Author: Jennifer Lavis-Quinlin

The eternally touring Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls have announced a co-headlining tour next May with Texan rockers, Bowling for Soup, and with news bound to make fans outside of the eastern capital cities jump for joy, the tour will also encompass the Sunshine Coast, Newcastle, Frankston, Adelaide, and Fremantle. Following their most recent appearance…

In the wake of Biffy Clyro‘s announcement of Australian tour dates for April next year, bassist James Johnston kindly took some time out to chat with us about the tour and the experience of live music. The very exciting news, of course, is the Australian tour.  We’re obviously very, very excited to have you coming…

When I spoke with Ben and James Johnston in September, they were adamant that Australia was definitely “on the list” for tour dates.  True to their word, today Biffy Clyro have announced their return to Australia in April next year. The Futique Tour lands in Melbourne on Tuesday, 7 April, then Sydney on Wednesday, 8…

Fans of UK post-punk/alt-rock band, Savages, will know Jehnny Beth from her time as their dynamic front woman. Others may know the French singer/songwriter from her numerous collaborations with some of music’s biggest names, including Trentemøller, Gorillaz, and Julian Casablancas, to name but a few. Released at the end of August, Beth’s second solo album…

We’ve experienced a drought of shirtless Scottish rock in the four years since Biffy Clyro released their last studio album, The Myth of the Happily Ever After, but today, at long last, we have the release of their much-anticipated tenth album, Futique. The album’s title is a compound word, as explained by Simon Neil, combining…

Ahead of the release of their tenth studio album, Futique, Ben and James Johnston took time out to have a chat with me about embracing the moment, Biffy’s longevity, and their plans to return to Australia soon. Congratulations on the album. It’s a double chef’s kiss. Both: Thank you so much! Number ten! James: Number ten!…

On the eve of their Glastonbury appearance this Friday, Scottish rock gods Biffy Clyro have just announced their upcoming album, Futique.  The will be the tenth studio by the trio, almost exactly four years since the release of “The Myth of the Happily Ever After” which came out back in October 2021. Earlier this month…

It’s always a scary thing for me as a fan to put up my hand to review my favourite band.  What if it sucks? What if I can’t get into it?  This has been my first-world struggle as long as I’ve been a writer, and leading up to this week I’ve been back in that…

It feels an absolute age since Scottish rock gods Biffy Clyro last released new music, with nothing since 2021’s album ‘The Myth of the Happily Ever After’.  At long last, happily, the drought is broken and the trio are back with the release of their new track, “A Little Love”. Debuted at a secret gig…

If there’s one thing Australian rockabilly punk legends, The Living End, know how to do, it’s deliver a belting tune.  “Alfie”, their brand-spanking new single, is no exception. Lyrically, it speaks to the different challenges now facing the music industry and the supporting elements that keep the industry functioning – roadies, venues, radio, and music…

We were lucky to get a mid-afternoon catch up with a sleepy Serge Pizzorno the day after their cracking first Melbourne show of the Australian tour.  He chatted with us about finally being back in the country and his new(ish) role as front man of alt-rockers, Kasabian. How was Melbourne last night? It was amazing….

Back in Australia for the first time in over a decade, UK alt-rockers Kasabian are on tour this week on the east coast. For anyone still tossing up about whether or not to grab a ticket, you’ll want to move fast, with multiple dates already sold out. With the original Sydney date selling out in…

These days it is increasingly common to see VIP experiences on offer when tours go on sale.  Crowded House‘s Gravity Stairs Tour, currently in Sydney on the forecourt of the beautiful Sydney Opera House, included the option to purchase a VIP soundcheck experience alongside access to the show.  This afternoon I had the chance to…

Frank Turner is one of the most prolific touring musicians on the planet and happily he’s landed in Australia for a whistle-stop appearance with The Sleeping Souls at Good Things Festival this weekend. We caught up with him ahead of their show at Sydney’s Crowbar. Welcome back! Melbourne last night, Sydney today. You must be…

Scarcely taking a breath after finishing their massive UK tour, Kasabian has just dropped the news that we’ll finally be seeing them back in Australia again.  Having not visited our shores for a headline tour since way back in 2014 it’s very welcome news for fans of the rockers. The tour will feature three East…

