I arrived at Wollongong's Harp Hotel just in time to catch the support band packing up their gear, the place already packed to its limit, ready to be blown away by Ash Grunwald's funky tunes. So, waiting for Ash to set up, I grabbed a beer and got settled into the blues and roots atmosphere which I' quite comfortable with.

Ash Grunwald's band were first to hit the stage, playing some funky drum and bongo beats and getting the crowd pumped up, with Ash eventually following, launching into the first single, 'Walking' of his latest LP Hot Mama Vibes. A fantastic start to the set!

A great crowd singalong took place during the title track, 'Hot Mama Vibes', and although I'm yet to get the album, I had fun singing along "She's a hot mama, hot mama vibes..." with the rest of the happy (and very drunk) audience. Speaking of alcohol, there was no shortage on stage for the band either, with constant red wine refills and Ash even taking a swig of good old Bundy Rum (straight out of the bottle no less) during the set. Apparently it 'helps' his vocals. Well, whether or not rum is the reason, there's no arguing what a talented dude Ash Grunwald is.

Two drum kits on stage definitely impressed me, the beats were constant and teamed with Ash's amazing guitar skills - making for some very, very funky sounds. One of the kits featured a beaten up car door, not sure what model it was, but nevertheless, it received a good whacking from a hammer throughout the set. Another instrument Ash Grunwald featured was a sink attached to what looked to me like a clothes rack.

The set included many songs from his last album Fish Out of Water, the new album Hot Mama Vibes and even a couple from his EP such as 'Serious', one of my personal favourites. The attractiveness of Ash Grunwald live for me is the unrehearsed feel to the band. It's like they improvise the entire show, but because they are all so talented it just works and is totally epic!

The gig finished with what is no doubt Ash's most well known song "Breakout". With the inclusion of a massive instrumental, the song finished up what I can easily say was one of the most entertaining shows I've been to in quite a while.