Author: Larry Heath

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the AU review’s exclusive Australian chat with Pat Smear of Foo Fighters, The Germs and Nirvana on the SXSW Red Carpet during their 20th Anniversary Film Festival, and a special screening of Dave Grohl’s film Sound City. Pat talks about the film, the Sound City concerts at SXSW and also the latest on the possibility…

From 28th March through 1st April, Byron Bay will host Australia’s largest international festival of Blues and Roots Music that is Bluesfest. Located in Tyagarah Tee Tree Farm, it is the perfect place to hold the Festival and allows 17,500 Festival visitors per day and 6,500 campers over the entire weekend. This year, Bundaberg Brewed…

There aren’t many straightforward, non-Romantic Comedies these days. At least not ones that get a big advertising budget. And generally, when they do, they suffer from juvenile humour, a disappointing, predictable script and scenarios that illicit little more than the occasional giggle. The sorts of movies that cause geniune, belly aching laughter – at least…

It was by pure coincidence that I found myself arriving in Los Angeles on the same day that Dave Grohl’s Sound City Players shut down part of Hollywood Blvd – a privilege normally reserved for a film shoot or the Oscars – to put on a massive, free concert for competition winners and those lucky…

This year at SXSW, we’re taking the time to chat to the directors of the clips officially selected as part of the music video series at the event. Today we hear from Daniel Garcia, the director of the popular Killer Mike video for “Reagan”, which you can view above. What was the first music video…

This week’s featured SXSW artist is the Australian folk artist Vance Joy, who heralds memories of someone like Glen Hansard. Truly soulful sound to his voice, backed by an excellent production, with his latest single “From Afar” no exception. Gives us goosebumps! The track comes off his debut EP God Loves You When You’re Dancing…

Last night, the legendary Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds kicked off the first of three nights at the iconic Sydney Opera House, accompanied by members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra string section and a youth choir from Annandale. The resulting two hour performance was one of such high calibre that this run of shows…

London four piece Deaf Club, one of our favourite new finds here at the AU, are preparing for their first shows in the USA at SXSW (that you better believe we’re going to try and check out). To celebrate, they’re sharing with the world a free download of a four track EP that features the…

This was big. This was bigger than big. This was without question the biggest rock music festival ever to hit Australia. Over 70,000 rock fans made way to Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday for the annual Soundwave Festival, this year headlined by Metallica and featuring a lineup as impressive as any one day event you’d…

In less than a month, the city of Austin, Texas will be throwing open its doors to tens of thousands of music fans, industry officials and musicians for the annual SXSW music festival and conference. Amongst that number are over thirty Australian artists. Over the course of the next couple of weeks we’ll be profiling…

Draped in light and sounding solid for their first Australian gigs in five years, The Morning After Girls returned to Sydney in fine form, supporting the legendary My Bloody Valentine. The set included the phenomenal “The General Public”, the now classic “Shadows Evolve” and “Part of your Nature”. It was a loud set, fitting for…

When Leonard Cohen launched his revival concerts earlier in the decade, his stature ensured he would tour the world with the finest musicians in the industry; the sort who have instruments named after them. But he’s far from the only legend to accumulate such talent. Since the mid-90s, The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr has been…

Upstairs at the recently renovated and reopened, ever-so-popular Newtown Hotel – the latest to join the Keystone Group’s run of venues around Sydney – are two exciting additions to the Newtown nightlife. First, a rooftop cinema, and secondly, a brand new restaurant called The Animal, featuring a fusion of Australian and Greek cuisines. Unlike many…

The brand new video from The Weeknd is for the single “twenty eight”, which was one of three new recordings featured on his Trilogy release (out now through Universal). Directed by Nabil Elderkin (who has worked with Kanye, Bon Iver and Frank Ocean), the beautiful song is accompanied by a NSFW video. In other words,…

You know that moment when you find your new favourite song? This is one of those moments. Big Black Delta is the project of Los Angeles’ Jonathan Bates, who has toured with M83 and is now ready to deliver his own taste of electronic bliss. “Side of the Road” is your favourite song you haven’t…

From one brief look at its poster, you very much know what to expect from Safe Haven, the latest film from Dear John director Lasse Hallström, based on a novel from the author of The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks. Even that sentence will tell you all you need to know, let alone the loving embrace of…

Even though I spent quite a bit of time growing up in the US, American Country music was never something I was raised with. In fact, with the more generic of the genre being all I was exposed to, I did my best to avoid it entirely. It’s only been in recent years through events…

Larry chats to Torquil Campbell and Pat McGee from Canadian band Stars while on their third trip to Australia. Recorded yesterday at the Factory Theatre just before they hit the stage on their first of four Australian shows! REMAINING TOUR DATES: The Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC February 10, 2013 The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD February 11,…

Larry Heath talks to Scott Hamilton, newly appointed General Manager of Guvera, an online music and streaming service, about competition, growth and constant challenges faced in the mobile music market. You’ve come into this position as GM of Guvera quite recently, What’s your background? I’ve been in this position a week, I came in last…

We’re proud to premiere the brand new track from QLD’s Wax Watches – the solo project of Alex Wall from Bleeding Knees Club. If you’re a fan of BKC, you’ll feel right at home here with the single “Nightmares”, which was recorded in Wall’s bedroom, and features Wall on all instruments. This is the case…

Michael Badger (Vocals/Guitar) and Troy Ramaekers (Drums) of Melbourne’s psychedelic group The Demon Parade talk about the current tour for their latest EP Chameleon with the AU review. VIDEO CREDITS: Interview: Larry Heath Camera/Edit: Nathan Atkins This interview was recorded at the Brighton Up Bar in Sydney. More Interviews! Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/user/theaureview

This past week in the US marked the end of yet another fantastic series, 30 Rock, which finished up its 7th season with a fantastic series finale – ahead of the premiere of Community next week for its final season! Ah, it’s the end of an era. We thought we’d take a moment and commemorate…

Far from the laneways it originated in, the boutique St Jerome’s Laneway Festival is now a three country, seven city touring juggernaut, with huge crowds and unthinkable logistics. And though it still attracts the fringe acts that gave it its idealic indie reputation in its early days, it also attracts (or, rather, predicts) bands who…