Slash announces Brisbane sidewave

14 January 2011 | 12:35 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Slash has announced a Brisbane sidewave with Coheed and Cambria and Taking Dawn.

Few artists in rock history can carry off the single moniker, and carry it with gravitas.

Slash is one of that rare breed.

Since emerging with Guns N’ Roses, Slash has been one of the world’s most sought after guitarists. Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Quentin Tarantino and so many other fellow icons have sought his services in order to make the good sound great. Critics and fans alike still debate the greatest rock riff of all time with “Sweet Child O’ Mine” consistently taking top honors. Time Magazine placed Slash second only to Jimi Hendrix amongst the greatest guitarists of all time.

It therefore came as little surprise that when Slash put out the word about recording an album, the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Chris Cornell, Dave Grohl, Lemmy, Ian Astbury, Andrew Stockdale and others smashed down the studio door to be a part of it. ‘Slash’ (the self titled album) is everything that was ever great about rock music. For all those who will undoubtedly find themselves praying at the Altar O’ Slash. “Modern rock will not get much better than this, we have encountered a new standard, a new“classic” that is every bit as good as the best of the best from decades long” – Metal Resource.com

It would be hard to find a band with grander artistic scope than Coheed And Cambria. Over the course of nine years and five groundbreaking albums, the New York foursome has diligently developed a unique sound combining forward-thinking classic rock with strong pop sensibilities and intricate musicianship. An epic alternate universe of extended tracks with odd time signatures, convoluted ballads with fiery guitars, anthemic instrumental crescendos and everything in between, Coheed And Cambria live show is just as intense and hypnotic, "at one point you felt as if you were inside the pages of a twisted comic book, the next walking through a graveyard, at the bottom of the ocean or even floating in space—and the music kept dragging you in further." - Hey Reverb

Taking Dawn grew up surrounded by the glitz and glam, the bright lights and big city of constant vice. This Las Vegas upbringing helped shaped the band into what it is today: a rock'n'roll timebomb just waiting to explode on an unsuspecting public. Inspired by the 80s glam metal era, Taking Dawn has chosen to take the foundation of that sound and scene and update it in a thoroughly modern way: by shredding, soloing and creating melody in their music. The band rejects genre classification, frontman Chris Babitt saying, "Our music is about attitude and being open to rocking out to a song... The genre barrier bullshit is not for us." Genres, compartmentalization and safe rock 'n roll be damned.

The man himself is ever modest about his place in rock history but Slash's upcoming appearances at Soundwave Festival and his intimate Sidewave in Brisbane with Coheed And Cambria and Taking Dawn will leave his legions of fans with no doubts at all.

Tickets on sale Friday January 21 at 9AM.

Wednesday March 2 - The Tivoli, Brisbane - 18
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au 132 849