Live Review: The Murphy Brothers Newport Hotel Hazel Buckley

Taking a trip down memory lane as part of Newport Hotel’s Record Club series, The Murphy Brothers took to the stage to tackle Paul McCartney & Wings’ Band On The Run, performing the record from start to finish.

One of WA’s most endearing and recognisable musicians, Courtney Murphy, having found fame in 2004 finishing third in Australian Idol, paid homage with his band of brothers to the artist who inspired and infected him with music, which seems to lie deep in his blood. Alongside him were his brothers Chris Murphy on rhythm guitar and vocals, who also made his mark on Idol a couple of years later, and Kieran Murphy on drums. 

Not only was Band On The Run Courtney’s most favourite album, bought at the tender age of 12 for $2 at Cash Convertors and played over and over, it was also Paul McCartney & Wings’ third album, released in 1973, and 1974’s top selling album in the UK and Australia.

With a few words from Chris about how they didn’t know the album too well, which turned out to be part of the Murphy’s quirky sense of humour, they smashed through the whole album effortlessly, ripping straight into track one, Band On The Run, proving their passion and love for this album from the start.

No setlist was prepared, just an email between brothers for someone to bring the album cover; with dad heckling from the crowd this was definitely a family affair. Courtney and Chris relayed stories of the album between tracks; they certainly knew it well.

With distinct, husky tones and a brilliant guest lead guitarist it was a night full of atmosphere that was well received by an enthusiastic crowd. A clarinet solo thrown in for good measure three-quarters of the way through Picasso’s Last Words (Drink To Me) and killer vocal harmonies between Courtney and Chris throughout Bluebird, they finished with Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five, Courtney showing his formidable skills on keyboard.

After the band had performed Band On The Run as though they were born to play the album, they returned to deliver a rendition of Wings’ London Town and I’ve Had Enough and inevitably finished with a track from one of the most inspiring bands of all time, The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night.

The Murphy Brothers did us proud, the brothers jokingly referring to themselves as “The Murphy Brothers almost there” throughout the night, and the crowd went home not only celebrating one of the most iconic bands and albums of all time but knowing the brothers “are there” and are one of the most iconic sounds to come out of Perth to date.