Ten years ago, New Zealand’s The Naked and Famous were getting ready to release their debut album, Passive Me, Aggressive You. It had no less than four singles, “All of This”, “Young Blood”, “Punching in a Dream” and “Girls Like You”, with “Young Blood” hitting number one on the New Zealand charts. It achieved critical…
Read More
I’ve been stalking World’s End Press since I saw them open for The Night Terrors at the John Curtin many moons ago. They were dressed in sports attire and put on one of the funnest live shows I’ve ever seen. Fast forward three years to the hipster party Plus One in the City of Churches,…
Read More
Winter is a harsh beauty. She leaves the world stripped bare; naked, vulnerable and cold. Fortunately Melbourne based artist Dan Parsons has a remedy to keep the seasonal blues at bay with the release of his self-titled second album which boasts 10 tracks that are as warm and comforting as a lovers embrace. The sound…
Read More
There are many words one could use to describe an artist as compelling as Kirin J Callinan. The terms ‘controversial’ and ‘confronting’ seem to get thrown around a lot and after watching his show at Jive on Friday night I’m going to go with chameleon. Last time I saw Callinan he was playing to a…
Read More
After 10 days of live music, art installations and plenty of wine and gourmet dining it was time to say goodbye to Dark MOFO with a massive free party along the waterfront which the entire city of Hobart could enjoy. The Winter Feast was a definite highlight with a vast array of local produce on…
Read More
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Satan were a hipster and threw a party in an old theatre? Well the intrigue is over as the Dark MOFO night garden was all that and more with its sensual sensory overload that did make me take pause and question what exactly was in…
Read More
Do you remember when The Presidents of the United States of America took over the world with their self titled debut record back in 1995? I was ten years old when I saw the clip for ‘Lump’ on Rage and instantly fell in love with the band and their ridiculous punk tunes and bassitars. All…
Read More
When I expressed a desire to see Brisbane based band Gung Ho last month I was unemployed and suffering from a severe case of post holiday blues with nothing but spare time with a need for free entertainment. By the time the 22nd had finally rolled around I’d just finished my first week of full…
Read More
Adelaide got some loving from the Sugar Mountain Festival sideshows with New Yorkers Woods putting on a grand performance at the hipster art space; Format. I descended the stairs into the pungent, sweltering basement midway through the Wild Oats set and was immediately put at ease by their beguiling tunes. The three-piece know their way…
Read More
I struggle with the indie music scene in the 21st century; mainly because it’s all starting to look and sound the same and I can’t for the life of me distinguish between one skinny jeaned, Jenny Kee jumper wearer and their synths from the next. Not everyone can write thirty minute mind blowing epics like…
Read More
Father John Misty played an impassioned set at the Corner Hotel last Saturday, with a great assortment of local folk/pop acts, it was a night to remember. It must be disheartening to be a support act and play to a nearly empty room, particularly when you’re as talented as ex-Snowman member Joe McKee. The man…
Read More
Howler were everything you’d expect from a bunch of boys who play American surf/garage rock – nonchalant, hip and way too cool for school. Their set started slow, opening with “Beach Sluts” there was an air of despondency about them and there was no energy in their delivery. Fortunately they improved quickly and the mandatory…
Read More
Opening the evening was a man and his polymba (Google that one if you don’t know what it is). Mick Stuart had a pleasant demeanour, but after the novelty of watching him play the instrument had worn off, I quickly grew tired of what seemed like one incredibly long song being played out onstage. Fortunately,…
Read More
The Night Terrors mesmerised the audience for a brief but exciting set that lasted forty minutes. They took over The Toff In Town to launch their new 12” Monster/Lasers For Eyes that’s taken from their forthcoming sophomore LP. Opening for them however was Forces, a hardcore Eurotrash band, whose live show is made for the…
Read More
Warming the stage was local duo Udays Tiger who are a ‘coupla blokes’ that play grunge infused punk with a venomous fury. Live their music is like an untamed beast, gnashing its teeth with an unruly passion and ripping the bandroom to shreds with the sheer ferocity of its approach. Devin De Araujo and Nathan…
