The Veronicas at Australia Zoo

It's certainly not just me, but I do have a fondness for Anglo-Italian rock and pop divas, especially when they come from my town and done good!

The Veronicas did their first Brisbane appearance for 2008 at a charity concert for the Wildlife Warriors, an organisation started up by Steve and Terri Irwin from Australia Zoo in 2002 to help protect wildlife which is endangered, injured or threatened. It was also my first ever visit to Australia Zoo, and I was very impressed with what I saw. This zoo is chiefly known for being the home and host to the late "Crocodile Hunter" and crocodiles are the main attraction, but there are also other beautiful animals to check out like turtles, otters, dingoes, a komodo dragon, snakes, koalas, Tasmanian devils, and all kinds of exotic birds. I took a few photos of the place which I will see if I can post up onto this blog.

The performance by the Veronicas was brilliant as well. A few thousand punters braved the rain and the blustery weather to sit out in the "Crocoseum" to see Jess and Lisa Origliasso and their band perform. The stage was raised about 15 ft off the ground, so the performance could be viewed properly on a big screen fixed to the top of the building. Most of the songs in their set were from the new album "Hook Me Up", which has already gone platinum in Australia, and looks set to be released in the Asian market, the UK and Europe and eventually the U.S. (which is where they signed their record deal and now reside). Whilst much of the album is based on synth-pop, the use of keyboards was minimal for this show with the use of more guitars. They even did a rousing cover of AC/DC's "It's A Long Way To The Top" for the older punters to strut their stuff. I was delighted, and almost a bit relieved as I felt a bit uncomfortable dancing around with people whom I was old enough to be their dad, and according to Bill Cosby it's virtually a scientific impossibility for any parent to like the music their kids do. God forbid my own kids get into them if/when I have any then!! (only kidding!)

Unfortunately, I didn't get to chat with the girls this time around like I did at Centro in Toombul. They had done a brief signing and meet-and-greet at 11:45 a.m. and I didn't get into the zoo until about 15 minutes later which by then they'd gone up to do their soundcheck.

I find The Veronicas to be quite an impressive act. They look very sweet and sexy, but deep down inside they are very tough and intrepid souls and have a friendly disposition towards their fans. Unlike many other rock musos of their ilk, they do take responsibility for the way they present themselves to the public and have not let fame or fortune get to their heads (unlike some celebs like Britney Spears, Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty).

If you like girl pop with a honest down-to-earth punky/New Wave edge, then definitely check them out if/when they play in your town. You won't be disappointed!