Author: Larry Heath

Day three of Canadian Music Week got off to a reasonably slow start as we enjoyed one of the few sleep-ins of our trip, ahead of our usual slog of interviews and meetings. As we ran from one place to the next, however, I did manage to catch a couple of bands… albeit briefly. First…

One of the mainstays of the SXSW festival is the Fader Fort. Held just outside the centre of all the action, the Fort has been home to hundreds of performances over the years, in front of just about anyone who has a computer and can RSVP. With the walk to the event always seeming a…

In 2011, the Music portion of SXSW was extended a day to cross over with the final day the interactive event. This now gives Film, Music and Interactive badge holders the opportunity to check out the wares of one and other, as the Interactive badges show their signs of fatigue, giving Music badges a glimpse…

The trip to SXSW is always fraught with adventure, and this year was no different. Flying into Los Angeles on Friday afternoon – and arriving earlier that morning thanks to the wonders of the international date line – we hit the ground running and enjoyed the spoils of the Universal Studios to keep ourselves from…

When Bruce Springsteen was announced as the keynote speaker for the 2012 SXSW music conference in Austin, Texas, the addition of a one off, intimate show was inevitable. Not only was this added, but tonight, in front of two thousand or so lucky fans at ACL Live, he brought his sixteen piece E-Street Band along…

Andrew Wade: SXSW has rapidly become my favorite event of the year. Travel, free booze, music, free booze, partying, good friends and… free booze. There’s also a massive opportunity to meet and watch some of the best musicians and groups in the world today. Here are my highlights for the 2012 event; I’ll be endeavoring…

As I sit in Los Angeles, on my way to SXSW, the Future Music Festival is making its way around Australia. Thankfully, just before I departed (in dates that continue), those in Sydney and Melbourne were provided with a plethora of sideshows to choose from. On Thursday night in Sydney, in advance of their appearance…

We caught up with The Cairos to talk about their new single “Shame”, tour life and much more! About the tour, you guys just played your first show the other night, then had a massive drive to Sydney from Brisbane. Tell me a bit about the adventure so far? Their pretty standard adventures. We’ve done…

We caught up with Toby Leaman of Dr. Dog to have a chat about the new album Be The Void, touring and much more! How are you going there? Yeah, really well. Where abouts are you at the moment? I’m at my house in Delaware. How has the year been treating you so far? You’re…

In a track which is perhaps already a bit of an ode to the Beastie Boys, Brisbane it-kids DZ Deathrays are now citing Paul Simon as an influence in their new video for “No Sleep”. They’ve enlisted the help of the one and only Arj Barker to perform a bit of a parody of “You…

Some bands should need no introduction, but unfortunately Atlanta, Georgia’s Manchester Orchestra still do. The band whose three studio albums and six EPs have made them a household name amongst critics around the world, still have yet to crack it into most households elsewhere. And with tonight (re)confirming my suspicions that they’re also a phenomenal…

There’s something quite understated about Will Oldman, aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy‘s, eccentric talent, and a packed out Sydney Opera House got the opportunity to experience this first hand on Monday night with a spellbinding show with his backing band The Cairo Gang. Complete with beautiful three part harmonies, the vocals of Angel Olsen, guitars and…

We’re big fans of Passenger here at the AU review, and with the release of his new video “The Wrong Direction”, we’ve been reminded why. The video features some great animation and plenty of running in the wrong direction. Enjoy!

