To have the opportunity to see a great like Ray Davies is not something that comes around too often – let alone in a room with a capacity of around 1,000 people, and supported by the great band The 88. So it was to this showcase I headed to half-way through The Soft Pack’s set…
Friday brought with it one of the craziest days in my role as a journalist. I took care of many of the interviews you’ll soon be reading and watching on the AU review. Thankfully, it also happened to be stunningly beautiful weather. I began the day sitting down with An Horse by the beautiful Austin river, as…
Nestled away in the hippest place in LA – Silverlake – is a little concert hall called The Echo, where on March 14th, 3 days before the start of SXSW, much of the Aussie contingency came together for the LA Aussie BBQ – 9 Hours. 1 Stage. 13 Bands. 10 Minute Changeovers. Now in its…
Future Music Festival. A day synonymous with fluro-wearing hipsters dancing off their drug intakes on a racecourse. But it turns out it’s a pretty fun day, too! Well, that’s once you actually get into the venue. By the time I arrived at Central, lined up for the bus to get to the venue, gotten to…
Very few bands enjoy the luxury of success from first international single – so much success, in fact, that they would find that first single, the still stellar “Take Me Out”, hit the top of the charts and even the number one spot on the Hottest 100. Some 6 years and 3 albums later, Franz…
Following on from many years of supporting local music from afar – showcasing Aussie bands to US audiences in conjunction with SXSW – the Aussie BBQ has made its local debut, first in Melbourne last week, and now, finally, in Sydney. It was an immediate pity that the show couldn’t have been on a non-work/school…
It’s a rare occasion to be greeted to legends of hip hop in one of the smaller clubs in town. Sure, it might happen overseas, but not so much in Australia. Thankfully, thanks to the launch of Bitch Beer at the Trademark Hotel, the rarity occurred, with Naughty By Nature hitting the stage to a…
As I entered ANZ Stadium on this hot summer afternoon with Wolfmother appearing in the breeze, I couldn’t help but feel giddy about the show I was about to witness. When it comes to the legends of Rock n’ Roll, there is none that Australians holds dearer to their hearts. All the while, they’re pretty much…
If there were ever an odd choice for the opening act at a Janes Addiction concert, I think Rolo Tomassi would have to take the crown. It was the sort of “screamo” that I really can’t stand. But the irony is that the music behind the screams was actually quite good. They were a talented…
Folk rock (with an extra injection of country flair) is certainly hot property in Australia. Mumford & Sons took out the Hottest 100, The Proclaimers just dominated Australia, touring alongside the B52s, Dropkick Murphys gain more fans by the day (“I’m Shipping Up to Boston” became an AFL song last year, strangely enough) and locally…
Not since Franz Ferdinand, have a band made such an impact with their first ever single, that they’ve stormed right to the top of the Hottest 100 – and now only Susan Boyle can keep them from the top of the ARIA charts! Yes indeed, the London based lads that are Mumford & Sons have…
Performing up to 150 shows annually, The Beach Boys remain one of the hardest working groups in show business – but tonight was the first time they’d ever played the Sydney Opera House – as they joked – “it may have taken us 50 years to play this beautiful venue – but it hasn’t even…
It’s been a few years since I last attended the Sydney Laneway festival. As impressive as the lineups always are, I’d been content with their sideshows, knowing the negative attributes of the original venue. Having to line up for the Basement, noise restrictions making hearing bands on the main stage difficult (already made much the…
As I sit down to write this review, I’m reading a newspaper article on Rogue’s Gallery, comprised almost entirely of reactions to the show from Twitter. Many of which seemed to be negative, and thus they argue: Sydney was outraged by the show! Since when did out-of-context comments on Twitter become a voice of authority?…
When it comes to “supergroups”, let’s face it: the majority have been disappointing at best. But then again, none of them had the calibre of talent that Them Crooked Vultures has at its disposal. On drums, the legendary Dave Grohl (tonight playing in the same venue he played with Nirvana back in 1992). On guitar…
