Aussie rock legend Daryl Braithwaite thrilled loyal fans and made some new ones on Saturday night, headlining Carnivale’s Taste of Paradise concert at Port’s Sheraton Mirage.

It’s been about four decades since Braithwaite found success as lead singer for Sherbet, one of the most prolific and successful Australian bands of the 1970s. Though for fans among the 600-strong crowd last night, themselves older, the now-64 year old rocker has lost none of his appeal – or air-guitar skills.  

Braithwaite and his band, fresh from their Apia Time of My Life tour around Australia, took to the stage after local acts Willow Willis and Benny and The Clones.

A former TV Week King of Pop from 1975 to 1977, Braithwaite’s ageless appeal was evident in the audience make-up, with fans of Sherbet in their heyday mixing with younger locals who may not have known the man, but knew his music. Popular Sherbs favourite ‘Howzat’ featured with Braithwaite’s post-Sherbet solo hits, including ‘One Summer’, ‘As The Days Go By’ and ‘Rise’, and a rendition of Australian Crawl frontman James Reyne's classic, 'Slave'.

For younger concertgoers, Braithwaite may be more recognisable for recent liner notes, with a sample of Sherbet’s ‘We Ride Tonight’ features on ‘Contact’, the closing track on French house duo Daft Punk’s new album, Random Access Memories.

At the end of his set, Braithwaite left the crowd chanting for ‘The Horses’ – his 1991 classic cover of a Rickie Lee Jones recording. Ever the consummate professional, Braithwaite obliged, returning with a 20-minute encore that also included Sherbet's 1975 hit 'Summer Love', and a fireworks display.

Though no underwear was thrown on stage a la Braithwaite’s Sherbet days, the singer still has a way with the ladies, with a number of very enthusiastic women staking a claim on the stage steps from his first song, and staying ‘til his last.