LA as the Crowe flies -
(from 'The Sunday Telegraph' Sydney, Australia January 1999)


It was meant be - so Danny Devito's character often said in the movie hit L.A. Confidential - on the QT and very hush-hush.

But, Russell Crowe's Viper Room gig with his band: 30 Odd Foot of Grunts snowballed into one of the most sought-after tickets in Hollywood last week. Crowe's L.A. Confidential co-stars Kim Basinger and Danny DeVito were in the house as Crowe fronted a set of assured, no-nonsense rock.

Oddly, the Grunts have met with media and music industry reluctance in Australia, but at Johnny Depp's Viper Room, they laid down a tight and confident set, including some rockin' country tunes, Australiana banter and High Horse Honey - Crowe's alleged lyrical swipe at Sharon Stone.

Crowe personally invited Dave Wilkins, from Sydney band Utopian Babies, to open the show.

Wilkins arrived in L.A a few hours before he was set to go on stage - and to add to the stress, his guitar disappeared. He borrowed Crowe's. "I needed to start somewhere in terms of introducing myself to the people," Wilkins said, "and there's probably not a better connected place in L.A than the Viper Room".

The support slot seems to have paid off. Wilkins spent the past week locked in meetings and plans to return to LA with his band. The Utopian Babies are supporting US rock band Fastball's upcoming Australian tour.