Great video, or greatest video? Bluejuice pay homage to the great karaoke videos of living memory in a video of “On My Own”, directed by Samuel Bennetts. The track is taken from the album Company, out now. It’s tops. Enjoy. Check out tour dates for the band here: http://www.bluejuice.info/

I have to admit that Arcade Fire are without a doubt one of my favourite bands. So I jumped for joy when I heard about a new song being released online today, for the upcoming film The Hunger Games, which features an inspired soundtrack from artists like Kid Cudi, Taylor Swift and The Decemberists. A…

Some unfortunate news to those who had planned a weekend away to the sixth Playground Weekender. Following the advice of NSW State Emergency Service, the festival has been asked to cancel its event with the following: “New South Wales State Emergency Service (NSWES) directs the Playground Weekender boutique music festival be cancelled under the State…

The juggernaut that is Soundwave is here yet again, returning to Sydney’s Showgrounds for the second year running. With a year to get themselves ready (you may recall the festival’s move from Blacktown to Olympic Park was a rather last minute affair in 2011), the festival provided punters with an inspired new layout, jam packed…

Townsville native Kate Martin will be releasing her sophomore album, Hand Me My Bow And Arrow, on March 23, 2012 through Shock Records. Today we bring you the exclusive video premiere of the fantastic second single for the album “Candle Burnin’, Wax Drippin’” Enjoy!

Larry Heath caught up with Sierra of VersaEmerge ahead of the band joining the Soundwave tour to chat about new material, ‘Santa Baby’ and much more! Transcription by Daniel Patrick. Where am I chatting to you from? I’m in St Petersburg Florida – good ol’ town that I grew up in. Just hanging out. You’ve…

We caught up with The Dead Leaves to talk about their debut album, Peats Ridge Festival and much more! How are you going guys? Yeah, we’re really good. We’re here to talk about your debut album, which comes out next month. How long ago now did you finish the record? We started early January, so…

Larry Heath talks to former The Masters Apprentices front man Jim Keays about his new record. We’re here to talk about the new record, Dirty Dirty We are. Have you heard it? I have. I jammed out the first half this morning, played it very loud. Good. That’s how it should be played. Loud and…

More than 100 music venues from around the country will celebrate Australia’s thriving live music scene at National Slam Day on February 23rd 2012. The day comes exactly two years after 20,000 passionate music fans marched down Melbourne’s Swanston Street for the inaugural SLAM Day in response to crippling Victorian liquor licensing laws, creating the…

As the rain poured and the lightning could be seen in the distance, the winners of the 20th Anniversary of Tropfest were announced by an impressive group of judges that included Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush and Toni Collette. Winning the competition was “Lemonade Stand”, by Director Alethea Jones of Melbourne. Coming in second…

If you loved The Beta Band, you won’t be able to get enough of one of the most catchy tunes floating around at the moment: “Default” by Django Django – a band from Edinburgh that just so happens to be helmed by David Maclean, the younger brother of Beta Band’s John Maclean. Not so much…

One of our favourite bands here at the AU review is Oh Ye Denver Birds, and they’ve just announced that their debut album Good Ivy – will be available for online purchase on March 20th through Inertia. Exciting stuff! In celebration of this, they have made their opening track “Sea Other” available for online streaming…

Aussie rockers Faker have been added to Movie Extra Tropfest’s line-up of free entertainment, which also includes an afternoon performance by 2009 Tropscore winner Pluto Jonze, a giant bungee trampoline, photo booths, bucket loads of free things to take home, and of course world class short films on Sunday 19 February in Sydney’s Domain. Bring…

The new music video from Zulu Winter – “We Should Be Swimming” – has recently dropped and we have it for you here on the AU! The UK group have been making huge waves of late, supporting Friendly Fires in the UK recently, and they will soon head to the States for a trip that…

Ahead of their Australian tour as part of Soundwave, Larry Heath caught up with Switchfoot drummer Chad Butler while he was home in San Diego to chat about the tour, the latest record, How’s the weather (in San Diego) this time of year? Oh yeah, it’s a good thing to be home. There’s good waves,…

Following the release of her latest record Queen of the Minor Key, Alt Country Chanteuse Eilen Jewell has announced tour dates in Australia to accompany her previously announced appearance at the Byron Bay Bluesfest in April. Eilen will be accompanied by her regular touring band of guitarist Jerry Miller, drummer Jason Beek, and upright bassist…