Vanilla Gorilla @ The Small Ballroom, Newcastle - 20/5/2017

In a period of time where Australian music is largely dominated by West Coast bands or unless you are one of many members who play in Australian Psych bands it is easy to forget that one band you watched at a pub that one time……. WRONG!

Just over a week, location Newcastle, on a street where there is one venue at the end of the street and another at the other end, the scene is set at the Small Ballroom and that one band you will not forget is the band of gorillas, “VANILLA GORILLA” and holy fuck they are flying the flag high for East Coast bands. When are you’re at a VG’s gig you know it. Opening the set with a saltwater drenched you can’t wait for summer gem “Tropicana” and ending the set with guitarist Dylan Trick floating away into the crowd with guitar in hand was a spectacle to be a part of. If you were a member of that crowd I’m sure you felt the sense of this only being the tip of the ice berg for the East Coast groovers . The band also generate a pleasing crowd to be with and talk about a crowd, it was only a few years ago that a certain royal reptilian band didn’t pack out the venue but the VG’s did.

Vanilla Gorilla really are one of the bands you need to catch now whilst their followers can still fit in the venues they are playing. I mean what’s not to like about a band who travel around in high kilometre Landcruisers and a Toyota coaster bus?

Reviewer: Jack Bailey 
Photographer: Ryan Ford