Reviewed by: Glam Adelaide
Review by Jan Kershaw | 25 February 2023
Kings Canyon, the first act of the night, was new to me having formed in 2020. Their music has a definite 60s and 70s blues/rock vibe and they clearly have plenty of enthusiastic fans with people up and dancing. The incredible voice of Jimmy Cupples and the guitar virtuosity of James Ryan were on show with the other bands too.  The Badloves style was more my speed, having been around since 1990 led by frontman Michael Spiby. It did initially seem strange to see 3 members of Kings Canyon back on stage with this second band. Nonetheless, I was delighted to hear them play one of my favourite songs The Weight, with Cupples providing added vocal power. The star of the evening was Ross Wilson, of course. When he began to play the rock anthem Eagle Rock, I was immediately transported back to the first time I saw him, then as lead singer of Daddy Cool, at a gig at the University of Adelaide in 1971, the year of the song's release. Along with most of the audience he and I are older, and greyer, but just as enthusiastic as 52 years ago.  Through a treasury of songs, nostalgia was front and centre as Wilson treated the audience to his classic songs, including the once banned Come, said the boy. I especially enjoyed the reminiscences about the origins of the songs and what he was doing when they were written. But ever relevant, and in the moment, he dedicated Just a Touch of Paradise to John Farnham and his recovery, as he had made it such a huge hit.  Wilson also reminded us that although the focus may change often the same difficulties remain through a song about ignoring your partner by spending too much time on Facebook! His concern for sustainability is also evident in his t-shirt which declared 'No Music on a Dead Planet'.