The Angels, Brewster Brothers @ Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide 4/4/2025

The Angels have a new album out and they want to showcase it around the country. Speaking about the new album, Ninety Nine, John Brewster feels “this is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for The Angels”. After first joining the band in 2011 on drums, Nick Norton became The Angels’ lead singer when Dave Gleeson departed in 2023. Tom Brewster on drums, also joined in 2023.

It was to be a busy night for John and Rick Brewster, as they were the support act for The Angels as the Brewster Brothers. John said during the set, “Supporting The Angels feels weird, but a good weird”. With both men seated on stage, Rick with his lead guitar and a small keyboard in front of him, John acoustically armed, a familiar sound from the keyboard started and it was only when Rick started playing the guitar, one realised it was Pink Floyd’s Shine on You Crazy Diamond. It was only a few minutes’ worth, before John joined in, the song changing to Do It Again and what was to become a feature of the short set, Rick’s guitar electrifyingly playing against Rick’s acoustic.

A bluesy intro into Passing Through made one realise Rick, with his sunglasses and bowler hat could easily pass for one of the original Blues Brothers. Lives of Grace followed and Blue Blood closed out the set with once again Rick and John playing off each other to perfection. This was a masterclass performance with some of the best live music I have seen and heard this year. Wonderful!

As stated before, The Angels have a new album they want to showcase it, but for a band, any band, especially a legendary band, to come out and play their new album in full is always subject to risk. Their new album isn’t bad and has plenty of rock-solid songs, but the crowd was there for the classics. The show started with their latest single and album opener, Ninety-Nine (Go for Broke), sounding like The Angels of old. Blue Winter kept things rocking and other than singer Nick Norton, the band stood in their place, pounding out the riffs for most of the set.

There was very little talking between songs and it was four songs in before we got a “Thanks’ from Nick. The crowd wasn’t sure about the set, many sitting around the edge of the venue, most just standing watching proceedings, almost as if saying, “come on impress me”. As tight as the band were, they didn’t give the audience anything to hang on to.

Rick Brewster’s Heart to Heart was a nice change, being a ballad, and The Angels certainly know how to play a ballad. The album continued until the final run home of Escape, Leaders of Men and a blistering Hue and Cry, with John Brewster on harmonica. Nick told us “This is a reworked riff from decades ago” and yes, it was pure vintage Angels and the song should stay in The Angels set for years to come.

“That was the album. We know it was indulgent but thank you.” Nick said “Now to play some hits” and as the opening chords of Marseilles echoed around the room, people got off their chairs and the room felt a change in vibe. We Gotta Get Out of This Place followed straight after. Phones were out and people were dancing harder as No Secrets pounded out of the speakers.

We have become use to the lead singers of The Angels being an energetic, over the top, character, and Nick was doing his best, but was hampered with a guitar around his neck all evening. With two of the best guitarists in Australia, in the band, I am not sure it was necessary for Nick to have his guitar on all evening.

John and Rick gave us some bluesy guitar sounds before the sounds of Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again started up, and yes, of course, there was the obvious audience participation in the chorus.
Comin’ Down and Take a Long Line took the audience to a new high, as the guitars got louder when all four guitarists lined up together on stage.

But then it was over. The band waved goodbye and left the stage. It may have been a small audience, nevertheless the noise for more was deafening, but the house lights came up and E.L.O came over the speakers. The crowd wasn’t letting up. At one stage the lights were turned down, the music went off and expectation rose of more live music, only dampened by the lights coming up again and E.L.O once more rocking out.

I have been watching The Angels since The Keystone Angel days (supporting a small Aussie band, AC/DC in Pt Pirie around 1974) and will continue to do so. The band redefined Aussie Rock in the 70’s and 80’s along with Cold Chisel and are proudly South Australian. I just don’t think the choice to play their new album in full worked.

However, they still rock – hard!

Live Review by Geoff Jenke