Bang Shang a Lang to Perform at Stones, Manly Fisho’s

Fisho’s attracts bands with a bigger bang!

Date: Friday 17th February

Time: Music from 8:00pm

Venue: Stones, Manly Fisho’s, 52 Raglan Street, Manly

Tickets: $10 pre-sale and at the door

Bookings: Phone The Fisho’s on 9977 4800

or book online: www.manlyfishos.com.au

For more information about Bang Shang a Lang, visit: www.bangshangalang.com

PERFECT PITCH - music column by Dave Keogh

A long time ago in a place far, far away, I sort of managed a great covers band for a while called BANG SHANG A LANG.

If you wanted a fun night out, these guys were the answer. This is the band that red Wiggle, Murray Cook plays in to retain his musical sanity when he’s not busy wiggling around the world. Front man Mark Mulligan could easily make a career from stand up comedy were he not such a good lead singer and… well, front man. And Clyde ‘Boom Boom’ Bramley used to play bass with the Hoodoo Gurus.

These days they play major corporate gigs for big bucks and big clubs like Panthers…so imagine my surprise when I saw the February line-up for our own little local live music venue, The Manly Fisho’s and saw Bang Shang a Lang slated in for Friday February 17.

Bang Shang a Lang (image) Unable to contain my curiosity, I rang BSL drummer, Bruce Carter to get the drum. After getting over the shock of hearing my voice again, Bruce told me: “Well, we’ve got a lot of inner city fans thanks to our early pub gigs in Balmain… we have a great following in ‘the other shire’ down south where most of us are from… and thanks to the Panthers gigs, we’re fast building a name out west. But the northern beaches have always eluded us.

“So this gig at Stones - the great new northside rock 'n' roll palace that used to be/still is The Fisho's at Manly’ - is a really exciting new place for The Bangers to play. (As you know, there’s nothing like an exciting new venue evolving from an exciting old venue.)

“We're hoping that Des Hasler doesn't choose this night to make a trip ‘back home’ with his new homeys at the Bulldogs. Those boys are always keen to try out a few drive-by gang tackles. We’re very excited about this one and hope Our Manly readers (who I’ve heard are the northern beaches’ grooviest hipsters) will come along in droves in all their finery… we guarantee a great night out.”

So maybe you’re getting a feel for these guys already? It’s like an American journo. trying to interview The Beatles after they’ve just disembarked from a Trans-Atlantic flight from England. This is a high-energy party band made up of guys who never grew up. Forget Peter Pan, the members of Bang Shang a Lang think Status Quo still rule the charts!

They play power pop with a rock sensibility – songs you know and a few of their own that easily blend in to the melange of magical music memories into which they transport you. The Bangers sometimes bill themselves as “Sydney’s biggest international local band”… that’s because online sales of their first CD, ‘Unreal Orange Peel’, were spearheaded by fans from the U.S., U.K., Europe, Canada and New Zealand. (Don’t despair… a second pressing has ensured that copies will be on sale in Manly on the 17th.)

Speaking from personal experience I guarantee you that if you head to The Fisho’s on Friday February 17, you are guaranteed one of the best nights out in a long time. You may have no voice the next day and your feet will ache from dancing all night, but every raspy word and muscular twinge will have been well worth it.

See you at Stones!