rockinluke

Last Friday night i went to the Balmoral Cinema to see the movie "The Runaways" which it's about the famous US rock girl group from the 70's and it's based on the autobiography of lead singer Cherie Currie called "Neon Angel A Memoir of A Runaway". Cherie Currie(Dakota Fanning) is creating an David Bowie type look and performs at a high school talent quest lip synching an David Bowie record. Joan Jett(Kristen Stewart) is at a club making out with an man when she meets record producer Kim Fowley( Michael Shannon) and talks about starting an all girl rock band. Kim introduces Joan to Sandy West(Stella Maeve) and they become friends which they started jamming and at a club discover Cherie which they ask her she would like to join a band which she accepts and it leads to adventures and fun of the rock'n'roll lifestyle but it would have an price as well. It's an excellent film with Excellent acting by Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart playing b...

On Saturday went to South Bank Cinema with the group Lifestream and went to see the karate Kid. Dre Parker(jaden Smith) and his mother Sherry (Taraji P Henson) moved to China from Detroit due to his mother's career move. Dre immediately falls for Mei Ying(Wen Wen Han) who is his classmate and plays violin but differences in culture makes it impossible and he is target of the class bully and kung fu prodigy Cheng (Zhenwei Wang) and his gang. Dre turns to maintenance man Mr Han (Jackie Chan) who is also Kung Fu master which he teaches him what Kung fu really means and it gets really interesting and adventurous stuff throughout the movie. The movie is OK and good but does not have the edge like the original movie 26 years ago and to me nobody can never outdo the original film which starred Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio and also I am not an fan of remakes of classic movies so to me this version does'nt really have the appeal as the original. the acting is nice with Jaden Smith do...

Just last Thursday in Australia the autobiography of two US songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller was released which it's called Hound Dog the Leiber and Stoller Autobiography. It's about 2 white guys who are Jewish Jerry Leiber from Baltimore and Mike Stoller from Long island but in 1950 meet in Los Angeles where Leiber had been an student at Fairfax Senior High while Stoller was at Los Angeles City College and they share an love for Rhythm and Blues music which they began writing songs. they would go on to write classic hits for people like Elvis Presley, The Coasters, The Drifters, Charles Brown, Peggy Lee, big mama Thornton (who the original Hound Dog in 1953), Ben E King, The Clovers,Elkie Brooks and others as well as producing stuff for jay & the Americans, Stealers Wheels, the Exciters, as well owning their own labels Red Bird and Spark Records. it's an excellent book written by 2 guys wrote an lot of great songs still endures more than 50 years later and who...

On Sunday went to the movie Grown ups @ South Bank Cinema. Lenny(Adam Sandler), Eric(Kevin James), Kurt(Chris Rock), Rob(Rob Schinder) and Marcus (David Spade) were members of the college basketball team 30 years ago and when their coach dies these 5 guys reconnected @ his funeral and also they stay at Lenny's lake house for the 4th of July weekend. Lenny is an Hollywood agent who is married to Roxanne(Salma Hayek), Kurt is an stay at home father and is married to Deana (Maya Rudolph), eric is married to Donna( Maria Bello), Rob is married to his 3rd wife named Gloria(joyce van Patten) despite that he is 30 years younger than she and Marcus is the only single guy and this get together leads to funny and whacky adventures throughout the movie. it's very funny and hilarious with very good acting by Sandler, Rock, James,Schinder, and Spade as well as nice acting by Hayek,van Patten, Bellow, Rudolph, Blake Clark as the coach, Madison Riley and Jamie Chang as Rob's daughters, C...

On Saturday went to see the movie Mother and Child at Balmoral Cinema. Karen(Annette Benning) is an nurse who years ago had given her daughter up for adoption which she constantly questions her own choices & how they may have affected the daughter she has never known and also meets Paco (Jimmy Smits)which she permits her anxiety and mistrust to get the best of her. Elizabeth(Naomi Watts)is an fast talking lawyer who landed an job in A law firm fronted by Paul(Samuel L Jackson) and despite not knowing her mother she shares more of her traits than she realises. Lucy(Kerry Washingotn) an maternal minded woman who works in an cake shop with her mother Ada (S Epatha MErkerson) wants to adopt an child of her own with her husband Joseph (David Ramsey) and it gets interesting throughout the movie. It's interesting,sad,touching and BRILLIANT and it's an real tear jerker which you can really sorry for these characters. Brilliant acting by Annette Benning,Naomi Watts,Kerry Washington...

The last night show I attended was US 50's rockabilly singer Wanda jackson @ the Coolangatta Hotel which it was the 3rd time I saw her live which the other 2 were the Wintersun Marquee on thursday June6th 2007 and @ Twin towns Saturday june 7th 2008. She puts on an great show doing the stuff she made famous and tells some stories in between songs. The supports acts before Wanda were The Rechords and the sky Rockets which they were very good as they did their own songs as well as some covers and in between braks I saw my friends Kat,Les,haylee,laura,Kayla which i had met that afternoon,sheri,laura and Paulie and also met his wife KAren after the rechords performance on the balcony @ the Coolangatta Hotel. Wanda came on and she was just FANTASTIC doing the classic song she made famous for back in the 50's & early 60's and told stories about working with Elvis, how she accepted jesus in her life and things that have been happening to her including the rock'n'roll H...

