The number of people dressed in black t-shirts was noticeable as far back as Federation Square, as the hordes of music fans made their way towards the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

Having witnessed Mariachi El Bronx two nights earlier at Billboard, it was fascinating to see the same musicians in their hard rock alter ego, The Bronx, already ripping the half-empty bowl a new one, at the very un-rock’n’roll time of 7PM.

On Tuesday night, as part of the City of Sydney's Chinese New Year celebrations, Jurassic Lounge at the Australian Museum opened its doors for its anticipated third season. As always, there was a little something for everyone: from silent disco, to guitar hero, to projections, live comedy and music from bands like Yeo and Camden.

This was the last night of the Kanye West Big Day Out tour and The Sidney Myer Music Bowl was buzzing with excited punters. At 8:30PM the words “ACT 1”, followed by a cheesy painting of Roman statues, was projected onto the huge backdrop as the Jay-Z and Kanye single “H.A.M.” signaled that it was time to give up on the impossibly long drink queues and take a position.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (formed in 2010) brought with them tonight every English and Irish person from St Kilda and through strobe light after strobe light we witnessed a ‘Gallagher’ in action.

A totally sold out crowd pumped the place with passion and uber enthusiasm. Drinks were poured into plastic cups at Noel’s request, which tells me he is a paranoid man and I guess with his past, one cannot blame him.

I know it’s clichéd, but Washington truly has had an incredible couple of years. We’ve watched her transform from an adorable musical nerd playing the Oxford Arts Factory to an absolutely breathtaking artist selling out the Sydney Opera House in just two years. Her Insomnia show for Sydney Festival completely lived up to the hype surrounding it, to say the least.

Ah Big Day Out… the festival that has been running like a freight train year after year only to be halted this year by slow ticket sales and a ‘weak lineup’. And despite all my concerns leading into the day Ken West (minus Vivian Lees for the first time ever) pulled it off and put on a more than enjoyable day.

Taking part in the first of Channel [V]’s Guerrilla Gigs for 2012, Boy & Bear nearly filled out the square in front of Manly Wharf. Such was the demand to see the multi-ARIA award winning group, there was already an attentive crowd sitting and waiting half an hour before the event was due to start.

As Big Day Out and its many official sideshows wrapped up in Sydney (there are still a few more special appearances to be made... such as Das Racist at the Rdio launch on Saturday), it's now time to officially welcome the sideshows of the 2012 Laneway Festival, with Active Child ringing in the period with a spellbinding show at the Oxford Art Factory on Sunday night.

There was a thing at this gig that became curiously weird; Battles, a mainly instrumental band using new styles of music composition were playing in a venue with old concrete walls. Walking into particular areas of The Forum and then smelling an odour of dampness was peculiar for a place that looked hugely grandiose from the outside (although I’ve been in venues that have smelt worse). If it was a person, The Forum would be with growing old with dignity as rather than getting painful facelifts to retain its youth.

With the festival circuit getting increasingly competitive, reports of poor sound engineering and set delays could never be more damaging, however with an incredibly soggy lead up to the Brisbane leg of Laneway Festival, these problems were disappointing but not surprising. The festival organisers did well to ensure that all stages would be undercover, but unfortunately our dry vintage threads came at the cost of sound quality and atmosphere as we were herded into the RNA horse sheds.