Author: John Goodridge

Can you believe that Bass in the Grass has been running for 22 years? This year’s edition at Darwin’s Mindil Beach on Saturday 17th May has a packed lineup of cracker Australian artists. The list includes Hilltop Hoods, The Amity Affliction, Meg Mac, The Jungle Giants,  3%, Hot Dub Time Machine, Old Mervs, and so…

Once upon a time, Adelaide had the reputation of shutting shop for the winter. However, for the last five years, Illuminate Adelaide has been drawing people out into Adelaide’s chilly mid-winter streets. With a combination of lights, lasers, fires, interactive displays, music, food and dance, the event (or series of events) is a winner in…

Canadian rock duo, Death From Above 1979 released their debut album, You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine, in 2004 but subsequently broke up in 2006. However, the pair reunited in 2011 and are currently touring the album in Australia. We caught their show at Adelaide’s Governor Hindmarsh Hotel. The Aussie warmup band DZ Deathrays need…

By any measure, Bluesfest 2025 was a resounding success. Last year, there was an announcement that this could be the final year of the North Byron Bay event. However, the community rallied to support it, with over 110,00 people attending this year over four days. By the last day, it was announced that tickets were…

Saturday’s Bluesfest hosted a glorious sunny day for the sold out crowd. Thanks to the overwhelming support of this year’s event, it was announced that Bluesfest will continue into 2026, with specially discounted pre-early bird tickets available for sale at the festival. The overall mood is one of celebration of community, with a couple of…

One thing that you can’t control is the weather. With recent heavy rains in northern NSW, many were worried that this year would be another muddy Bluesfest. However, the weather has been glorious for the last week, including the Easter long weekend. With gravel being laid to ensure no muddy patches, festival goers this year…

This year could possibly be the final Bluesfest, but based on the overwhelming support for the Byron Bay festival makes it feel that next year’s event is possible. On opening day, three stages were in operation. Sydney band Velvet Trip opened the Crossroads stage with a psych infused indie rock set that had the crowd…

Anisa Nandaula is in the midst of her first Australian comedy tour entitled You Can’t Say That. She reflects on her journey from Uganda to Rockhampton, where she expected a multicultural paradise, but instead found cows and cultural confusion. We had an opportunity to chat with her and discuss her comedy experience. Hi Anisa. How…

Sydney’s boutique record store, Impressed Recordings are going all out at this Saturday’s Record Store Day in their Woolloomooloo Music Hub. Highlights include an exclusive collaboration with Merch Jungle, in-store performances from Maddy Jane and Loose Content as well as beverages from Heaps Normal.  Merch Jungle is Australia’s leading concert merchandise provider, so expect some…

We’ve just had a quick peek at this year’s Dark Mofo offerings, and they’ve managed to jam in as much if not more as past festivals. The program includes free and ticketed events, including the ever popular Winter Feast as well as the Nude Solstice Swim at dawn on June 21st. Other free events include…

Australian singer-songwriter Matt Corby has collaborated with Tibetan artist Tenzin Choegyal and musician Rohin Jones (The Middle East) to record an album, Snowflower, exploring the healing power of music. The album is recorded in 432 Hz, a therapeutic frequency that aims to reduce anxiety and lower heart rates. The soundscape has spiritual and ritualistic elements,…

Mick Harvey has been a staple of the Australian music scene for many years, working with The Birthday Party and The Bad Seeds as well as artists such as PJ Harvey. He has teamed up with Mexican artist Amanda Acevedo to release an album covering songs from American songwriter Jackson C. Frank. We had a…

Based on the iconic 1992 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act, The Musical launched in Adelaide to an enthusiastic reception.  Everything about this production is big, bold, brash and beautiful. The story is as fresh as when the movie was released. Casey Donovan stars as Deloris Van Cartier, a singer in a club managed by…

“Baddest. Cowboy. Texas.” These are a few words that describe the baddest cowboy in Texas. With the help of director Cecily Nash, Minnesota clown Lil Wenker has created  a laugh a minute comedy journey, in which a Cowboy meets his Nemesis. Bangtail is basically an unbridled hour of controlled clown chaos. Performed in the intimate Gallery…

Charlie Chaplin has long been recognised as a worldwide silent movie icon and is considered one of the film industry’s most important figures. In the theatre comedy show “Smile”, talented artist Marcel Cole brings to life the story of the Little Tramp and the man who created him. The Courtyard of Curiosities is a small…

