The Angels announced a string of national tour dates kicking off last September in celebration of their five decades as one of Australia’s most revered rock bands.
The 50 Years in the Making tour will see the band traverse the country with dates scheduled across South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania with former drummer Nick Norton taking centre stage as their new frontman, replacing Dave Gleeson after his 12 years in the role.
Performing in The Angels, the band responsible for some of the most unforgettable songs in Australian music, takes a musician with remarkable talent, and having been a member of the band since 2011, Norton is a familiar face to fans. He will not only be fronting the band on vocals but will be playing alongside Rick and John Brewster on guitar, and – as ticket holders to the Brewster Brothers Electric shows from earlier this year can attest – he is more than ready to become king of The Angels for one of the greatest gigs in Australian rock.
As founding member John Brewster says, Nick is an incredible musician and a great singer and songwriter. ‘He obviously knows the songs like the back of his hand and the fans already know and love him, so he’s the perfect fit. We can’t wait to hit the road.’
‘The 50th anniversary is a very special time for The Angels,’ says John. ‘It means a lot that the fans already know Nick. Our relationship with the audience means everything to us and we’ll never take that for granted.’
Rick Brewster says the time the band gets to spend on stage makes everything else worthwhile. ‘It’s always been about the songs and the power of the guitars.’
‘We’ve already got a very busy six months ahead of us, which is brilliant for the new lineup,’ says Nick Norton. ‘There’s such a heritage of great music there; classic songs, killer riffs. The legwork is already done, I just have to get up and sing them.’
‘Twelve years in the band behind the kit has provided the pedigree, not to mention learning at the School of Rock from the honourable Dave Gleeson. I look forward to sweating it out at venues across the nation with the fans, heading into The Angels 50th year!’
With a set-list of catalogue classics that are ingrained in the hearts of every Australian rock fan, including ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?’, ‘Take a Long Line’, ‘No Secrets’, ‘Shadow Boxer’, ‘Marseilles’, ‘I Ain’t The One’, ‘Comin’ Down’, ‘Mr Damage’, ‘After the Rain’, ‘Night Attack’, ‘Dogs are Talking’ and ‘We Gotta Get Out of this Place’, it is no wonder that the famous American critic, David Fricke, called The Angels ‘a guaranteed great time anywhere’.
Replacing Nick on drums is John’s son, Tom, meaning The Angels will now have two sets of Brewster Brothers – John and Rick on guitar, and Sam (who joined the band in 2013) on bass, and Tom on drums.
As Ian McFarlane, the author of The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop, said, ‘The Angels helped re-define the Australian pub rock tradition’. Now John Brewster, Rick Brewster, Sam Brewster, Tom Brewster and Nick Norton are giving it another twist.
This is it, folks – an exciting new chapter in the storied career of The Angels. Let the night roll on!
You can answer the question: ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?’ on Thursday, from 8pm, at the Ballina RSL – ballinarsl.com.au.
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