Blogpost: Mastodon @ Big Top Luna Park

Posted by T • March 31, 2015

Posted by T • March 31, 2015

Mastodon

Big Top Luna Park

Sydney, AUS

March 28, 2015

 

The red volcanic soil in the surrounding region of the city of Tequila is particularly well suited to the growing of the blue agave – and the juice of the algave was what heralded a balmy Saturday evening. While life is certainly to be taken with a pinch of salt, piece of lime optional, I prefer to sip my tequila.

Kah Reposado set the tone with its seriously chic ceramic skull-shaped “dia de muertos” shaped bottle, which holds a powerful 110-proof mixture that is surprisingly drinkable. Aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, it reveals subtle flavours of vanilla and cinnamon once you get past the heavily obscuring alcohol aroma. A heavy-hitter that lends itself surprisingly well to sipping.

Next up was the ol’ faithful Patron - much lighter, slightly oily and more citrusy with hints of peppery spices and an interesting metallic finish. 

Germany’s market leader in the Tequila sector, Sierra Tequila Reposado, completed the trio: distilled twice in copper pot stills, with its characteristic almost artificially golden colour and the tacky plastic sombrero gracing the bottle top, it’s the least sippable of the trio and the “lick, sip, suck” ritual sandwiching the shot between salt and lemon may be the most appropriate way to enjoy it.

Literally in good spirits, one was ready to face Luna Park’s 9-metre-wide polyurethane smiling face, which is based on Arthur Barton’s 1950 “Old King Cole” version.

Luna Park is situated at the foot of Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge. The Big Top, where Mastodon was to hold court, is built on the site of the Ghost Train: a ride that was destroyed in a tragic fire of unknown cause in 1979, which killed six children and one adult. The fire exerted a profound effect on the spiritual outlook on the psychedelic Australian artist Martin Sharp, whose works bear a resemblance with the artworks used for Mastodon’s concept albums.

Mastodon is one of the more democratic bands these days, as all four members are front men in their own right and share vocal duties (including their drummer, which put them in a league with Eagles and Genesis), creating a unique blend and broad stylistic palette of singing / howling styles.

Voices on top a melange of an array of heavy rock genres – from sludge via stoner to progressive rock and everything in between: Mastodon’s timeless riffage radiates a sincere appreciation for all styles of heavy music with a virtuosic, technical prowess: complex breaks, catchy hooks and sudden, effortless prog-rock tempo changes. Mastodon in a live scenario is quintessentially an accomplished heavy rock band.

This was the band’s first headline tour of Down Under, supporting their album Once More Around the Sun, a substantial portion of which was played and the artwork of which adorned a huge psychedelic backdrop as lasers pointed out from above and behind the stage. Martin Sharp would have enjoyed it.

---

Photos by T.

T • March 31, 2015

More recent blogposts

Tripping Daisy North American Tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 13, 2025

Tripping Daisy @ Lee's Palace Toronto, Canada July 11, 2025 Tripping Daisy brought us back to 1995 and sounded better than ever! When the crowd sings along 30 years later there’s no better feeling! Read more

Death from Above 1979

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 6, 2025

Death from Above 1979 @ SummerStage New York, USA July 2, 2025 "The boundary pushing Death From Above 1979 originated from Toronto with the uncompromising one-two punch of 2002’s fuzz-bomb EP Heads Up and 2004’s epochal debut album You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine. The band has made numerous appearances on the Billboard charts as well as on TV performing … Read more

Sum 41 @ Scotiabank Arena

Posted by Mirela Z. • June 19, 2025

Sum 41 final shows - day 1 of 2 Scotiabank Arena Toronto Canada Jan. 28, 2025 All photos by @front.row.fans   Read more

Play/Search/Repeat - May 2025

Posted by Loren • May 27, 2025

It's been a while since I put another playlist up. I actually had this 99% done a couple of months ago, but everything went haywire and the list went on hold. This edition of Search/Play/Repeat is a quick play, running about 30 minutes in total. Enjoy! Read more

Visual Learner / BlackDots / City Mouse

Posted by Loren • May 14, 2025

Visual Learner, BlackDots, City Mouse, Couch Potato Massacre Cloudland Theater Minneapolis, MN May 7, 2025 I’m embarrassed that I haven’t covered any shows at Cloudland for SPB previously. It’s a relatively new addition to the Minneapolis scene and a welcome addition that feels as much like a community space as a club. In other words, it’s clean instead of dingy, … Read more

HORSE the Band @ The Glass House 4/26/25

Posted by Aaron H • May 2, 2025

HORSE the Band - Credit: AMH HORSE the Band are on the road celebrating the 20th anniversary of their sophomore album, The Mechanical Hand. Joining them for the first leg of the tour was Pomona locals, Othiel, Flake from Wichita, Kansas, and LA's "melodic crust" quartet, Lagrimas. It's an odd feeling to remember being at the record release show for … Read more

The Linda Lindas/BYOP/Chicano Mosh @ GHCH 4/1/25

Posted by Aaron H • April 5, 2025

The Linda Lindas - Credit: AMH After spending the Summer playing stadiums opening for Green Day and The Rolling Stones, The Linda Lindas are out on the road supporting their new album, No Obligation. For their first major headlining tour since releasing their sophomore album last Fall, the young punk quartet brought along Garage-Punk veterans, Be Your Own Pet for … Read more

PJ Harvey @ Sydney Opera House Forecourt

Posted by T • March 14, 2025

PJ Harvey Sydney Opera House Forecourt 13 March 2025 Sydney, Australia photo courtesy of Daniel Boud and the Sydney Opera House.Caption Some artists perform. PJ Harvey transmutes. Like a figure walking between worlds, she never lingers too long in one place, never allows herself to fossilize into nostalgia. Instead, she reinvents - without ever severing the thread that binds her … Read more

The Get Up Kids/Ozma @ The Glass House 3/7/25

Posted by Aaron H • March 14, 2025

The Get Up Kids - Credit: AMH The Get Up Kids just finished the US leg of their 25th Anniversary Tour for their seminal album, Something To Write Home About with 2 nights at The Glass House in Pomona. Of course, I didn't wanna miss it. Following support from Indie-Rock band, Ozma -- who ran through tracks from their first … Read more

Chat Pile/Gouge Away @ The Glass House 2/22/25

Posted by Aaron H • March 4, 2025

Chat Pile Fans - Credit: AMH Chat Pile are about to wrap up their US West Coast and Canada tour with Gouge Away this week. I was fortunate enough to catch the sludgy rockers when they came through Pomona last week. Nightosphere - Credit: AMH Kansas City's Nightosphere has opened the shows every night. The trio's unique blend of shoegaze … Read more