Pictured: Kimbra.

Opening with Elton John inspired piano before launching into their brand of catchy pop, Bluejuice have finally perfected the sound they have been working on through their first two albums. Company is the third album from the five piece that sees more catchy tracks ala their smash “Broken Leg” with funky keyboards, head bopping drums and easy singalong lyrics.

While we were in Los Angeles last month for the annual Filter Magazine Culture Collide Festival we sat down with Sydney born, UK based artist Alex Burnett aka Sparkadia to talk about playing America for the first time, upcoming plans in Australia (where he just played Fat as Butter) and much more...

The sun was shining, the midriffs were exposed and the boys were shirtless, with perfect festival weather arriving just in time for Newcastle’s Fat As Butter festival. With an impressive line up of some of Australian’s favourite bands as well as some well known international acts (that may or may not have shown up...more on that later) the sunny weather matched the sunny disposition of the crowd for a day of what proved to be great live music.

My third night at Culture Collide was a rather brief affair due to other engagements, but I got to catch some fantastic performances from a couple of bands I know very well, and a couple others I didn't know much about at all...

Live music is back on your telly with the return of a huge 12 week concert series: triple j presents

Every Tuesday on ABC2, triple j presents will give you front row seats to some of the hottest gigs in town. The series kicks off tonight with Cut Copy taking their synths and strobes to the massive Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

FILTER Magazine is enhancing its already-robust, second annual Culture Collide Festival lineup with even more international talent. The newly confirmed acts are scheduled to perform in Los Angeles, CA, October 6 – 9, 2011, and include:

Does It Offend You, Yeah? (UK)
Avi Buffalo (USA)
The Elected (USA)
The Morning After Girls (Australia)
The Gift (Portugal)
Midnight Surfer (USA)
Laura Jansen (The Netherlands)
Hands (USA)
The Lanskies (France)
Carina Round (UK)

We saw some amazing local and interntional talent hit the stages of Splendour in the Grass on Saturday. In the first batch of photos we take a look at local heroes Architecture in Helsinki, Seeker Lover Keeper, Sparkadia and The Jezabels alongside international guests Cut Off Your Hands, Dananananaykroyd, Fitz and the Tantrums, Regina Spektor and the one and only Jane's Addiction.

Over the past four years, the Fat As Butter Festival has grown into one of the … well… FATTEST musical and cultural events in Newcastle, and indeed the country. But this year, we’re set to exceed all expectations with a line up of local and international acts that is sure to send your musical taste buds into a fat frenzy!

Following their sold-out THE GREAT IMPRESSION album tour, Sparkadia are very pleased to announce they’ll be returning to our shores this September for the huge MARY tour.

Laden with epic choruses and more hooks than a squid lure, MARY sees Sparkadia frontman Alex Burnett step into gospel robes and pump out a pentecostal powerhouse that would fit well in the church halls of the deep south.

At the stroke of 8, it felt as though there were more people on stage than amongst the audience as Melbourne sextet Alpine kicked things off. It could have been quite uncomfortable for all involved, but perhaps Alpine's finest quality is their confidence as performers. They present a strong, intrinsic take on indie rock that provides little room for contemporaries or peers. The dual female vocals switch from sweet to sour as if on impulse alone, while the guitars diversify between light and airy tones and scratchy spiked licks.