I’ve done 5 days of Bluesfest, the two and a bit days of Splendour – I even did 2 V Festivals one year. I’ve done 8 consecutive nights of live music. But going to 2 Big Day Outs in a row, in Sydney, on the two hottest days of the year – I don’t think…
First up were Sydney’s own Bridezilla – or as Colin “Grizzly” Meloy, Decemberists unshaven frontman, called them – our local heroes! And indeed they are, continuing to impress crowds wherever they pop up… which seems to be just about everywhere at the moment, keeping the girls (and boy) very busy no doubt. We’ve spent plenty…
Big Day Out 2010, here we come. In contrast to pleasant cloudy weather at last year’s event, it is so hot today you could practically cook eggs in the sunrays (cue plenty of exposed flesh, Southern Cross tatts, silly sombreros etc in the crowd) by the time we arrive on the Gold Coast – so…
Heralding all the way from Mali, Vieux Farka Touré headlined Beck’s Festival Bar on Friday night for his first ever Sydney performance, carrying on the legacy of his father, Ali Farka Touré, while being a highly respected musician in his own right. First up was Dan Sultan and band, who has been dubbed “the black Elvis” by fellow performer Clare…
It’s day 5 of Sydney Festival, and the first round of artists are coming to an end. Tonight marked the final performance in the Spiegeltent of Montreal’s Patrick Watson, who went on to play at Beck’s Festival Bar (replacing The Middle East and supporting Grizzly Bear) for his final Sydney gig – and we were…
The following is one review where no amount of hyperbole will do true justice to the overwhelming feeling that comes from experiencing a live event such as this. Tonight, Grizzly Bear brought Sydney to its emotional knees in an evening of beautiful intensity that is so rarely found live – especially in a unique setting…
I love Karen O. There is no denying that she’s the queen of cool in the world of music today. And tonight she was back to prove to Sydney why – playing to a sell out crowd at the Hordern Pavillion – their largest show in the city to date. But first up were Sydney’s…
After an incredibly hectic (but fun) 2009, the Sydney Festival organisers took a step back for their third Festival First Night: going for quality, not quantity – getting rid of the Fuzzy stage, spreading out the stages at Martin Place, and giving the City of Sydney a night it won’t soon forget. For me, the majority of…
Chairlift and The Phenomenal Handclap Band are two artists who have had a very interesting 2009. Underground hits in their home state of New York, the bands quickly reached international airwaves with singles “Bruises” (as featured in an Apple ad campaign) and “15 to 20”, respectively. And now, riding the successes of each, they’re jet…
They’ve been keeping quiet for some time now, but Sydney outfit The Holidays are well and truly back for our listening pleasure. With 2 EPs under their belt, a shitload of touring behind them, and new single “Moonlight Hours” receiving a good amount of airtime, The Holidays are finally ready to launch into a territory…
Its been a while since Editors were last on Australian shores, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them back (and for this reviewer, it’s my first experience with the Birmingham based group… so I must say I was ever the more excited). But first up were Melbourne duo Big Scary – a band…
As Andrew Bird told the just about sold out crowd that “it’s not every day you get to play in a venue that’s also an international icon” – I was reminded just how special a venue the Sydney Opera House is, and how lucky we are to not only have the venue in our vicinity,…
As I rolled out of bed yesterday morning, complete with a throbbing headache and an innate desire to remain in bed for at least another 24 hours, I peaked out the window to see clouds looming over the city. As with any hangover, not a great way to start the day. Little was I to…
As 2009 draws to an end, Jet have been chosen by Kia Soul’s Live at the Chapel to close out their 2009 season – which saw appearances from the likes of Lady Gaga and John Mayer. Some may question this choice based on the band’s recent notes – but while Shaka Rock appeared on many “Worst…
There are few gigs these days that get me truly excited – I’m sort of at that point now where 90% of the bands who I’ve loved over the years; I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to experience them live. But much like Radiohead, Animal Collective have remained an elusive beast, with whom I’ve hungered a meal….
