By Emily Iannello
AIR GUITARS are common at gigs but it’s rare when Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page turns up playing one at an Aussie band’s show in London’s Notting Hill.
But after the unlikely experience on a tour of Europe, Melbourne-based rock and roll group The Delta Riggs hopes for similar reaction from punters at this year’s Queenscliff Music Festival (QMF).
Former Wolfmother member Elliot Hammond said the audience could expect a “finely tuned rock show” from his new band, formed in 2010.
“We’ve just come back from Europe, where we’ve been playing in a lot of clubs and festivals. The band is in really good form at the moment because we’ve been playing so much,” Hammond enthused.
Vocalist Hammond’s bandmates are Michael Tramonte on bass, Alex Markwell on guitar and drummer Simon McConnell, with “an extra person” usually joining the band for live shows.
Hammond said The Delta Riggs’ set would include songs from new album Dipz Zebazios, which was due for release this month.
He described the album as featuring a boisterous and “tripped out party atmosphere”.
Queenscliff would be the first time the band had played the new album live, he said
However, The Delta Riggs had played the QMF before.
“We played at QMF about two years ago. It was really good down there,” Hammond said.
“There’s some really exciting bands on this year as well.”
Hammond likened The Delta Riggs to a mushroom because it drew inspiration for its music “from the atmosphere”.
“Mushrooms draw in gases from the atmosphere and turn them into nutritional matter,” he explained.
“Similarly, we draw on things from the atmosphere to make music.”
Hammond said he was particularly excited about seeing legendary indie band The Church at Queenscliff.
“I’m looking forward to getting among it and having a fun day out,” he said.
“We’ve missed that. We’re looking forward to getting back.”
Other headliners at the QMF in November will include Dan Sultan, Husky, The Jezabels, Kasey Chambers and Xavier Rudd.
