IT will have been nine years since all four members of Head Of State have shared each other's company when they come together to rehearse at Carrington's Novotone Studios on Saturday.
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Then later that evening the Newcastle indie-rockers will return to the Cambridge Hotel for their "one night only" reunion show. Will they be ready?
"We've been rehearsing individually along to recordings, but not all together until that morning, but thankfully it has worked for us in the past," Head of State bassist Ty Brennock said.
"Muscle memory is incredible. I haven't played these songs in nine years and you pick up a bass guitar and you fall straight back into it. Your hands know exactly what to do."
Head Of State were one of Newcastle's leading bands throughout the 2000s, releasing a self-titled EP in 2004 and single Realise in 2007, and a retrospective album The Spirit Of The Staircase in 2009, before disbanding a year later.
During their seven-year stint they supported the likes of Spoon, The Drones, The Sleepy Jackson and Shihad and often threatened to attract the attention of a major label.
"We played a gig in Sydney once at the Vic On The Park [in 2004] and we knew there was going to be a lot of A&R there from the major labels and we played a great set," Brennock said.
"We thought, 'Great this is our night, we killed it'. Then another unsigned band went on after us by the name of Wolfmother and got signed that night. As soon they started playing I looked at [singer] Murray [Dickinson] and said, 'f--k this is not our night'."
These days Brennock and Levi Dallen (drums) live in Newcastle, while Tim Marriott (lead guitar) resides in Melbourne and Dickinson is an assistant school principal near Kempsey.
Head Of State perform at the Cambridge Hotel on Saturday with support from Run Squirrel and Mad Snake.
TOP OF THE HILLS
FRESH off securing an opportunity to support the legendary KISS and hometown heroes The Screaming Jets at the Supercars concert in November with their band Maple Syrup, St Francis Xavier students Austin Mackay and Cooper Rigby are eyeing off more success.
The pair's other school band, Honey Hills, are leading the Australian and New Zealand region of Vans' Asia-Pacific band competition. The winner earns a MTV-produced video clip and a chance to perform at the House Of Vans festival in Sydney.
The track Daisy was recorded by Newcastle producer Fraser Marshall and will be officially released next month.
"It's really about nothing ever being enough for us as individuals, and the constant cycle of always looking for something more, and something better," Mackay said.
Besides Mackay (vocals, guitar) and Rigby (bass), Honey Hills also features James Snitch (lead guitar), Tyler Georgiardis (keys) and Beau Dalton (drums).
Head to hovasia.com/musicianswanted to vote for Honey Hills' Daisy.
STELLA ANNOUNCE
STELLA Donnelly's debut Beware Of The Dogs would have to be an early contender for album of 2019.
It's a thought-provoking, witty and blunt assessment of life for young women in the post #MeToo world, wrapped up in poppy indie melodies and arrangements.
The Perth artist supported John Butler and Missy Higgins at Bimbadgen last summer, but her October 20 show at the Cambridge Hotel will be her first major headline gig in Newcastle since her breakthrough song Boys Will Be Boys.
YOU'RE THE VOICE
THE career expectancy for winners of reality TV music shows if often shorter than Blur's Song 2.
So it's no surprise that The Voice's latest winner Diana Rouvas is striking while the iron's hot. Following her victory on Sunday night the singer-songwriter announced a lunchtime show at Lizotte's on September 15.
Fans can expect to hear her first single Wait For No One, plus covers from Leon Russell, Donny Hathaway and Mariah Carey that Rouvas performed throughout the TV show.
SECOND POKE
ST Louis ragtime and western swing revivalist Pokey LaFarge is returning to Newcastle four years after his performance at the Cambridge Hotel.
This time LaFarge, who is often compared to Australia's C.W Stoneking, will perform at Lizotte's on October 13.
FLYING IN
CANADIAN hardcore punks Cancer Bats have announced a Cambridge Hotel show on October 11 as part of their The Sparks That Moves Australian tour.
Equally raucous Sydney band Totally Unicorn are jumping on board the tour.
REAL THING IN BAY
THERE'S still tickets available to Aussie icon Russell Morris' show on Saturday night at Nelson Bay Diggers.
The Real Thing hit-maker released his latest album Black and Blue Heart in April, which was recorded by Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen producer Nick DiDia.
