Airbourne: O2 Academy, Newcastle

WITH a metropolis of Marshall stacks towering across the rear of the stage, broken only by an equally imposing drum riser, it was clear that this was no show for the faint-hearted. Since they burst out of their Australian homeland with 2007's Runnin’ Wild, Airbourne have offered energy and genuine passion into a scene that, at times, takes its self a little too seriously.

Airbourne are the latest in a long Aussie line to bring an energetic, no messing approach to rock to these shores. There's a certain theme running through their music and Ready To Rock, It's All For Rock n’ Roll, Stand Up For Rock n’ Roll need no explanation. They do exactly as they say on the tin.

Lead singer/lead guitarist Joel O'Keeffe was an absolute whirlwind, while his drummer, brother Ryan, along with David Rhodes and Justin Street laid down the heavy weight foundation on which everything was based.

In keeping with their plain talking approach Girls In Black was introduced as a song about girls that wear black. No Bono style embellishments needed here. O'Keeffe was then hoisted onto a roadies shoulders for a walk about in the crowd just in time to deliver a screaming solo from the bar of the Academy.

Often hailed as the young pretenders to fellow Aussie's AC/DC's throne, the time for Airbourne to step up and take the crown may now have arrived with the imminent retirement of the titans from Down Under and who better to continue the rich lineage held for so long by AC/DC than Airbourne? All hail the new Kings of Aussie rock'n'roll.

Mick Burgess