Live Reviews

I first saw Graveyard Train on Spicks and Specks, performing cover songs in their own unique style. I was enthralled then by their swampy, gritty country sound. With their double bass, harmonica, carnivalesque banjo, steal guitar, a coffin-shaped washboard and a hammer and chain, they are one of the most exciting bands to come out…

The second day of our time at the festival was full of new discoveries – and where better than New Orleans to discover something outside of your usual musical experiences? And today as Jazz Fest went live on YouTube, we hope a fair few of you were able to enjoy the festival and discover a…

Talk about being a long way from home. It has been a matter of circumstance that has led to me heading to New Orleans (or, “Nawlins”, as it’s affectionately known) this year for my first ever Jazz Fest. A city which continues to recover from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina in the outlying areas, here…

Curated by the one and only Hoodoo Gurus, Sydney’s Dig It Up! festival – which took over four venues in Enmore – proved that if you create a one off experience with an inspired lineup, the people will come in their droves. And with lines around the corner on arrival (the only line I’d see…

Enchanting British songstress Imogen Heap returned to our shores after only a year has passed, to play at an intimate show for her Adelaide fans. With her last album Ellipse having been released two years ago and new songs in the works, I am anticipating an exciting show from this renowned eclectic and creative performer….

Georgia Fields is generating what we silly gig reviewers like to blurt out as a buzz in the music industry. A sold out crowd probably isn’t a buzz however, it’s more a sound that can align itself with infatuation. Georgia appears on stage in a beautiful gold skirt and colourful implements in her hair –…

Sunday saw the return of the West Coast Blues and Roots Festival to Fremantle Park. Now in its ninth year, the festival produced a diverse line up, full of local, national and international talent. Despite the ominous rain clouds at the beginning of the day, the event went ahead with only a slight shower of…

The day got rolling with a few interviews and a pop into the Dorito’s Stage, which was essentially a massive faux vending machine that was turned into a live stage, in celebration of their new brand of chips. Such was just one of the many branded events on site, but most definitely was the most…

Saturday kicked off as it has every year for me at SXSW, with The Aussie BBQ day party. Now in it’s tenth year, the showcase (something of a rite of passage for Australian bands looking to make it overseas) is comprised of the best of Australian talent – along with a few expats. Here, they…

After the manic week that was SXSW, it would be fair to say that the idea of going to another festival was nothing short of horrifying. But after a couple of nights in Vegas, and enough sleep to return some energy levels (along with the attendance of David Copperfield), we once again hit the ground…

Aussies are always well represented at Canadian Music Week and this year was no exception. The last two days of the festival ended on a particularly Australian focused high with The Aussie BBQ, The Indies (headlined by Passion Pit, and seeing Gotye winning an award) and Melbourne’s The Temper Trap closing the festival out with…

Unlike my first night at Canadian Music Week, tonight was all going to focus on one venue: El Mocambo, for what became one of the best showcases of music I saw the entire trip. But more on that later. First it’s important to mention that today I saw the first and only talk I was…

The third official day of SXSW music was jam packed full of parties. In between interviews and meetings I tried to pop into as many as I could. I checked out the Sounds from Spain party though couldn’t tell you what I saw, meanwhile at the Taiwan Party I enjoyed a “Woo Hoo” sort of…

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…

Wednesday night saw The Bakery play host to one of the world’s latest soul sensations, Charles Bradley. Backed by His Extraordinaires, Bradley put on an impressive show, and one, which will surely stick in the memory for quite some time. DJ Charlie Bucket warmed up the crowd, with a few choice selections, including the odd…

Annie Clark AKA St. Vincent brought her sweet voice and ripping guitar riffs to the Melbourne Hi-Fi Bar in impressive fashion. Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! were a very nice surprise for the support act. The Adelaide natives put on an apt performance of some of their latest material that the crowd lapped up and then…

I, like many of you, have had my doubts about attending Future Music Festival. A festival noted for having crowds of shirtless meatheads, ripe with Southern Cross tattoos, of girls with shorts so short and shirts so non-existent that you think they’d have had to have sent their dads comatose just so they could leave…

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…

Being the progeny of influential songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen would no doubt have one draw back; how do you live up to expectations? Judging by the size of the turn out for Canadian musician Adam Cohen’s one-night-only Adelaide Fringe performance on Thursday, and the enthusiasm of the crowd, Cohen clearly has a following of…

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…

The second last night of music at the East Brunswick club was an occasion to remember and celebrate. A snippet of a little reminder on the men’s bathroom door was very to the point: “I hope the new owners go financially bankrupt. While it was probable that piece of graffiti was going to be wiped…

Walking into a sparse East Brunswick room to be greeted by a trio playing fairly uncomplicated songs wasn’t too bad in a way. Velcro provided a simple set of songs which set a semi-suburban scene. Maybe the sun should have been streaming in, as we enjoyed these three minute pop songs. They were kind of…

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…

Now I can’t say I know a huge amount about Jazz. Most of what I know I picked up from writing about Jack Kerouac and his jazz influences at university. Other than that my knowledge of jazz extends to a few of the big names, the likes of Count Basie, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and…

In the middle of the courtyard there is a wooden dining room table, with four chairs. The lights dim, and from the four corners of the courtyard four men dressed in black make their way to the table and each take a seat. The lights raise again. A somewhat incongruous and misleadingly simple start to…

Last weekend, the Laneway Festival tour completed its last Australian leg with a stop at Perth. With a stellar line-up and perfect weather, the festival cemented its position as one of the best festivals in the country right now. It was a laid back and chilled out affair, with top quality performances, and none of…

What is MIDEM, you may ask? Well, literally it stands for Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale… though in our own words, it’s the world’s largest music industry trade show. Taking place each year in Cannes (France), it’s an opportunity for all music key players, businesses, start-ups and new technologies to meet and…