Kevin Borich Express at Rockarena Calder Park
There is a strong and vibrant Australian tradition of hard, uncompromising guitar driven rock bands. It started in the 50′s with hard-edged rockers like Johnny O’Keefe and later Billy Thorpe; morphed into heavy blues/rock with bands like Chain and Buffalo, spawned early punk rock through The Saints and continued for decades in “pub rock”. However a small number of guitarists stood head and shoulders above the others, moving through different bands and lineups, one such legend being Lobby Loyde; and another: Kevin Borich.
Kevin is a New Zealander who’s first big band was the La De Das, a group with big hits in New Zealand and Australia from the mid 60′s to the mid 70′s. Kevin Borich Express followed, with a focus on original songs, driving blues/rock tracks, killer live shows and a huge guitar sound. All of this - ALL of it - were delivered at Calder Park on the back of their first big album, “Celebration”.
With style and virtuosity at the Blackmore & Hendrix end of the scale, he and his band delivered - no, carved out - a raw and exhilarating set of extended songs from Celebration and others. Like Santana to follow, it was music to feel, and be swept away by, as much as to listen to. For me, I voted him THE guitarist of the day, no small thing up against Carlos Santana and Lindsey Buckingham. Some of the sounds and runs he produced were astounding, and yet so well constructed, you knew where they were going a millisecond before they went there. I think that is the touch of a master, to produce music that once heard, you simply cannot imagine it any other way. It was like that this hot day in November, burnt into my memory.