The Fabulous Caprettos, Jason Ayres @ Norwood Concert Hall, Norwood 10/10/2024

The people attending The Fabulous Caprettos were probably of an age that remembers The Party Boys, an ever-changing band of Australian musicians and singers. Swanee fronted them for a while, Angry Anderson had a go, as did James Reyne and then various international artists like Eric Burdon and Joe Walsh. The Caprettos remind me of The Party Boys.

Jason Ayres made his way over from Perth with his drummer Matt Fergusson to play the support role. “Eight hours getting to airports, flying over, getting to the gig, just for a thirty-minute support gig” he laughed. “But it is worth it”. When he walked on stage, receiving good applause from the audience, he commented, “Always good to get applause before we start”. Jason delivered a near perfect set of alt-country, mixed with acoustic pop tunes, commencing with Troubles of My Own from his latest album, Always Next to Me. From there we got songs “with a bit of a story” in Lie Lie Lie, a cover in Chris Isaaks Baby Did a Bad Thing, complete with an evil sounding drum beat from Matt and a driving song.

After the final song, Back to You, Rhys told us “It’s been a pleasure to play for you”. No, the pleasure was all ours Rhys.

The Fabulous Caprettos are all talent. Just mentioning the names Russell Morris, Jack Jones, Rai Thistlethwayte and Dave Gleeson should bring memories flooding back of some of the greatest Australian songs from the last fifty-five years. Add Jackie Barnes on drums and Jason Vorherr on bass and you have one powerful group.

Russell Morris started proceedings on Daddy Going to Make You a Star, a song from 1993 by Company of Strangers. The rest of the band soon joined in, swapping verses between the four singers. It became apparent quickly how tight this band were, musically and with harmonies. Russell’s Sweet Sweet Love came next, and is it really fifty three years he has been singing this classic? Jack Jones took the spot light for the Southern Son’s Always and Ever before Rai Thistlethwayte gave us an extraordinary version of 20 Good Reasons.

The Fabulous Caprettos have also released some new original songs and one of these, Hit the Ground Running, came next, again with everyone taking a turn on the verses. Then Russell gave us the Dylan classic It’s All Over Now Baby Blue, his voice still sounding as perfect as it was all those years ago.

I was starting to think Dave Gleeson was just there for harmonies and his good looks, but he finally stepped up front for a chilling version of Shivers. “This is my second instrument” he told us, putting on an acoustic guitar, “after the tambourine”. Dave up to this point had been playing a mean tambourine.

Keeping in the “laid back” mode, Jack sat in the spot light for a solo Hold me in Your Arms before things got rowdy again with Rai’s Mousetrap Heart, with a short keyboard solo at the start.

Rai put on a guitar for Understanding Love and then the music went to another level with Russell’s Hush, and Dave at home rocking out, with Better. Ladies rushed the front of stage to dance. Poor Jack said after the two rockers “Someone always has to go next. Why do I draw the short straw” as he played a pop perfect Lead Me to Water.

Evening closer was naturally Russell Morris’s The Real Thing. It rocked hard and the smile on Jack’s and Russell’s faces said it all, as they were side by side ripping out great guitar licks to Jackie Barnes hard drum sound. A classic song, a classic closer.

The band came back for We Gotta Get Out of this Place, more the Angels version than the original Animals. It had the whole house on its feet, until the house lights went up and everyone filed out into the cool evening.

The band members jokingly referred to themselves on stage as the “greatest of all time” (goat). However not wanting to appear egotistical, they chose the Italian word for goat: capretto. Hence, The Fabulous Capretto.
The Fabulous Caprettos started with Daryl Braithwaite in the band but now have Dave Gleeson, so just maybe they will become the “new” Party Boys and go on forever.

Live Review By Geoff Jenke