2019  and BEYOND

 

 

Chocolate Starfish powered on to the Australian music scene in the early 1990s and quickly established themselves as an influential force with their cover of Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’, original hit ‘Mountain’ and perennial favourite ‘Four Letter Word’. They wholeheartedly earned their reputation as one of Australia’s best live bands of the 90s, boasting two Top 10 albums and six Top 50 singles.

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Twenty-five years later, the band is living up to this reputation and then some, still blowing audiences away with their powerhouse performances and magnetic stage presence. Chocolate Starfish continues to deliver the pure, unadulterated entertainment for which they are renowned, their captivating shows imbued with intensity and revelry - and, as always, with a few surprises. Driving this rock ‘n’ roll juggernaut is electric, engaging front man Adam Thompson, whose provocative vocals and unpredictable stage antics compel audiences to sing along, dance along and even jump along as he leads them in what could be described as a mass game of ‘Simon Says’. ‘Starfish Says’, anyone? 

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As Black + White magazine eloquently put it, ‘If there’s an audience, he’ll play up to them, if there’s a balcony, he’ll climb it, if there’s energy in the room, he’ll milk it.’ The thundering current of the band’s energy is kept rushing with relentless force by Darren Danielson on drums, while Norm Falvo on keyboard balances the mix with his restrained animation. Prowling the stage with Thompson is bass guitarist John ‘Stones’ Nixon and, more recently, guitarist Zakk Zedras, who joined the line up as a more permanent fixture after the tragic death of original guitarist and songwriter Zoran Romic in 2012.

 

SPIDER is Chocolate Starfish’s first full-length album they have released in 20 years, following their five-track EP ‘Primitive’ from 2015. The album’s title pays homage to Romic, who was known affectionately as Spider amongst the band and who co-wrote the album’s third track, ‘Heavyweight’ with Thompson several years before his death. The album’s other tracks were written by Thompson and Tim Henwood (Superjesus, Androids, Rogue Traders, Palace of the King) and produced by Henwood, SPIDER satisfies long-term fans and wins over new ones with high-energy, power-riffed tracks and strong, story-driven lyrics peppered with the band’s trademark cheek and irreverence.

 

After a stunningly successful run of Meat Loaf’s ‘Bat Out of Hell’ in 2017, a national tour of SPIDER in 2018, the band is not slowing down! The next cab off the rank of its Classic Albums Series: ‘KICK’ by INXS. The inaugural show at The Palms at Crown sold out within weeks, spurring a flurry of demand and a multi-state tour in  2018/2019.

 

Chocolate Starfish also enjoyed a hugely well-received residency on the 2018 and 2019 Red Hot Summer Tour with some of the worlds best bands including the incomparable Jimmy Barnes, Suzi Quatro, The Angles, Baby Animals, Screaming Jets, Living End, Jon Stevens, Richard Clapton and Moving Pictures. It was an honour to visit all the great regional towns of Australia and meeting so many of you great folk, thanks for the love and good times beautiful people! 

 

 

 

                                                                            What next? Watch this space.

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I am for now, you are forever - Zoran Romic.

 

Adam Thompson – vocals

John “Stones” Nixon – bass

Darren Danielson – drums

Norm Falvo - keys

Zakk Zedras - guitar