The last show of the free shows i Attended that afternoon was Phil haley and His Comments who does an tribute to bill haley and the Comets show. they are from England they have come to Australia for a few years and I had wanted to see them at Wintersun but could not but due to timing but decided to see them. That was just rockin and FANTASTIC which they did an great set doing the bill Haley stuff and the musicians in this band are very good.they had Cd's on sale after the show and I got autographs and a photo with Phil. Setlist- Shake Rattle and Roll Rip it up Rudy's Sax You Cant stop me My baby Wants to Rock'n'Roll Daddy o Better Believe it She left me Hanging on Rockin through the Rye an instrumental Rock Around the Clock Talk to me Are you lonesome tonight See you later Alligator

The 4th show I saw that afternoon was Australian rock legend Digger Revell which it was 8th time seeing him live and he always puts on a great show getting the crowds going which i always enjoy his show. Mum saw digger back in the 60's at the Exhibition grounds in brisbane, Coolangatta Bowls Club on sunday June 11th 2006 and seagulls on June 6th last year which those two were with me. this show he again was FANTASTIC & put on an FANTASTIC show doing an the classic rock'n'roll stuff as well as doing Over the rainbow which he had an hit with it in 1963 and also he had an great back up which had Russell bayne on Guitar, Andy Thompson on Sax,Mike Lawler on bass and terry on drums. After the show I bought 2 Cd's which Digger signed them and I got an photo with him. If you get an chance to see Digger Revell live check him out as he puts on an great show. Setlist- Let's have A PArty/Great balls of Fire The Wanderer Clap Your hands be Bop A Lula/Rocky Road blues That...

The 3 rd show I saw that afternoon was Singer Vicky O'Keefe the daughter of Australian rock'n'roll King Johnny O"keefe and she does her father's songs in her shows. i saw her once on Thursday June 7th 2007 @ the Johnny o'Keefe Celebration concert which she was very good and got an autograph and photo with her. At this show she was FANTASTIC doing her Dad's songs playing piano and some guitar and you can some parts of her dad in her when she perform as well as getting the crowds going. I got her autograph and a photo after the show and she is just great live which it's great to see her father's music which it's wonderful to his music live on in his daughter. Setlist- The Wild One Move Baby Move It's too late She's my baby So Tough Come On and Take My hand Right Now She Wears My Ring Sing Sing Sing Ooh Poo Pah Doo Shout

The 2nd free show I saw that afternoon was the Brisbane group the sonics who does an tribute to the shadows and I have seen them an few times which they are very good. The singer they had was Rex Maxnamara but with him being sick they have Jimmy Hansen who does the early Cliff Richard stuff which he's very good. The group were actually formed in the early 1960's in brisbane but went separate ways a few years later but back together since about 10 or so years ago. This show was FANTASTIC which started with Jimmy hansen doing the Cliff Richard stuff and the Sonics did the Shadows stuff as well as doing Bombora. If you ever you get a chance to see them live check them out which they are FANTASTIc. Setlist- Move It Please Don't Tease THe Young ones Summer Holiday Constanly It'll be Me Kon Tiki Foot tapper Shadoogie Theme For Young Lovers Wonderful land Apache Bombora Do You Wanna Dance On The BEach

On Sunday I went to the first of the 5 free shows i attended throughout the day which was Catfish and the Dee jays. Catfish Purser is an drummer who played with Johnny O'Keefe and the Dee Jays from 1957-62 and played on many of the O'Keefe recordings including the Wild One,Shout,Sing and others and plays around the Gold Coast with Catfish and the dee jays. I saw Catfish and the Dee Jays once before @ Mt gravatt Bowls Club on Friday June 23rd 2006 and had Catfish @ the Breakfast with the Stars @ Coolangatta Bowls CLub on Sunday june 12th 2005 and @ Coolangatta Surf Club on thursday june 4th 2009. The show was rockin and FANTASTIC as they did the classic rock'n'roll songs and each member of the group sang lead including Catfish which they were just GREAT and also did some of the Johnny O'Keefe songs just beofre the end of the show. Saw catfish after the show and got an autograph and a photo. setlist- Come On Everybody Roll Over beethoven Paralysed Blue Suede Shoes Su...

On Saturday night went to see the Big O Experience @ Coolangatta Tweed Golf CLub which had Gerard O'Donoghue doing ROy Orbison and the special guest Ezra Lee. It was my 4th time seeing Gerard as I first saw him @ Southport RSL on Saturday February 19th 2005, Kedron-Wavell on Sunday October 22nd 2006 and Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club on Sunday June 10th 2007 and had seen Ezra Lee @ Holland Park Bowls Club last year which he was FANTASTIC. The show started with an group called After Hours who did an medley of rock songs then Ezra Lee came on and he put on an FANTASTIC show as he did an mixture of Jerry Lee Lewis,Little Richard,Carl Perkins,Cold Chisel and his own song which there was an interval after that. Gerard came on and did an FANTASTIC and Rockin Show as he did the Roy orbison stuff from the 50's to 80's including the travelling wilburys ones and Gerard did I Still Call Australia home just before the show which he sounded great doing the song. The show was just ROCKIN ...