Live Review & Gallery: The Angels Celebrate 50 Years Not Out at Factory Theatre – Gadigal/Sydney, 06.07.24

Saturday night, Gadigal/Sydney’s Factory Theatre witnessed Australia’s own crown jewel, The Angels, in their element and celebrating 50 years of rock excellence. For many of us, knowingly or not, our lives have been intertwined with The Angels and the monumental legacy they’ve bestowed upon Australia and the world. Some of us have even had them within earshot our entire lives – isn’t that something special?

In 2023, The Angels ushered in a new era with Nick Norton stepping out from behind the drums to become their lead singer. He joins founding members John and Rick Brewster, alongside John’s sons Sam and Tom.

Meanjin/Brisbane band DIAL kicked off the night with a loud and energetic set, sharing their infectious shoegaze rock with Sydney-siders for the first time. Fresh off the release of their self-titled debut album, they delivered a delicious converse-and-cigarette sound, even overcoming a snapped guitar string mid-set without missing a beat.

Aotearoa/NZ-based Mi-Sex soon took the stage, with current lead vocalist Steve Balbi electrifying the crowd with his famous theatrics. The band brought 45-year-old hits like ‘Blue Day’ and ‘Computer Games’ to the adoring crowd, along with the Mi-Sexual’s latest favourite, 2016’s ‘My Sex Your Sex’.

As the crowd chanted “An-gels, An-gels” in their lowest tone, the lights dimmed and The Angels emerged to thunderous applause. The band’s legendary charisma and musicianship were on full display. Nick Norton commanded the stage, while founding members John and Rick Brewster delivered blistering guitar riffs, effortlessly transporting the audience through the decades of The Angels’ storied career.

The setlist was a perfect blend of classic hits and tracks from their latest album, ‘Ninety Nine‘. Anthems like ‘

Written by Backseat Mafia