd. They were quite good for what they were, a soft punk band with pop influences, but they were doing something that had been done a million times before. They finished without anything profound occuring, we all continued drinking beer and by the time Backy Skank started playing I was in the mood for dancing. More people had arrived for Backy Skank, but it was mostly familiar faces on the dance floor, dancing to the BS 2-tone sound. I enjoyed them a lot more than I had at Tartan Heart a few weeks before, and not just because I'd had so much to drink. The small smoked filled room reached a high temperature and so I went outside where names were put to a few faces I had seen around the traps.

Back inside I went, where more beer was waiting. We made our way to the stage, by which time I was, put simply, pissed. Bluekilla came on, minus Amedeo, by which time a lot of Porkers fans had congregated at the back. The showing on the dance floor was quite good and Amedeo came on stage, full as life and ready to put on a great show. Comments I heard about Bluekilla being just ordinary were not sentiments I shared. I had the best time dancing to every song they played. They had a stage prescence second to none and I can safely say they love to play the ska. Favourite tracks from the set they played would have to be the dancehall "King in the Ring" and "Ska is Our Business", but seriously I enjoyed every song they played. Bluekilla must also be the only ska band that can get the crowd to do a dance similar to the hokey pokey. The Skabo was fun, and I didn't care how silly I looked doing it. Mid set and I hadn't slowed my drinking so I felt I should introduce myself, which led to Mark H (Sydney Money Business, Riot City, last Hemeroids) telling Amedeo it was Birthday. Amedeo then proceeded to sing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Bluekilla ended with "Hawa Negila", but were called back, where they performed "Better Be" and a cover of "Tainted Love".

It was good to talk to some of the boys after their set and finally meet Gary Skaman, the man behind this whole tour. The last train back to Wollongong had to be caught, so we missed The Porkers, but the high didn't stop there as the eight of us had drunken ramblings about the experience we'd just had. This was the 1st night of Bluekilla and I was definitely looking forward to the next two nights.

Highlights
Finally being legal
Being sung "For He's a Jolly good felow" to by Bluekilla and much of the crowd.
A signed set list even if Amedeo wrote "Glen such sheep dick" on it haha.
People buying me beers, even some I'd only met that night.
All the people who came with me up and dancing, some for the first time.

Lowlights
Falling down an embankment at Carringbah Station.

Next Page: Review of Bluekilla headline Ska Trek 3 Newcastle, Nov 10th, Day 2

Introduction
Review of The Carringbah Bizzo's Show
Review of Ska Trek 3 in Newcastle
Photos from Ska Trek 3
Review of the Mona Vale Show
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