Madison Beer has spent much of her career being underestimated, written off as an influencer-adjacent pop star, praised faintly for singles but rarely credited for her artistry as a whole. Locket, her third album, should finally put that misconception to rest. It’s a deeply introspective, emotionally cohesive body of work that rewards close listening, offering…
The authentic 90s hip hop sound is at its most powerful when De La Soul are on the mic. Ever since their classic debut, 3 Feet High and Rising, three eccentric jazz rap purveyors have been a guiding force in discussions on what’s real and what isn’t in the world of hip hop. De La…
ARMY! Do we have news for you. Back in 2014, we were lucky to get Australia’s first interview with the K-Pop group who became a sensation around the world, BTS. And now for the first time since 2022, the group are back and ready to tour the world through 2026 and 2027 across 34 regions…
Last month, I had the privilege of sitting down in Tokyo, Japan with Orono from Superorganism, and her Dad – the namesake of her new project Nose Noise‘s 2025 LP TOM. Orono and I last formally sat down back in 2018 while they were on ground at The Great Escape in the UK, ahead of…
When J.Lo arrived at the turn of the millennium, Jennifer Lopez was already famous – but fame and longevity are not the same thing. Released as her sophomore album, J.Lo carried a weighty question: was Lopez a genuine pop force, or merely a celebrity moment stretched into a record deal? Twenty-five years later, the answer…
When Willa Ford announced amanda, her first album in over two decades, it didn’t arrive with the bombast typically expected of a pop comeback. There was no algorithm-chasing single, no irony-soaked Y2K cosplay, no attempt to rewrite history as if the last 25 years hadn’t happened. Instead, what she offered was something far rarer in…
If Britney Spears were to perform in Australia, these are the stages that would make sense. When Britney Spears recently captioned an Instagram post with the words “I will never perform in the U.S. again…but I hope to be sitting on a stool…performing with my son…in the UK and AUSTRALIA very soon,” it was inevitable…
Turnstile played to a sold out all ages show at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion and this gig could already go down as “gig of the year” and it’s only January. From Never Enough to the final song Birds the fans matched the full on energy of Turnstile, crowd surfing, circle pits, and going totally off! Supported…
We might be one week into the year, but there’s every chance we’ve already seen the set of the year, in the form of Turnstile at their Hordern Pavilion headline show. Yes, it’s a big call considering there’s a plethora of festivals ahead of us, a multitude of announced and unannounced tours coming our way,…
At just 24, James Barry already sounds like an artist who’s lived a few musical lifetimes. Releasing music under his indie project link3 since late 2022, Barry’s journey has been shaped by instinct, curiosity and a very clear vision, rooted in a self-described ‘slowcore revival’. Growing up in Australia, he gravitated towards the quiet intensity…
Returning to the country for the first time in three and half years, Joy Crookes took to Sydney’s Enmore Theatre stage to deliver a smooth, sultry and genuinely funny set in support of her second album Juniper. In town performing on a selection of new year’s festivals, the English artist was in fine form as…
London singer-songwriter Joy Crookes performed for the first time in Sydney in over three years at the Enmore Theatre, playing songs off her critically acclaimed 2025 album Juniper and debut album Skin. Her songs draw from smoky jazz phrasing and soul tradition with cool beats and basslines. A star on the rise. Supported perfectly by…
Underworld may be the biggest name on the lineup for a new Carriageworks live series, simply called The Works, but make no mistake about it: the headline is intelligent curation and the art institution’s wondrously well-suited warehouse. Over the next few weeks, Carriageworks will kick the new year off with a series of classic warehouse…
The wind, music and good times were at an all-time high on the fourth and final day of Beyond The Valley 2025. The Day 3 fatigue was shaken off with attendees eager to get back into high spirits and ring in the New Year in the best way possible. It was a much cooler day,…
Beyond The Valley Day 3 arrived with a noticeable and welcome shift in pace and temperature, which was exactly what the festival needed. After the chaos and intensity of Day 2, Tuesday felt like a collective exhale. Attendees were obviously still keen on partying like there’s no tomorrow, but there was a calmer, more…
Day 2 of Beyond The Valley came and went in a hot, dusty haze. Most of this week is a haze, really- that odd time between Christmas and New Years when you have no clue what day it even is. Except this time, it’s filled with live music, great food and the best vibes. The…
