Vines grow — will audience?

Spencer Patterson

Friday, April 2, 2004 | 8:40 a.m.

No disrespect to AC/DC or Midnight Oil, but Australia has never exactly been known as a rock 'n' roll mecca.

If four promising young bands have their way, however, that perception could soon change.

The Vines, Jet, the Living End and Neon are in the midst of their "Aussie Invasion Tour" of the United States. The quartet stop at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel at 8 p.m. Sunday.

The Vines burst onto the scene in 2002, reaching No. 11 on the Billboard 200 with debut album "Highly Evolved." Hit single "Get Free" climbed all the way to No. 7 on the Modern Rock charts.

Last week the Sydney band released its follow-up, the highly anticipated "Winning Days," to generally lukewarm reviews. The band debuted several tracks from the disc at its first Las Vegas concert last year.

Melbourne's Jet, which co-headlines Sunday's show, is best known for its Strokes-esque garage hit, "Are You Gonna Be My Girl," which appeared on the band's 2003 debut, "Get Born," as well as in television commercials for Apple's iPod.

The Living End, also from Melbourne, has been recording and performing its blend of punk and rockabilly since the mid-1990s. The band's latest album, "Modern Artillery," hit shelves last October.

Neon, which hails from Sydney, is reportedly preparing to release its first album on EMI.

Who: The Vines.

Where: The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel.

When: 8 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets: $25.

Call: 693-5066.

Opening acts: Jet, The Living End, Neon.

Personnel: Craig Nicholls (vocals, guitar), Patrick Matthews (bass), Ryan Griffiths (guitar), Hamish Rosser (drums).

Latest release: "Winning Days" (March 23, Capitol).

Album feedback: " 'Winning Days' is a noisy triumph -- as good as their 2002 debut ... and in some ways a leap forward in style and frenzy." (Rolling Stone, 3 stars); " 'Winning Days' is definitely a departure; it leaves behind not only the melodies but the messiness and ambition that made the Vines distinctive -- if only for a moment." (All Music Guide).

Essential release: "Highly Evolved" (2002).

What to expect: Be forewarned, Vines' sets generally don't last much longer than an hour, especially with three other acts on the bill. Look for the band to play most of its new album, along with choice cuts from its predecessor such as "Get Free" and "Outtathaway."

Recent set list: Camden Electric Ballroom, London, Feb. 19: "Ride," "Amnesia," "She's Got Something to Say to Me," "TV Pro," "Autumn Shade II," "Evil Town," "Winning Days," "Mary Jane," "Outtathaway," "Ain't No Room." Encore: "Sun Child," "Get Free," "F.T.W." (www.nme.com).

Tour feedback: "They play 10 new songs. The problem is, no one is very interested. It's hardly surprising. 'Winning Days' is the sound of a band indulging themselves in the studio." (The Guardian, London); "New songs 'Evil Town' and 'Ride' showed that lead singer Craig Nicholls was most comfortable in the key of wail. His bandmates ... had their own brand of off-key harmonizing that was off-key but effective." (Houston Chronicle).

Previous Las Vegas appearance: March 28, 2003 (House of Blues).