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).

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".

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