Music

Sydney Festival Photo Gallery: Dido & Aeneas – Lyric Theatre at The Star (16.01.14)

Renowned for her boundless visual imagination, Berlin choreographer Sasha Waltz has come together with celebrated baroque orchestra Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin to present her first opera: a majestic reimagining of one of the world’s great romantic tragedies, Dido & Aeneas, with performances at Sydney Festival until the 21st of January. Find out more HERE…

Read more

the AU interview: twenty | one | pilots (Columbus, Ohio) on touring with Paramore and You Me at Six in Australia!

Larry Heath sits down with Columbus, Ohio duo twenty | one | pilots, currently in Australia touring with Paramore and You Me at Six. We talk about the tour, coming down under for the first time, what 2014 has in store for them, their live show aspirations and more!

Read more

the AU sessions: Sarah McLeod performs The Superjesus' "Second Sun" LIVE and acoustic!

the AU review presents the AU sessions with The Superjesus’ Sarah McLeod performing the classic track “Second Sun” LIVE, solo and acoustic in a Sydney park! Don’t miss The Superjesus when they perform three very special shows over the Australia Day long weekend: Waves in Wollongong on the 24th of January, Bateau Bay Hotel on…

Read more

Interview: Oderus Ungerus (Dave Brockie) of GWAR (USA) talks Soundwave Festival 2014

Ahead of Gwar‘s return to (and potential annihilation of) Australia for Soundwave, AU review reporter John Goodridge chat’s to lead singer Dave Brockie about the evolution of Gwar and heavy metal. Warning – bad language within… but we think you’ll like it. Hello. I’m looking for Oderus Ungerus from Antarctica. Well you found him. You…

Read more

The 13 Best Australian Tours of 2013 (Local Artists)

You often hear an AU contributor rate a gig as a highlight of the year, but by the time the year is over, what still sits on that top 5 list? Well, we asked our contributors just that and from all those responses we bring you the AU’s top thirteen local touring artists of 2013!…

Read more

Opinion: A response to Fairfax's "Calling The Tune" article.

Over the weekend, Fairfax Media published an article entitled “Calling The Tune” (read it here), which captured this moment in the Australian music industry. A moment that sees the government funded radio station triple j as the leading national voice (musically) for 18-24 year olds. With essentially no competition, no one else has the ability…

Read more

Live Review: Paramore + You Me At Six + Twenty One Pilots – Allphones Arena, Sydney (11.01.14)

If you could mix together a blend of emo, pop punk, fast paced alternative rock and a dash of rap you would be pretty close to summarising the different genres and sounds you’d hear at tonight’s concert. All of this would be delivered in large high energy doses courtesy of all three acts.

Read more

Sydney Festival Photo Gallery: Opening Weekend Highlights ft. Lee Fields and Band of Magicians (08 to 11.01.14)

The 2014 Sydney Festival has well and truly set the standard for high quality gatherings of artistic types once again! The opening weekend saw many stellar performers, from Ben Caplan to Amanda Palmer, there was something for everyone. Jamie Williams brings you some highlights in this gallery.

Read more

Live Review: James Vincent McMorrow + Gossling – Metro Theatre, Sydney (09.01.14)

Sometimes on very rare occasions an artist is so mesmerising and captivating, that all you can hear is their performance and nothing else. It’s not often that I get to be a part of shows like that, but tonight was one of those nights.

Read more

the AU sessions: Mo Kenney (Canada) performs "Wind Will Blow" (Working Title) LIVE and Acoustic!

the AU review presents Canadian artist Mo Kenney performing the unreleased track “Wind Will Blow” (Working Title) LIVE, exclusive and acoustic on the AU sessions. Filmed in Sydney, Australia at AU HQ on 8th January 2014. Mo Kenney is currently touring Australia with the following dates remaining: Friday 10th January at Caravan Music Club, Melbourne

Read more

Listen to Guvera's 25 track Summer playlist – Sponsored by XXXX Summerbright.

Make the most of everyday – Summer is more than just a reason, it’s the feeling that something awesome could happen at any moment. Summertime has well and truly begun, being right in the midst of the festival season, summer and music go hand in hand. Guvera has created a Summertime playlist featuring international artists…

Read more

Deftones, The Hives and Ghost announce Big Day Out sideshows.

Ever since they were announced on the Big Day Out lineup, fans have been waiting for announcements on their sideshows. And now that time has arrived. Playing Sydney are the Deftones, Melbourne will get a The Hives sideshow while Ghost will play both Sydney and Melbourne. Check out the dates and details here: DEFTONES +…

Read more

the AU interview: Mo Kenney (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Larry Heath meets Canadian artist Mo Kenney while in Australia to talk about her time down under, which included a performance at Woodford Folk Festival… we learn a bit more about what’s coming next for Mo on her long awaited second album – working with Joel Plaskett – and also find out the artists, like…

Read more

Sydney Festival Photo Gallery: LIMBO – The Famous Spiegeltent, Festival Village (09.01.13)

The house show of Sydney Festival this year is an incredible production going by the name of LIMBO. The full review will be online shortly, but in the meantime enjoy these photos from opening night at The Spiegeltent. Performances continue nightly (except Mondays) until the close of the festival. Photos by Prudence Upton.

