John is all about celebrating the best of music, arts, and culture in Australia. He's a prolific reviewer and interviewer who's always on the pulse of what's new and exciting. His reviews are in-depth and thoughtful, giving readers a sense of what to expect from live performances, albums, and festivals. John's vibe on The AU Review is one of infectious enthusiasm, passion, and dedication to showcasing the vibrant cultural landscape of Australia.
Melbourne artist Eugene Fox has just released his debut single; a stirring folk track titled “Miss The Goalie”. The track oozes with the charm of clever songwriting and sweet, plucky guitar melodies, and was written and recorded in his home studio in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne. We reached out to Eugene to discuss the…
Read MoreFormed in Ballarat in 1987, The Mavis’s carved a solid following in the Aussie rock scene. Led by Becky Thomas (a.k.a. Beki Thomas, Beki Colada) on vocals and keyboards and her brother Matt Thomas on guitar and vocals, they originally called it quits back in 2001, after launching hits including “Cry” and “Naughty Boy”. They’ve…
Read MoreAndr is a musician from Taiwan that we caught up with recently at SXSW Sydney for the Taiwanese Beats Showcase. She shares her excitement about performing at Sydney and the enthusiastic crowd. She discusses her musical journey, starting with learning guitar in junior high and writing songs at 15. Her upcoming album, “Under Your Bed,”…
Read MoreThe Adelaide Film Festival presented the Australian Premiere of director Justin Kurzel’s movie The Order at the Piccadilly Theatre last Wednesday evening. Based on a true story, it stars Jude Law as world weary FBI agent Terry Husk, who is sent to investigate a series of armed robberies in the Pacific Northwest in 1983. Nicholas…
Read MoreFor those who love music, beer and skating, this two day free event at Manly Beach this weekend – tonight and tomorrow, November 1st and 2nd – may be just the thing for you. Young Henrys and Volcom are hosting the event at Hotel Steyne, with DJ sets from Dune Rats, The Buoys, Haiku Hands…
Read MoreSinger Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab sat down with the AU review to discuss Machine Gun Fellatio’s reunion and recent performances, including a secret gig in Newcastle. The band members, who hadn’t played together in 20 years, felt a sense of nostalgia and rejuvenation, with standout moments like rehearsing with Marshall stacks and the entire…
Read MoreDavid Thompson, lead singer of Adelaide folk band Bromham, chats about their live performances, emphasizing community and collaboration. Their upcoming EP, Adulthood, is inspired by personal challenges, including infertility and property issues. The song “Friends” reflects the support from diverse friends, while another track honours Hannah’s sister. The EP features local Adelaide artist Max Ballard’s…
Read MoreThe University of Adelaide Theatre Guild are presenting the Patrick Barlow adaption of the novel The 39 Steps by John Buchan and the subsequent movie by Alfred Hitchcock. Patrick Barlow is an English actor, comedian and playwright, whose adaption was first presented on London’s West end in 2005. Despite the Hitchcock movie being presented in 1935,…
Read MoreAdelaide’s Froth and Fury Festival, the massive all-ages alternative craft beer and music event is back at The Port in November with an explosive lineup of 33 bands across three stages. Northlane, Thy Art Is Murder, and Fear Factory lead the lineup, including the USA band’s only Australian show. Testeagles and Day Of Contempt will be playing exclusive reunion shows….
Read MoreThe cast of The Correspondent and other dignitaries were out in force for the opening night of the Adelaide Film Festival. The movie tells the gripping story of Peter Greste, a journalist who was sent to cover the riots in Egypt following the election in 2013, and was arrested and convicted of terrorism. Richard Roxburgh…
Read MoreMetallica have just announced that Australia will be part of their M72 World Tour in November 2025. Metallica will perform in stadiums in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland. These shows will include the famous Snake Pit extending from the front of the stage, meaning that the band will perform at each end of…
Read MoreThe iconic Melbourne identity “Chopper” is back reincarnated in the hilariously talented Heath Franklin. Heath will present his brand new show “Not Here To F*** Spiders” over two nights in Melbourne in November. This is Chopper’s triumphant return after a short break to focus on his ‘other’ life and come back fiestier than ever. We…
Read MoreDespite a seasonal Sydney thunderstorm, the SXSW Sydney music action was still going strong at venues in the inner west. Down at the UTS Underground, for the Rolling Stone Music takeover, Singaporean rapper Yung Raja was giving it all he had. The Rolling Stone House event ran for three nights, in partnership with American Apparel,…
Read MoreThursday was another jam packed day of local and international music at SXSW Sydney. Opening the day is Ila Barker, a singer / songwriter from Winnipeg, Canada. Her gentle introspective folk songs come a place of recovering from an abusive relationship. She played songs from her latest album “Fool Under Water.” Her songs are of…
