Little Ugly Girls play The Tote

LUGs are a rock'n'roll treasure. A band that was ruling the Hobart band scene when grunge was in full flight but no touring bands would visit Hobart (maybe Bikini Kill and Fugazi made it down there).. So bands like Mouth and Little Ugly Girls just did their own thing.

I hadn't seen LUGs since they supported Magic Dirt at the long-gone Punters Club, probably in the late '90s, so I was pretty freakin happy to see them play once again.

Gig of the year.

Bean on guitar.

Mindy on bass

Sloth on drums, and fronted by Linda.

For their final song of the night, Tom Lyngcoln joined the band to play a brutal version of Vinegar.

The Nation Blue support LUGS

Tom Lyngcoln from The Nation Blue organised such an awesome gig on the weekend, with Little Ugly Girls headlining. Nation Blue were main supports, and were also phenomenal! It's been a while since I've seen them, and since they've played.. and they killed it!

Hobart's own Julian Teakle joined the Nation Blue to perform a stellar version of the classic song Sonic Advisor, from Teakle's two piece band The Frustrations... giving mad props to genius taswegians such as his old bandmate Mike Harris, and many others who may not have made it across to the mainland for the show.

Eagle and the Worm re-open the Tote

So the Tote has re-opened! At a quiet media type launch thingo, local Melbourne band Eagle and the Worm christened the band room.

The Tote's Last Day

This and the following bunch of posts or photos are of the Tote's last gig, Monday 18th January 2010.

Some punters at the final night of the Tote

Before the bands started Noni Dowling (above) scattered some ashes of her late partner Sean Greenway (God, The Freeloaders) on the main stage in tribute to those who couldn't make it. In particular, Greenway, Tim Hemmensley (God, Powdermonkeys), Rowland S Howard (Boys Next Door, Birthday Party, These Immortal Souls) and Dean Turner (Magic Dirt).

Punters far and wide are of course very much saddened by the news of the Tote's closure. Below are a bunch of folks who made it to the venue on the night.

Some bands who played the final night at The Tote

Joel Silbersher fronting Hoss. Later in the night he was to bring the house down with the Drones (see below).

My apologies to the acts I didn't get to photograph on the night. I had to take some time out to eat, drink and make merry. Here however is everyone else I did get to see.

Spencer P Jones was awesome in the Cobra Bar. Such great songs. Such a great hat.

Dynamo had the joint jumpin.


Dave Graney smoothly played himself in and out of space and time.

Kamikaze Trio played a blinder of a set early on.

The Onyas!
It was awesome to see The Guttersnipes play a ripper early set.
Dan Kelly and his Dream Band were in fine form in the Cobra Bar
The Breadmakers played the final set up in the Cobra Bar. The place was packed and folks were jumpin and dancin their socks off. Brilliant.
Beaches played a solid set early in the day.
Spiderbait played a surprise set as a 2 piece late in the night.

The Nation Blue play The Tote's final gig

Another bunch of Tasmanians who have made themselves a home at the Tote over the past decade or so has been the Nation Blue.

In a musical gesture that choked me up (and I'm sure a majority of the crowd that night), they ended their set with a short rendition of the Magic Dirt track Baby Cakes, in honour of the Geelong band and their bass player Dean Turner who sadly passed away late last year.

Tom eventually lodging his guitar in the woodwork...

Legends Of Motorsport at the Tote's final gig

The Tote has been the stompin ground for the Legends pretty much since they relocated from Tassie. It was fitting to have them blast it out once again in the band room...

...and lodge a guitar in the woodwork one last time.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring play Tote's Final Gig

They were on first, at about 1:30pm playing to a half full room. A rare thing these days. However Eddy Current still put on one of the best sets of the night, Brendan finding time to climb the architecture...

The Stabs at The Tote's Final Gig

Brendan crowdsurfing!
The Stabs played a masterful set in the Cobra Bar, that ended in a small demolition session of sorts. I have got a photo that explains why there's now a hole in the roof of the Cobra Bar, but it's not as pretty as these pictures.

Dacios at The Tote's Final Gig

The Dacios ruled the Cobra Bar that night.

Thanks to the daylight through the windows, Bean's head became a blob of pure white light by the end of their set.