Hall and Oates

I wish I owned a yacht, just so I could get away with listening to yacht rock without being looked at weirdly by all of my contemporaries. I just can't help it though, there's something I love about the laid back adult rock. It just always makes me feel good.

And the kings of the yacht-rock world would have to be Daryl Hall and John Oates. You probably don't know them by name, you'll know them by their songs though.

If not, you'd know them from that damn catchy Toyota ad of a few years ago.

To cement their spot as yacht-rock legends, they're playing A Day on the Green at Sirromet winery, like so many of their fellow yacht-rockers. February 5, 2011. Opening for them will be legendary Australian rockers, Icehouse. Who of course wrote one of our few unofficial anthems.

Steely Dan/Steve Winwood

When I first saw this poster, on the wall of a building next to the train line, as my morning train scooted past, the little old 50 year old inside me jumped for joy. And now that I've confirmed it, he's doing back flips (soon to be followed by lying on the couch when his back is out).

Yes, it's Steely Dan. With Steve Winwood. And to see why, just know that I play the opening riff of this every time I touch a guitar:

Even better is that he's playing with Steve Winwood. I had the pleasure of seeing him open for Tom Petty at Summerfest a few years ago. You may not know him, but he's one of the greatest song writers in the last 50 years. He's been in bands with Eric Clapton, and he even wrote this song way back when:

Come October 23, I'll be packing up my dad and heading off to Mt Cotton to see this, as it's part of the Day on the Green at Sirromet.

Inxs

When I lived in America, the one Australian band I couldn't stop listening to whenever I felt homesick was Inxs. Kick is still just an amazing album. And here's the proof:

Of course Michael Hutchence is gone now (RIP you legend), Kirk is a celebrity Masterchef and the new singer JD Fortune comes and goes with his cocaine addiction. As far as I know, he's back, as he played the first AFL final with Inxs a few weeks back. The final was obviously a practice for them, as they are about to hit the road for yet another Day on the Green run of shows (who have had some stellar line ups this year).

They'll be playing the Sirromet winery in Mt Cotton on January 30th. And being a Day on the Green, you know there'll be bands of the same era and style playing. This tour has Australia's 90's rockers Baby Animals, Sean Kelly (lead singer of the Models) and from America, Train (the band that made Charlie Sheen beat his wife).

A Decade on the Green

Wow, unbeknownst to me, the Day on the Green event at Sirromet Wines in Mt Cotton has been going for 10 years. Every year I say I really should go, but every year I don't. This year is no exception with Blondie and the Pretenders playing.

To celebrate the decade, there is going to be a second Day on the Green (well, technically a first. It's coming before the Blondie one). And it is a celebration of all things Australian music that is a little... rustic? Maybe not the right choice of word there, but basically a synonym for slightly old and well aged.

Headlining it is Jimmy Barnes. With that as a headline, you know it's classic Australian rock and pop of the last few decades line up. Which includes Vanessa Amarossi, Tex Perkins, Diesel, Mark Seymour, Richard Clapton and Dan Sultan. Woof, dust off your parents and bring them along for the wine and the music they love!

Apparently all of the artists will be guesting at some point within everyone else's sets. All of this will be happening November 14 at the Sirromet Winery at Mt Cotton.

A Day on the Green 2010

I must be old at heart, as a Day on the Green always has bands that I'd love to go see. Mainly for her:

This year is once again a stellar line up, The Pretenders and Blondie. I'm not going to write much about these 2 bands. If you don't know them, then you don't deserve to listen to music. Throw in some wine and you have a great day!

12 December, at Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton