Golden Oldies Or Just Old Fogies?

Their quiffs may be a little less 'exaggerated' these days, but the Stray Cats, the UK's high-energy kings of Rockabilly, haven't lost anything on stage. Heading to Australia in February '09 as part of their world Farewell Tour, Brian Setzer (vocals/guitar), Slim Jim Phantom (drums) and Lee Rocker (double bass) promise fans 'something special'.

On the Stray Cats' official website, Setzer comments: “I would like to end the Stray Cats the way we started it. That would be with the love of playing our brand of rockabilly music.” About their music (and showing no signs of modesty), Phantom adds: “We are by far the best at what we do. No one else is even in the same galaxy”. Well, ahem, OK … with a career spanning 30 years and hits including The Runaway Boys and Stray Cat Strut, we'll acknowledge that they've certainly got 'cat class' and 'cat style' … Tickets for the tour go on sale Wednesday, 30 July. Click here for where and when they're playing.

Other big names with long-running careers heading to Australia are bona fide Mr Music and Grammy King, Stevie Wonder (October 2008), the piano man everyone means when they say 'the Piano Man', Billy Joel (November/December 2008) and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, John Mellencamp (November 2008). Plus, in a list of visiting golden oldies how can we fail to mention late '70s hard rockers Def Leppard  (October/November 2008), who share the tour's bill with Dream Police champs Cheap Trick. Have you got your tickets yet?

Kelly Ford, Music Editor, Citysearch 2008

Click here for live music in your city, plus see below for some big gigs in Brisbane.