Read more

the AU interview: Born Ruffians (Toronto, Canada)

the AU review sits down with two parts of Born Ruffians just before they hit the stage at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney, on their Falls Festival sideshow. PART ONE: PART TWO:

Read more

The 13 Best Australian Tours of 2013 (International Artists)

You often hear an AU contributor rate a gig as a highlight of the year, but by the time the year is over, what still sits on that top 5 list? Well, we asked our contributors just that and from all those responses we bring you the AU’s top thirteen international tours of 2013! Read…

Read more

Photo Gallery: The Ramblin' Gamblin' Rumblin' RoadStop Revue ft. You Am I – The Vic Enmore, Sydney (01.01.14)

New Years Day 2014, Sydneysiders were treated to an incredible display of rock and roll at The Vic in Enmore. You Am I turned the venue’s car park into a mini-festival to show their appreciation for the local locals. The lo-fi gig lived in the band’s pub rock tradition and saw The Mountains, The Love…

Read more

Sydney Festival Live Review: LIMBO – The Famous Spiegeltent, Festival Village (09.01.14)

Following years of successful cabaret “house shows” at the Sydney Festival’s Famous Spiegeltent, it should come of little surprise that this year’s production LIMBO is set to follow in the footsteps of critical and box office smashes like Cantina and Smoke & Mirrors. Well, we certainly can’t predict a sell out season, but we can…

Read more

Interview: Deez Nuts (Melbourne) talk Soundwave Festival 2014!

We’re weeks away from experiencing the wonder that is Soundwave Festival around Australia, and one of the local bands to be a part of the bill are Melbourne’s Deez Nuts. Philippe caught up with the band to talk about the festival, their latest album and more… There were a lot of guest spots that appeared…

Read more

Sydney Festival Live Review: Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers – The Spiegeltent, Festival Village (08.01.13)

In the now classic song* by Sydney band The Beards, it’s exclaimed “There’s Nothing Better Than Having a Beard”. What Canadian troubadour Ben Caplan proved in his Sydney Festival opening set, accompanied by his band The Casual Smokers, is that a) this is true and b) it’s even better when that beard can play some…

Read more

the AU interview: Austin Jenkins and James Petralli of White Denim (Austin, TX)

Larry Heath sits down with Austin Jenkins and James Petralli of Austin Texas band White Denim during their first ever Australian tour in January 2014, not long before they hit the stage in Sydney, supporting Hanni El Khatib, in a Falls Festival sideshow.

Read more

Best of 2013 Countdown: The Festival Awards!

With the main summer festival season just kicking off around the country once again, we are bringing you our top 5 favourite Australian festivals of the last year, as voted for by our contributors. Though the list is dominated by the larger national touring festivals, a number of the local state specific festivals racked up…

Read more

the AU sessions: Mo Kenney (Canada) performs "The Happy Song"

the AU review presents Canadian artist Mo Kenney performing the track “The Happy Song” LIVE, exclusive and acoustic on the AU sessions. Filmed in Sydney, Australia at AU HQ on 8th January 2014. Mo Kenney is currently touring Australia with the following dates remaining: Thursday 9th January at The Basement, Sydney Friday 10th January at…

Read more

Interview: Ryan Grieve of Canyons (Perth/Sydney) talks 100 Million Nights at Sydney Festival and Perth Festival 2014!

Canyons are willing to get up, about and all crazy in a live setting most of the time (as are most bands on the Modular label), but the last year has seen a different type of performance from them as a group. Throughout this year, the outfit has performed 100 Million Nights – a slightly…

Read more

14 Performances You Can't Miss at Sydney Festival 2014!

From mirrors in the streets, to bullets in your teeth, Sydney Festival will have it all when it kicks off this Thursday night. But let’s face it – there’s just too much to choose from! So to help, we’ve listed 14 performances and attractions you can’t miss at Sydney Festival 2014! LIMBO January 8th to…

Read more

Live Review: Grizzly Bear – Sydney Opera House (05.01.14)

After some 115 shows around the world, including an impressive (and slightly humbling – we’re rarely so spoilt) two stops in Australia, Brooklyn group Grizzly Bear have brought their Shields tour to an end with a spectacular two hour set at the Sydney Opera House. The crowd lapped up every minute of the set, which…

Read more

the AU interview: Mick Turner (Melbourne)

Not long before he released his new record, Don’t Tell the Driver (available now), I caught up with Mick Turner, best known for his work as part of Dirty Three to talk about his music, his art, touring with Bill Callahan and much more… Mick will be playing Sydney Festival on January 23rd. You’re a…

Read more

Festival Review: Field Day – The Domain, Sydney (01.01.14)

With a big night before in check, Field Day offered enough dance music to keep the celebrators happy while offering a few more chilled out options for those still recovering from New Year’s Eve. Its size, slightly smaller than a regular festival, meant that it was easier to get around and criss-cross genres throughout the…

Read more

the AU interview: James Vincent McMorrow (Ireland) talks Post Tropical and his return to Australia.

Tomorrow will see the release of Dublin based singer/songwriter James Vincent McMorrow‘s much anticipated record Post Tropical – the follow up to the highly acclaimed Early In The Morning. He’s currently in Australia to kick off his tour for the record, playing Falls Festival, Southbound and sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne next week. Just before…

Read more