There’s no gentle easing into the second studio album from Sydney pop punk trio, Yours Truly. TOXIC bursts forth from the speakers, delivering a swift smack in the ears with opener “Back 2 U”, and then it’s full speed ahead for the rest of the album. Strap yourselves in, kids. Given this is a new line-up,…

In case you missed it, last week saw one of the stealthiest releases of new music that I’ve experienced in a while.  Using his Instagram account, Chris Wolstenholme – best known as the beast of bass for Muse – introduced us to his new project, Chromes, unveiling double debut singles, “The Good Life” and “Imaginary…

Late last week saw Kasabian drop their eighth studio album, Happenings.  It does feel like it’s been on the horizon for sometime, though, as the first single, “Algorithms” was released over a year ago, back in June 2023. As a Kasabian fan, I have to be honest and say that I’m still adjusting to the…

On the eve of releasing his tenth solo album, Undefeated, we had a chat with Frank Turner about life in the music industry in a post-pandemic world, just days before a world record attempt for the Music Venue Trust. You’ve got quite a busy weekend coming up… I do, yeah.  I’ll be honest with you,…

Solo album number 10 for Frank Turner opens with “Do One” and it just might be my personal anthem by the end of all this.  It’s a siren’s call to anyone who has been on the receiving end of someone else’s bullshit, with lyrics that resonate on an intimate level, cleverly wrapped in one of…

Melbourne/Naarm darkwave synthpop band, Dark Water, opened proceedings at the Metro Theatre in style. Their moody, atmospheric tunes certainly set the tone for an already packed-out room. Whilst it was a relatively short set they had the crowd engaged. I’m looking forward to seeing more of them in the future, for sure. By the time Ville…

Every few months, we’re going to be taking stock of some of the most exciting Australian tours going down. Why? Well, the trend of people picking up tickets last minute is only going to get more salient from here. Cost of living means that we’re planning more things last minute than in advance, so consider…

Ahead of his upcoming Australian tour, Finland’s own Dark Lord of love metal, Ville Valo, aka VV, recently took time to chat with us about his album Neon Noir. We talked about the transition from lead singer of HIM to solo artist, and the process of creating his debut solo album, including playing every instrument…

After playing a one-off show in early 2022 in Melbourne, which would sadly serve as one of drummer Taylor Hawkins’ final shows, the legendary Foo Fighters returned last night. Opening act Hot Milk (UK) hit the stage at AAMI Park with a bang, kicking things off with “Party On My Deathbed”. Delivering a level of…

There’s an indescribable level of anxiety that comes with being a Muse fan any time a new album is announced. It’s the heady mixture of excitement, overwhelmingly peppered with fear of the unknown. It’s been a divided fandom for as far back as I can recall, with old-school versus the progressives, and there’s no shortage…

Scottish rock gods Biffy Clyro aren’t the first band that springs to mind when you think about a seated acoustic gig. Having attended many of their shows over the years I can vouch that it’s more a case of coming out with your ears ringing and your entire body dripping in sweat. If you can…

When listening to the opening notes of “A Message to Myself”, the album opener of Roo Panes‘ third studio record, Quiet Man, the listener is stung with the evocative punch behind the English songwriter’s artistry almost immediately. It’s a craft Panes has developed beautifully over the course of the last few years, being embraced by audiences around…

When you think of Biffy Clyro live you’re most likely to think of a night out which leaves you sweaty, with ringing ears and a raw throat, and possibly some sort of discombobulation at a cellular level. The Scotsmen are known for their high-energy gigs, with raucous sing alongs and lack of upper body clothing…

With his new album Be More Kind out tomorrow, we check in with one of our favourites, Frank Turner, to find out some more about the new record and his thoughts as a creative in an ever changing social climate. You’ve mentioned numerous times that Be More Kind is taken from Leçons de ténèbres by Clive James – what…

I’m not ashamed to say that I find the world a frightening and desperate place of late, with its increasing loss of humanity and decency in the face of rising uncertainty and aggression. More and more it seems we’re losing sight of each other as individuals and hiding behind the safety and anonymity of our…