Jailhouse Rock at Boggo Road Gaol, 1993
Photography by Kathy Dora. View of the crowd and stage at the Jailhouse Rock concert held at Boggo Road Gaol in Dutton Park, Brisbane, 1993. In copyright. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 27175-0001-0006
On 31 July 1993, Brisbane's old Boggo Road Gaol hosted Jailhouse Rock, a concert featuring a mix of Australian bands past and present. The line-up included the Divinyls, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs (promoted as their first show in Australia for 20 years with the original band members), Rose Tattoo, Spy vs Spy, Ratcat, The Dukes, Living Daylights, Def Rhyme and up and coming Brisbane band Powderfinger. Advertisements promised "ten hours of great Australian rock" with tickets priced at $26.80 (approximately $49 today).
Photography by Kathy Dora. Simon Day from the band Ratcat at the Boggo Road Gaol for the Jailhouse Rock concert, Brisbane, 1993. In copyright. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 27175-0001-0004
Powderfinger, who would later achieve success and acclaim Australia-wide with hit songs such as My Happiness, Baby I've Got You (On My Mind), Sunsets and Lost and Running, opened the concert. Simon McKenzie, writing for Brisbane music magazine Time Off (4 August 1993 edition), praised the band's set at Jailhouse Rock - "Powderfinger warm up the early arrivals, many of whom were probably seeing them for the first time. I recommend seeing them for the first time...They must and shall go far".
Photography by Kathy Dora. Powderfinger at the Jailhouse Rock concert held at Boggo Road Gaol in Dutton Park, Brisbane, 1993. In copyright. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 27175-0001-0005
State Library of Queensland are fortunate to hold three images taken during this concert as part of 27175 Kathy Dora photographs collection.
What are your memories of this concert? Please let us know in the comments.
Do you have any materials (recordings, flyers, posters, reviews, tickets, films, videos, photos, letters, and other memorabilia) from Queensland’s music scene? This material has a valuable place in our music history and cultural heritage. Please contact us about any material you think should come to the library.
Myles Sinnamon - Engagement Officer, State Library of Queensland
Further reading
- A night at Cloudland with XTC, Flowers (Icehouse) and The Numbers, 1979
- A night at Cloudland with Rockpile (feat. Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds) and The Apartments, 1979
- A night at Cloudland with Dr Feelgood, 1979
- A night at Festival Hall with the Ramones, 1980
- A night with Mental As Anything and Dave Warner at UQ Refec, 1979
- Pig City: Brisbane’s Historic Soundtrack concert, 2007 (featuring The Saints, Riptides, Regurgitator, Custard and more)
- Early photograph from one of the Go-Betweens’ first concerts
- The Go-Betweens: Right Here documentary features SLQ images
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We welcome relevant, respectful comments.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
We also welcome direct feedback via Contact Us.
You may also want to ask our librarians.
I was fortunate enough to perform in this lineup with my then band Living Daylights - watching Billy Thorpe for the first time in my life - we were all in awe of him It was a great day Denise De Marchi
I think I have the hat from Jail house rock 1993 in one of my boxes. I also have a newspaper article from the event with myself in it.