Shoulda oughta been there…
DEAD MOON, SLAVETRADER, THE DELLBURGOES.
BARRYTOWN HALL,….JAN 4TH/2003…..NEW ZEALAND
By JONATHAN POFF.

Know the feeling? You're in dr rock's waiting room, flicking thru some yellowing NME's, reading about the Ramones or Patti Smith at CBGB; or maybe the Damned at Marquee. Shoulda been there, I know. But I, for one, was at school, in a different country.

Ah yes (pause for suck on pipe). Regrets, I've had a few. But then again, I did see Toy Love and the Gordons at the Gladstone, the Axemen, the Androidss, Double Happys... All memorable, if hazy, experiences.

Nowadays, of course, music is generated automatically by machines, and repeated in endless loops for several days so punters end up in a coma. This causes them to sleep in the rain and forget to wash, so maintaining a link with the past. Still, time, like geography, is not an impervious barrier, and if rock & roll of the hairy arsed, garage floor variety is your thing (and why shouldn't it be?) then you oughta been in Barrytown westcoast., south island, New Zealand (population several) for Dead Moon & Co.

Pied Piper-like, legendary US rockers Dead Moon, along with Auckland hopefuls Slave Trader and Greymouth contenders The Dellburgoes, charmed a crowd from the surrounding bush. Two or three hundred old hippies and punks, some kids grown weary of coma filled days at the Gathering, euro-accented travellers, old timers, coal miners, long liners, bogans, bikers, school teachers and feral tree huggers were united in a collective desire to rock on.

From the top. Mid afternoon. Barrytown is hot and humid. Possums hang heavy in the air. Gonk has gained entry to the venue thru the toilet window, and is assembling a stage from plastic crates and chipboard. The result bounces and sways like an LA freeway, but fishing guide and sound guy Tony...? arrives with the PA and it's humped inside by willing helpers with their eye on a free stamp.

A swank looking rental bus rolls up, its tinted windows shielding the stars from curious fans. Slave Trader alight. They stand around searching the fluff in their pockets, hoping a misplaced note will turn up. No such luck. They share a cigarette. Dead Moon are checking out the hall. Their cowboy boots and hats speak our language, and their amps, guitars and minimalist drum kit, with Jack Daniels candle stick, move themselves inside. Economy of effort that comes from years on the road. Slave Trader gaze wistfully at the pub.

After tea I'm back early to find a spot to video the gig. The Dellburgoes are on stage. Twang. Thud. One. Two. Test. .. I've had enough of the sound check and go out to smoke cigarettes in the humid afternoon heat. Time drags. After a while, everybody is outside, milling about. There's the usual thrill of anticipation: wouldn't it be a dag if no-one turned up. Barrytown seems an unlikely (absurd?) location for a rock venue, but who's worrying? Sure enough, about 9:30 the pub over the road is full and punters are lining up at the door.

The Dellburgoes take to the stage. No dicking around, they rip into 'Last twist', a slice of bobby sox madness currently getting airtime around the planet. Bassist Flamin Phil Dellburgo is on fire. A guitar double act with leadist David Dellburgo, kicked off with solid beats from Leighton Dellburgo, has the punters in turbo boost. Turbo what? Screamin J Rex Dellburgo drives the song like a rogue machine, wheels provided by Johnny Virgin Dellburgo's rythm guitar, and the punters are bouncing off the ceiling. Hey honey bunny yr drivin' me wild..
Next up, the heart struck vocal intro of Goin Home provides a deeper chord that gets everybody thinking... What's it all about? Why am I standing on a chair? Does she really care? What's on yr mind? Woah! Smack me! The question is: does it rock? The Dellburgoes provide the answer, cracking the cosmic egg like a bug on a windshield, and we're off on another sonic raft ride, grade five.
And more. New songs, Baby Thats It. Freeway of Love, Girl on Fire. I heard the band say Rex writes more songs than they can play, and at 1.25 gigs a year, that's not surprising. But these are great songs, and I'm waiting to hear more of them on vinyl (sound is strictly analog around here). The Dellburgoes visit the ancestors, covering Larry William's She Said Yeah and, with lascivious delight, Little Willy Johns' Leave My Kitten Alone, adding the sleaze missing from the Beatles skiffle version.
They finish with another version of Last Twist, and it's great to get another angle on this gem. Is it punk? Is it blues? Is it rock'n'roll? Is it an O ring off the space shuttle Columbia? Who knows, who cares, as long as its plenty loud.

Next up were aucklanders Slavetrader….. with more than a hard days night ahead of them..the Dellburgoes having left the stage steaming with the smolding spirit of VINCE TAYLOR…. and Andrew from DEAD MOON isnt helping matters by going around in loud americain laughter voice.’. Man who would want to go on after those cats’…… BUT theres no way out for Slavetrader outside of running to the highways edge an begging to be beamed up….….NO that wont happen .. and as BON sang ‘it’s a long way to the top if ya rock n roll and backbone is needed so SLAVETRADER GET Up and kick off and they are good….and tight and matt alien kicks his heals and camps his buns. ..singing DIGNITY BABY. the bass player flicks his long black mane and their set is greeted real well.

NOW …… DEAD MOON from portland USA…..godfather and mother of garage rock n roll,,, (even pearl jam cover fred cole songs these days),,, the candle has been lit, everyone in the hall has refueled.on cool cold local beer. ...and are ready for lift off.. wham bang zero to mars, ist song BLASTSitself from Freds lungs= phychdelic nightmare’ like visible grace pumping the crowed, it’s a mass tounge talking time at the alter of soul selling devil music…yes the feeling of I could die on a night like this ROCK N ROLL…..BUT I WONT CAUSE I WANNA LIVE to enjoy garage rock nights when im bob dylan and keith richards and FRED AND TOODY COLES age…2nd song=54/40 or fight,running outta time,evileye, the way it is,(the stones)play with fire,..,which Toody gives to johnny dellaburgo..’watch out johnny its addictive man,,next was jane(why did you go),40 miles of hard road,and these times with you ,dagger moon, …….the ol hall floor is bouncing,the P A systerm is swaying,,sweet young things( boys and girls) screaming,grinding,dirty dancing,whistling , hugging each other and yelling to dead moon yes yes yes…Toody brought tears of joy whenshe’covered’Cant help falling in love; FRED COLE s guiter playing and singing rode the highlands,carried us through blizzards,across swollen rivers,,into barooms and bedrooms and out into fields of MOONSHINE….. ex barman and Dead moon drummer ANDREW gives the best beats,,block rocking, phil specter- ing, shockabilling, sexgrooveing, swampswiming no stoping for him hes just goes straight into the next song. IS it just me, cause every Song seems to be a SPARKELING Star on top of its own tree,,… there is some special colour in the music that’s grabbing the human spirit tonight.. when I go outsde for a piss,-leak-wee wee(to point percy at a bull rush),,, there are smiles on every dial,,,, eyes of joy,,,,, YES DEAD MOON were the kings of rock n roll at a wee hall on the WESTCOAST of new zealand… and they let us be the kings of rock n roll with them…… YEAH MAN.

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