13,000 fans enjoyed the Great Lawn at Werribee Mansion on Sunday while six of Australia’s best plus the occasion surprise gave Melbourne seven hours of classic rock.
Jimmy Barnes headlined the 2018 event with The Angels, Ian Moss, Jon Stevens, Richard Clapton and Thirsty Merc delivering dozens of hits and the occasion new song throughout the day.
Thirsty Merc opened the show and were the only millennials on the bill having formed in 2002. I think the audience was surprised how many Thirsty Merc songs they knew. From the big one ’20 Good Reasons’ to the earlier hit ‘Someday, Someday’ Thirsty Merc had the crowd warmed up for what was to come.
Jon Stevens encouraged fans to buy his new song ‘Rain Down On Me’ so that all proceeds will go to drought stricken farmers and also played a tribute to his time in INXS with covers on ‘Need You Tonight’, ‘Kick’ and ‘Don’t Change’.
Richard Clapton was the longest continuing perform on the bill and while the classics like ‘Girls on the Avenue’, ‘Capricorn Dancer’ and ‘Deep Water’ were there so was the newer ‘Dancing with the Vampires’, his song about Charlie Sheen.
Richard Clapton performs at One Electric Day 2018
Ian Moss is another stalwart of the Australian Music Industry but the least prolific artist on the bill. This year Ian released his first album of new original songs in 22 years titled ‘Ian Moss’. The news songs blended with the early classics of ‘Matchbook’ (1989) and his Cold Chisel classics like ‘Bow River’ and ‘Never Before’.
The Angels are legends. John Brewster was playing a new guitar made by his son Sam who is now the bass player in the band. The chant came four songs into the set. 13000 people singing ‘No way, get fucked, fuck off”. ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’ should be the Australian National Anthem (To this crowd it already was).
John Brewster of The Angels with his new guitar made by his son Sam
Jimmy Barnes had a rare surprise. His show ended with the AC/DC classic ‘High Voltage’. Jimmy was considered for lead singer of AC/DC after Bon died. We now have a sense of what they would have sounded like.
It is incredible has the One Electric Day event brand resonates with the music fan. Duane McDonald’s Regional Touring started what was to become an annual event in 2013. Jimmy Barnes and The Angels played the first one and they are still headlining six years on.
One Electric Day is a rare treat exclusive to Melbourne. Regional Touring is also the home of Red Hot Summer.
The 2019 Red Hot Summer season will start on January 12 with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Jimmy Barnes, The Living End, Diesel, Richard Clapton and Chocolate Starfish.
Series two kicks off on February 16 with Suzi Quatro, The Angels, Baby Animals, The Screaming Jets, Jon Stevens, Moving Pictures and Chocolate Starfish.
Series three wraps up the season from March 23 with John Farnham, Daryl Braithwaite, Jon Stevens, Vanessa Amorossi, Thirsty Merc and Dragon.
Tickets for all those events are here.
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