This is it, folks – the first Angels tour with Nick Norton out front.

“As we close in on our 50^th anniversary, this is an exciting new chapter in the story of The Angels,” guitarist and co-founder John Brewster says. “We can’t wait to hit the road with Nick.” 

Yep, this is big: 50 years in the making. Two hours. Two sets. A new lead singer. And an unforgettable collection of Greatest Hits and Rarities.

The Angels formed in Adelaide in 1974. As the book The 100 Best Australian Albums points out, “The Angels can lay claim to being Australia’s longest-lasting band.”

Nick Norton joined The Angels in 2011 and has been the band’s drummer for the past 12 years. But now he’s stepping out from behind the kit and taking centre stage.

“Nick is an incredible musician and a great singer and songwriter,” John says. “He obviously knows the songs like the back of his hand and the fans already know and love him, so he’s the perfect fit.”

As well as his vocal prowess, Nick will add a third guitar to The Angels’ famous wall of sound. “For the very first time in The Angels’ history, we’re going to have three guitars live on stage,” Rick Brewster says. “To say we’re excited is an understatement.”

Replacing Nick on drums is John’s son Tom, meaning the band now has two sets of Brewster Brothers – John and Rick on guitar, and Sam (who joined in 2013) on bass, and Tom on drums.

“That means a lot to us,” John says. “We’ve always seen The Angels as a family. Every person who’s played with the band – indeed, everyone who’s seen the band over the years – is part of The Angels family.” 

“What I’ve learned over the past 50 years is that this band is bigger than any one person,” Rick adds. “The power of The Angels is in the guitar sound and the songs.”

Indeed, it’s a catalogue of classics ingrained in the hearts of every Australian rock fan, including Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again, Take A Long Line, No Secrets, Shadow Boxer, Marseilles, I Ain’t The One, Comin’ Down, Mr Damage, After The Rain, Night Attack, Dogs Are Talking and We Gotta Get Out Of This Place. No wonder the famous American critic David Fricke called The Angels “a guaranteed great time anywhere”. 

“The time we get to spend onstage makes everything else worthwhile,” Rick says. 

With 13 studio albums, eight Top 10 albums and 17 Top 40 singles, The Angels have a storied history. But it’s the ongoing relationship with the audience, built via thousands of gigs, that means everything to the band. An exhilarating exchange of energy. 

“This band exists because of the fans,” John says. “We do what we do because we love it and we’re very fortunate that a lot of other people love it, too.”

On the Brewster Brothers Electric tour earlier this year, with Nick out front, the band got to road-test some of the rarities, including tracks such as Eat City, Small Price, Don’t Waste My Time, City Out Of Control and Who Rings The Bell.

“We were so blown away by the response that we’ve inserted many of those songs into the set list for this tour,” John says.

Jimmy Barnes called The Angels, “a band that changed Australian music forever”. And Ian McFarlane, the author of The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop, declared: “The Angels helped re-define the Australian pub rock tradition.” 

John Brewster, Rick Brewster, Sam Brewster, Tom Brewster and Nick Norton are now giving it another twist, with what promises to be the ultimate set list for Angels fans. 

Greatest Hits and Rarities. 50 years in the making …

Let the night roll on!