Between continents, contracts, and curtain calls, Barry Conrad has found himself standing at the threshold of a bold new chapter. In the space of just a few months, he went from rehearsal rooms in Australia to stepping into New York for meetings – landing in time to attend the Tony Awards the very next day…
The end of the year is nigh, and the Australian summer sun has finally decided to make an appearance, just in time for Beyond The Valley to kick off today. Day one was off to a cracking start with tops of 28 degrees and a gentle, cool breeze. This is my first year attending the…
The Last Dinner Party have spent the past year accelerating from London newcomers to one of the most talked-about bands in contemporary guitar music. Their debut album, Prelude To Ecstasy, announced the all-female five-piece with grandeur, pairing sharp songwriting and theatrical vocals with a baroque-inspired visual identity that felt fully formed from the outset. Their breakout…
Earlier this morning, an announcement was shared via the Biffy Clyro social media accounts that bassist James Johnston would not be joining the band on the upcoming tours. The message, from James, shared the news that he has been struggling with mental health problems, which have led to addiction issues. Deciding to address the problems…
After more than two years since playing in their home country, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s orchestral set at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday felt huge, immersive and made for the space. Joined by 29 players of Orchestra Victoria and led by conductor/musical director Chad Kelly, the band stretched tracks from Phantom…
Garbage played at the iconic Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on the last show of their Australian tour. The alt-rock veterans delivered a set with tension and precision. Shirley Manson was magnetic, her voice still cutting deep on “I Think I’m Paranoid” and “Stupid Girl”. Garbage’s sound was perfectly amplified around the Concert Hall with…
The over-the-top beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake that dominated pop culture last year is still paying dividends for at least one of its participants. Following his viral Super Bowl performance, which centred around Kendrick’s now-signature Drake diss “Not Like Us”, the Compton emcee’s star has puffed right into the stratosphere. He now commands some…
Sofia Isella on her YOU’LL UNDERSTAND, DICK tour performed at The Roundhouse UNSW to an ecstatic Sydney audience. Isella’s musicality is even more striking in person. She shifts between violin, keys, and guitar with the focused ease of someone who grew up treating instruments like extra limbs. She has a tender connection with her fans,…
With Christmas now very nearly upon us, we’ve added another ten fresh tracks for our Discovery Playlist, available on Spotify and Apple Music — including one premiere from earlier in the week. Our track of the week is “Retaliate” from Cry Club. A ferocious burst of electro-punk energy, “Retaliate” finds Cry Club in full fight…
Lewis Capaldi played to a sold-out Melbourne crowd at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, 10 December, as his world tour finally saw him gracing Australian shores for the first time in five years. With the release of his album Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent in 2023, Capaldi had plans to play in Australia…
Lewis Capaldi’s Melbourne show last night was purely him; loud, warm and a little bit unhinged in the best way. The crowd was right there with him through the jokes, the big sing-alongs and the heavier moments, with “Someone You Loved” and “Before You Go” hitting exactly as they should. You can read more about…
London indie rock outfit Bar Italia played a killer set at Sydney’s Metro Theatre performing songs off their most recent release Some Like It Hot and early releases. Made up of Jezmi Fehmi, Sam Fenton, and Italian born Nina Cristante their music blends post-punk tension with classic indie rock. Supported brilliantly by experimental genre-fluid band…
When asked how to describe the Meredith Music Festival, my camping neighbour, Phoebe, told me it could be summed up in one word: “collaboration.” Examples abound: Campers negotiating space and interacting with their neighbours. Jostling for prime couch position on the banks of the Amphitheatre Supernaturale. Improved wi-fi access at the Meredith township (making for…
Whilst Lady Gaga – in her first Australian bout of concerts in over a decade – claimed that the evening’s rules were to either “Dance or Die,” Brisbane really had only one choice when being enveloped by The Mayhem Ball; “Put your hands up” and dance! Gaga perhaps overdid it on how many times she…
