Keepsake

ORIGINS: Penrith, NSW

GENRE: Metal, Nu-Metal

YEARS ACTIVE: 2000-2001

 

MEMBERS:

• Wade - Vocals
• Hayden - Guitar (2001-2003)
  
• Wes von Grabill - Bass
  
• Evan McKay - Drummer
• Jeremy - Guitar (2000)
  

RELEASES: 

 

• Demo (2000)
• 1. You Are Not Me
• 2. Lube
  

SUMMARY: Keepsake were a nu-metal band based in the Penrith area, not to be confused with other (later) bands of the same name. They played fairly regularly in Penrith and the Blue Mountains throughout 2000 and 2001.

 

SHOWS: 

• Channel Cafe, Penrith - 25th August, 2000
  
• Gearin Hotel, Katoomba - 1st September, 2000
• Springwood High School, Springwood - 14th September, 2000
• Ballyhoo, Q Theatre, Penrith - 21st October, 2000
• Winmalee Youth Centre, Winmalee - 28th October, 2000
• Old Council Chambers, Penrith - 31st March, 2001
  
• Assyrian Fest, Fairfield City Showground, Fairfield - 1st April, 2001
• Ballyhoo 2, Evans Theatre, Panthers Leagues Club, Penrith - 27th April, 2001
• RSL, St Marys - 23rd May, 2001
• Gearin Hotel, Katoomba - 21st July, 2001
• RSL, St Marys - 5th September, 2001
• Great Western Bar, Penrith - 25th October, 2001
  
• Wastelands, Masonic Hall, Blacktown - 24th November, 2001 

ORAL HISTORY:

REVIEW: Keepsake seem to be getting quite good, and this performance was probably the best I have seen them do. They have a kind of punk/metal type of sound that, I must admit, gets my head moving and foot tapping every time... there were a number of moshers jumping about like a pack of demon-possessed rabbits.

Review from Obzine Issue 15, October 2000

 

WES: We've been together since July 2000 but we had another guitarist back then... We fired him 'cause he couldn't do a gig, then we got Hayden. He's got way better equipment.

Wesley von Grabill (Bass), Obzine Issue 19, April 2001

 

WES: Craig (from Clobassi) and I harassed Kris Keeble for about a year to let us put on a gig and finally we did. She liked the Ballyhoo concept, she'd heard about the last one and how it sold out. So we decided to put it on again. April 27th, all ages. One Dollar Short's headlining, then Clobassi, Keepsake, Little More Than You (which will probably pack it out), then Fletcher. 

Wesley von Grabill (Bass), Obzine Issue 19, April 2001

 

HAYDEN: We'll probably work on something better to release than the demo tape because we know we could do better... The first set of songs Wes wrote pretty much by himself, now we're starting to write more songs, which is top quality stuff, so we're working together as a band - which is good. Our music's slowly changing I think, with the songs we're starting to write. 

Hayden (Guitar), Obzine Issue 19, October 2000

 

WES: The sound was heavy, like metal, but I didn't really understand metal. Wade and Evan loved Pantera but I hated them... so as you can imagine, it was a match made in heaven. For me, Keepsake (which I named) was the band that made me realise I didn't ever want to be in a metal band and it was progressive music that I was wanting to explore. We peaked at the Evans Theatre Show.

Wesley von Grabill (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

REVIEW: I didn't expect them to be so metal but there you go. If you like the newer-styled metal of Korn and all their spawn then this'll be for you.

Review from Obzine Issue 21, July 2001

RELATED BANDS: Skuzz, Clobassi, Fat Slinky, Superb Lyrebird, Demons to Diamonds, MCP