Review: BUDD, Jan 2024 Cactus Room, Melbourne
I am a long suffering BUDD fanatic. Long suffering because, being from Sydney, they stopped touring here in the late 90s, maybe due to the demise of the scene they belonged to. I had looked on with great envy at the shows announced in Brisbane and Melbourne on and off over the last few decades, thinking “they’ll visit here next time…”. When I heard about their latest show in the Cactus Room in Thornbury in Jan 2024 I decided enough was enough. Flights got booked and soon enough I was on the train out to the venue, happy to pass Northcote station on the way and see some young folks sparking up in a park where I alighted. I arrived in time to see the most excellent Smoke Witch play some very catchy and groovy tunes. A highlight was one of the band member’s teenage sons joining them for a song or two. Very heartening to see the next generation in development. BUDD then start setting up and I was very happy to be seeing them play for the first time in 30 odd years. When t...