Read More
Image from Black Bear Lodge. I’ve been enamoured with the work of Kirin J Callinan since I first encountered him playing with Mercy Arms at the Northcote Social Club back in 2007. His solo compositions are of course vastly different from their sound and I’m still not entirely sure what the fuck it was I…
Read More
When I was 13 my Dad gave me $20 to spend during a day out at the Salamanca markets. I quickly pocketed the cash and once our father-daughter bonding was complete I rushed to the record store as I had a big decision to make. $20 was enough to buy one CD and I’d been…
Read More
It’s incredibly sad to see the Phoenix Public House closing its doors this week. The venue quickly established itself as a powerhouse of live music in the north and in its short life span has played host to a plethora of amazing gigs and has been responsible for many raucous nights, bad dancing, painful hangovers…
Read More
I love the variety of acts one encounters in the Workers Club bandroom. In the span of one evening you can take in some jangly lo-fi indie, white boy rap and experimental synth pop. Kicking off the party was Cat Cat whose LP Uralba has been on high rotation on my stereo all year. The…
Read More
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with The Dandy Warhols since I saw the film clip for “Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth” on Rage when I was twelve. That clip was the perfect blend of arty flamboyance and the ridiculous excesses that fame brings – which is a fitting metaphor for the…
Read More
Locals I, A Man have a good sound and their sweeping, spectral arrangements are incredibly dreamy live. Opening with “Five Four” from their latest EP You’re Boring Us All the band immediately got the crowd’s attention with the ambient beauty of their music. I, A Man definitely aren’t show ponies with the four piece possessing…
Read More
I’m a recent convert to the work of Shara Worden who is better known as My Brightest Diamond and while I’d heard rumour of her live performance spectaculars I was not fully prepared for the insane levels of awesome that ensued during her show, nor do I feel adept to be writing this review as…
Read More
The folk at Modular records sure know how to throw a party and with a triple threat line-up that good it was disheartening to see the bandroom barely at half capacity. In spite of the poor showing Jonathan Boulet and co. put on a fantastic performance. Showcasing new material from their forthcoming LP We Keep…
Read More
Local songstress Siobhan pulled in quite the crowd of family and friends to launch her debut LP Soldier Heart. Opening with “Don’t Take Her Heart If You’re Going To Let Her Down” it was clear from the onset that nerves were getting the better of the young band with Siobhan’s vocals meandering and the harmonies…
Read More
Walking into the venue to have my ears assaulted by a punk cover of Dido wasn’t the best introduction to Sydney based group Chicks Who Love Guns. The band of larrikins seemed to have some hardcore groupies in the crowd, and to their credit they had a fun presence, but their music was not to…
Read More
Kicking off the proceedings were local lads Royston Vasie who play generic pub rock with no strings and their set was pleasantly middle of the road. They were one of those bands who you listen to and instantly start picking apart their plethora of obvious influences, which in their case range from The Dandy Warhols…
Read More
I’m going to preface this review with a disclaimer regarding my own personal ambivalence toward the metal genre – I do not understand metal/hardcore music, I don’t emotionally engage with it and nor can I distinguish one artist from the next, as such Staind‘s set (pictured above) didn’t do much for me. This said, Aaron…
Read More
It was a night of bitter sweet sentiments as punters flocked to the East in droves to enjoy one last drink at Brunswick’s best live music venue. The atmosphere was electric as the beers flowed and the revellers got loose, determined to make the final night at the East bandroom one of the best of…
Read More
It was a stifling night in Melbourne, and the revellers were out in force, making quick work of the bar service in an attempt to stave off the unrelenting heat. While the general dick-headed behaviour of the heavily intoxicated punters was unpleasant, unfortunately, the music was too. This was due largely to the atrocious sound…
Read More