Time right for comeback

Thirteen years after last performing together, a staple on the WA pub music scene from the late 1990s and early 2000s are back.

Three Orange Whips will reunite for three shows this weekend, starting their mini reunion tour where it all began – the Prince of Wales Hotel.

Singer Dan Durack said the band had been offered gigs in the past but the timing had never been right for all of them.

“We agreed we were not going to do it unless all of us were in,” he said.

The entire band is back, including Durack, James McDonald, Craig Best, original bassist Graeme Mueller and his replacement Jason Cleary.

All five of them will perform in the weekend’s shows, the first time the band has not been a four-piece.

Durack said the band “doesn’t feel like we have unfinished business” and instead the reunion was a chance to “catch up and play some rock and roll”.

“We will try to do as many songs as possible,” he said.

“We’ve been tinkering with our set a bit and will do a couple of covers as well.”

Two of the band’s members grew up in Bunbury and tomorrow night’s show will be a homecoming for the Whips.

They will also play at Perth’s Amplifier bar, where Durack said they were the first band to ever perform.

While Durack said he had been looking forward to the shows for a few months, he believes this weekend will be a one-off rather than a permanent revival with one band member now living in Melbourne.

Entry to tomorrow night’s show is free.