This is the way summer should be. Sun out, cold Coopers in hand, waiting for some tunes in the sixth installment of The Annandale’s local punk festival, Blood, Sweat & Beers. With a big month lined up for the iconic live music venue, Blood, Sweat & Beers kicked things off out back with Tommy Optional from the band The Optionals playing a solo acoustic set. Playing in much the same vein as Frank Turner, his folk tunes were perfect for a sunny afternoon.

While I missed Woe and Flutter, they made sure I knew who they were, approaching me with a CD in hand to buy as I played Street Fighter between sets. Though I didn’t have the money to buy the album, I went home and had a listen and am now disappointed that I didn’t get the opportunity to hear their tunes live. Their glorious barrage of sound was perfect in my interpretation of what their set would have been like at the Annandale in my head.

We’ve seen the Sando put up for sale, festivals cancel and others downsize and the future of The Annandale wasn’t (isn’t?) looking promising. Yet on this Wednesday night – the first of two shows for two of Australia’s leading frontmen-come-solo artists – you certainly wouldn’t have known the problems with the local scene as The ‘Dale was heaving with happy punters.

Part of the Sydney Fringe Festival, Ups & Downs held an album launch at Sydney's Annandale Hotel with guests Knievel and The Worker Bees - the new outfit for Greg & Darren of, Ups & Downs. Pete Dovgan was there with his camera and brings you these photos.

A look at the incredible performance from Perth's Abbe May, with supports Hootenanny and Oh Willie Dear, when she hit up the Annandale Hotel in Sydney... photos captured by Annette Wilson.

The first thing that was noticed was that despite this being The Beards ‘100 Beards’ tour, there nearly wasn’t enough facial hair as I would’ve hoped for. Drawing on some massive chops and wearing a fake beard does not count and those two guys should be utterly ashamed of themselves.