To sum up Spyhard, suave English agent Antonio Tranderas (Anthony Tran) and the captivating Russian operative Faytasha Romanov (Fay MacFarlane) are caught up in a world of acrobatics and high-flying stunts. As a tribute to the action spy movies from the 80s and 90s, Spyhard ticks all the boxes. The duo, known as Circus Sorbet,…

The Australian Platypus is an unusual animal, seemingly made from disjointed parts that somehow come together to make a creature that is both unique and adorable. The Platypus is a play that uses that creature as its motif and is also an unusual creature that is loveable. Playwright and director Francis Greenslade has compiled a witty…

Can you believe that the legendary Adelaide Beer and BBQ Fest is already 10 years old? To celebrate, we have the inside scoop telling us this year’s event is going to be bigger than ever, with Tim Finn, Wolfmother and The Chats headlining the musical entertainment. The venue has remained the same since 2015, undercover…

The WOMADelaide music and dance festival kept the energy flowing on a hot Sunday evening in the Adelaide parklands. As the day drew to an end, there was simultaneously the driving London dance beats of DJ Paulette and the soothing and mesmerising synthesiser sounds from Nils Frahm at opposite sides of the park. Earlier in…

The warm weather hung around for the second day of WOMADelaide, nestled within the Adelaide Parklands. As the bats had their own dance party over stage 7, on the main stages the music was primed to make you move. Goran Bregović & His Wedding & Funeral Band bought Balkan joy to the stage. Dressed in…

Set  in Adelaide’s leafy botanic gardens, WOMADelaide has a legacy stretching back over 30 years. Bringing the best of world music, arts and dance over the Adelaide Cup long weekend, it is a destination for the faithful. From local bands such as Dojo Rise and Meena De Silva to the incredible voice and stage presence…

Arthur Art Bar is a gritty Fringe venue in the west end of Adelaide that has evolved over the last few years. Formerly a furniture store, it is known for its presentation of alternative and queer performances.  This year for the Fringe, the upstairs rooms, each barely larger than a bedroom have been converted for…

As the audience files into The Flamingo Tent at Gluttony, a Deadpool like voice is making wisecracking commentary. We soon discover that there is indeed a Deadpool character seated amongst the unwitting patrons, and he is just as irreverent as the Marvel movie character. What ensues is essentially Deadpool reading us a naughty bedtime story,…

Beliying her youthful 19 years, singer Emerauld has released a powerful single “In the First Place”. With soaring vocals and a driving backing track, this could be a summer anthem. The Adelaide singer has been releasing music since the age of 14, capturing a spot in Unearthed High Yearbook in 2022 with her track “In…

A voice cries out in the darkness. “You do a lot of crazy things when you’re eighteen. I killed Sharon Tate.” The spotlight shines on the grinning face of Susan Atkins (Helen O’Connor), one of the central protagonists in the infamous Manson murders. “How did we get here?”, she muses and launches immediately into a…

Tom Weil is a magician and mind reader with 20 years of experience. This makes for a satisfying series of gasps and applause from the Adelaide Fringe audience packed into the Kingfisher tent in Gluttony. His particular speciality of mentalism leaves many wondering if, indeed, he can read minds. How did he predict where people…

Prinnie Stevens has been part of the Adelaide Fringe for several years, with her successful Lady Sings the Blues tribute to women in music and as one of the 2024 Fringe Ambassadors. For the 2025 season, in her latest cabaret show, Stevens has bought the music of Tina Turner to life.  The Woodville Town Hall is…

Charlee Watt is barely in her early twenties, yet she has taken a curated selection of Beatles tunes and made them her own. This year, the Adelaide Fringe has increased the number of performance hubs and Plant 4 at Bowden is one of those hubs. Charlee is playing at various venues, but this sunny Saturday…

Strut and Fret company have two shows in the Spiegeltent in Garden of Unearthly Delights this year, Limbo the Return and La Ronde. Both are extravagant ventures into circus, trapeze and aerial performances. Under director Scott Maidment’s keen eye for detail, La Ronde is a spectacular and captivating performance that keeps the energy levels high…

This is the third year for the successful MAHO Magic Bar in the Garden of Unearthly Delights. The room is set up like the magic bars in alleyways in Tokyo. Many of the show’s performers work or even own one of these magic bars, which is what makes the experience so authentic. While waiting for…