Read MoreThe first announcement of artists to play WOMADelaide 2025 includes the iconic British artist PJ Harvey. Her visit to Australia will be the first in eight years. For the last two years she has been touring with her band across the UK and Europe to outstanding reviews. Her performances have included tracks from her tenth…
Read MoreNavigating the SXSW Sydney music offerings is like being at a giant festival. Performances are spread over a number of venues in the inner west and part of the fun is discovering how many cool music venues are within walking distance of each other. There is such a wide variety of offerings, it’s important to…
Read MoreWhilst SXSW Sydney officially opened on Monday, the opening parties started on Tuesday. SXSW has been running for several years in Texas, but this is the second year in Sydney. With a program that features conferences and programmes from the Tech and Innovation fields, Games, Music and Screen, it really is an important networking and…
Read MoreTISM fans are known to be fanatical about their favourite band. The same day that a “secret” warm up gig was announced at The Gov hotel in Adelaide, the show sold out. With doors opening at 1pm, the pub itself opened the doors at midday to a throng of fans that would normally be just…
Read MoreAlmost fifty years ago, the movie Grease was adapted from the original stage play and became a critical and commercial success. With Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta playing the parts of romantics Sandy and Danny, the 1978 movie has been embedded in Western culture. Meanwhile, the stage production has provided entertainment in various theatres around…
Read MoreDavid Williamson is Australia’s best known and most widely performed playwright and one of our leading screenwriters. One of his early plays, The Department was commissioned to open the Dunstan Playhouse in 1974. He has had over fifty five plays produced, including Don’s Party and The Club and written screenplays for several movies such as…
Read MoreFour movies and other events have been teased out ahead of the full Adelaide Film Festival announcement coming on September 17th. Cannes Film Festival 2024 Palme d’Or Award winner, Anora, reimagines Pretty Woman as a tragicomedy and cements director Sean Baker as someone to watch. It screens at the AFF on Thursday October 24th. Screening…
Read MoreWriter /actor Chris Pitman has created a powerful story with his one-person show, Shore Break. It is a fictional story about a solitary figure, unable to connect, abandoned at the edge of the world. It’s a combined snapshot of the older men living in remote campgrounds and their isolated existences. Director Chelsea Griffith has helped…
Read MoreVietjet Redcliffe KiteFest is returning to Brisbane on 14-15th September 2024. With over 30,000 visitors expected, this year’s festival promises an amazing display of kite artistry and diverse cultural performances. Kite artisans come from diverse places such as Malaysia, China and Vietnam to showcase their prowess in kite-making skills. Vietjet will have a booth where…
Read MoreI chatted with Bryn Soden, lead singer of Adelaide band Sturt Avenue, where we talked about the band’s origins and the nostalgia-heavy nature of their music. We also discussed his songwriting process, how it varies from the spontaneous to the deliberate. For their latest single, “Passenger Side”, Bryn reflects on a drive with a friend,…
Read MoreThe Adelaide Film Festival runs between 23th October and 3rd November and will feature the movie The Correspondent. The opening night gala marks the world premier of this gripping movie. Directed by Kriv Stenders, The Correspondent stars Richard Roxburgh as Australian war correspondent Peter Greste who was arrested and jailed in Cairo, Egypt in 2013,…
Read MoreQueensland singer / songwriter AYLA has just released her full-length album Dopamine. We caught up with her to chat about the evolution of the album, and the influences and processes that went into the making of it. It’s taken four years to release the album. I guess COVID must have got in the way early…
Read MoreJoanna Murray-Smith has crafted a sympathetic and thorough expose of the life of Australia’s first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. Justine Clarke plays the part of Julia and takes us from the time of her birth in Wales up to the famous misogyny speech delivered in parliament. Director Sarah Goodes has taken her story and placed…
Read MoreThe University of Adelaide Theatre Guild have tackled quite a challenge in presenting one of Shakespeare’s last plays, King Lear. Imagining the play set in the future, it challenges the notions of modern civilisation. In fact, Shakespeare’s commentary on power, lust and betrayal is as relevant today as when the play was scribed in the…
Read MoreNews has just landed about the Meredith 2024 lineup and it’s massive. The event runs on December 6, 7 and 8 at the Meredith Supernatural Ampitheatre in Victoria. The second round of the ballot is now open until 10.32 on Tuesday 20th August. The ticket price includes all parking, camping, booking fees, car passes, BYO convenience, and spins on The Eye. Meredith is an…
Read MoreThe true story behind Chicago is so fascinating that it still resonates a hundred years after the action. In 1924, Chicago was overrun by gangsters, with prohibition-era criminality infused with a smoky jazz background. On “murderess row” in Cook County, over a dozen women were waiting sentencing. One woman, Kitty Malm, dubbed by the newspapers…
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