Considering I’m still relatively young, 20 years is a long time. It’s been more than 20 years since I first heard a song by Andrew McMahon, but they still hit as well in 2023 as they did then. Touring under his own name and moniker Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, this three date solo tour…
2023 has started off strong with a wealth of international tours that were announced late last year to revive the local music scene. One of the most anticipated of these was the debut headline tour from Vermont alternative artist nothing,nowhere. with support from New Zealand’s Lontalius, who played at The Princess Theatre in Brisbane on…
California punk-rock trio Pierce the Veil have returned with their awaited fifth studio album The Jaws of Life, out today via Fearless Records. The 12-track project comes seven years after their 2016 record Misadventures, the first new music since the Today I Saw the Whole World EP in 2017. Featuring the singles “Pass the Nirvana”,…
We have added ten more tracks to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music; including two singles we exclusively premiered earlier in the week. Our Track of the Week is “Digital Bullshit” from Sydney LGBTQ alternative pop artist Daphnie. We’re big fans of Daphnie at the AU and they’re onto another winner with “Digital…
Nashville is famous for being the home of some of the finest musicians on the planet. Some are filthy rich and famous (Hi Keith!), and there are others who are perhaps not quite as famous (or rich!), but have led a full life and are highly revered amongst their contemporaries. One of these troubadours is…
Sydney indie-rock quartet Bad Pony have shared their debut album Forever Up & Coming with us ahead of its official release tomorrow. After a decade of being a band, they are proud to finally deliver the record that was three years in the making. It may not be a name you’re familiar with yet, but…
The return of St. Jerome’s Laneway felt much needed and right, but not as familiar as we remember it, unless of course you remember the Big Day Out. The Sydney Showgrounds site, including the cavernous Boiler Room (version 2.0) on a 25+ degree summer’s day has been the location for many classic festival experiences and…
girl in red (Marie Ulven) is currently in Australia for the Laneway Festival. She managed to squeeze in two side shows along the way, one in Melbourne and the other was in Sydney. We were lucky enough to be at the Sydney show. Betty Taylor opened the show. It was one of those gigs where…
Meanjin (Brisbane) based vocalist Hannah Macklin is back with “Stars”, her first release of 2023. The track is a heavenly slice of neo-soul, with a passing nod to jazz amidst a restrained sonic palate. The instrumentation is predominantly acoustic which allows Hannah’s soaring voice to shine. With strings in the mix, it has a lushness…
After more than a decade, singer Darren Hayes brought his extravagant stage presence back to Sydney with a string of Savage Garden hits, solo favourites, and of course a celebration of tracks from his recent album Homosexual. Photos by Gwendolyn Lee
Brisbane-born, Stockholm-based artist Hazlett has returned with his debut album Bloom Mountain, released 13 January. His unique brand of ballroom indie-folk is the ideal soundtrack to long drives and candlelit dinners. After three EPs and a string of solid singles since 2016, the 10-track record showcases delicate guitarwork, moving vocals and warm textures to create…
Perth indie-rockers South Summit have started 2023 strong by already exceeding expectations as ones to watch. With the release of their new EP Creatures on 12 January, the band have also announced a 10-date national headline tour supported by Slim Jimz. Featuring the groovy and soulful singles “Promise Me”, “Tired of Waiting” and “Runaway”, the…
On Sunday, Sydney had its first Laneway Festival since 2020 at its new home in the Sydney Showground. The new surrounds may lack in atmosphere, but the proximity of the four stages to each other was welcome, and with three of them being indoors, on a warm summers day, this was much appreciated. The bill…
Darren Hayes was the frontman of duo pop supergroup Savage Garden in the late nineties. With a string of hits such as “Truly Madly Deeply”, “To the Moon and Back” and “I Want You” the world was at their feet. After a successful foray into New York, the band decided to take a hiatus, from…
On a warm summer night in February, a small English band lit up a small Sydney stage in a display of class, wit and banter. This could be the start of a joke, but Yard Act are no joke; they’re the real deal. In the country for Laneway Festival, Yard Act put their debut album…
Yorkshire quartet Yard Act are in the country at the moment for the Laneway Festival, and have managed to sneak in a few sideshows along the way. We’ve been massive fans at the AU since their debut album The Overload dropped early last year. They turned up the heat in the Oxford Art Factory last…
As we roll into February we’ve added another ten tracks to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. Our track of the week belongs to Manchester’s Slow Readers Club, with “Lay Your Troubles on Me”. The track is from their forthcoming album, Knowledge Freedom Power, which is to be released on the 24th of…
Brisbane indie-rock quartet Friends of Friends are quickly proving themselves as ones to watch this year. After touring with Slowly Slowly in 2022 and releasing their latest single “Morphine” on 24 November, the band will be embarking on an East Coast tour tomorrow to celebrate the new song. The Morphine Australia Tour will see them…
Get ready to go bush because the huge line up for Groovin the Moo 2023 dropped today and it’s a corker. The regional touring festival will take place over six dates in April and May, stopping at Wayville (SA), Maitland (NSW), Canberra (ACT), Bendigo (VIC), Sunshine Coast (QLD) and Bunbury (WA). Featuring international stars Fatboy…
If you need to get dancing again after the rigours of January then have we got just the track for you. Today we have the premiere of “Rockstar” from Melbourne-based producer Arty Ziff. The track features the dreamy vocals of alt-pop artist, Lemonade Baby. “Rockstar” follows on from their previous release “ByeByeBaby” that featured Jade Alice….
Vermont alternative artist nothing,nowhere. (aka Joe Mulherin) is one of our generation’s most interesting and prolific creative minds. With a musical style that might be distilled to guitar-driven emo trap, he refuses to adhere to any one genre and has amassed a loyal following through his honest lyrics. Since his sensational 2021 album TRAUMA FACTORY,…
This week we have added another ten new tracks to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. “I Need You Tonight” from trip-hop project Short Wave Craft is our Track of the Week. Short Wave Craft is a joint collaboration between producer Dominic Owen (Biggie Smalls, Anthony Hamilton) and underground musician, Tom Carr. “I…
California post-hardcore legends Thrice have announced yesterday that they will be heading to Australia this September for The Artist in the Ambulance 20th Anniversary Tour, hosted by SBM Presents. The band will be performing their seminal record in its entirety across five dates in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Featuring the hits “Stare at…
Melbourne indie-pop artist Romanie has returned with the heartfelt single “Anthony”, her first new music since 2021 debut EP Little Big Steps (which we premiered right here). The latest offering – released 12 January – is a story about dementia and an endearing tribute to her grandfather who passed away from the disease last year….
Seymour Nights in association with Sydney Festival has produced an outstanding series of free concerts this January at the Seymour Centre in Chippendale. Last night it was Elana Stone and Butternut Sweetheart who graced the stage. The weather nearly got the better of proceedings, with a downpour curtailing Butternut Sweetheart’s set. The advantage of an…
The international tours are back and there are some incredible acts touring Australia in February. We’ve picked five of our favourites bands and artists that are performing. Ed Sheeran Hundreds of thousands of tickets have been sold to Ed Sheeran’s upcoming stadium + – = ÷ x Tour – (pronounced ‘The Mathematics Tour’). It’s going to be…
Happy New Year! We’re back from our summer break and we’ve had ten new tracks added to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. Our Track of the Week is “Birthmark” from Ontario-based band Dizzy. The vocals from lead singer Katie Munshaw are gorgeous, with a constant beat, dreamy feels and modern production as…
Aussie-raised and London-based Thomas Headon has been gaining a legion of fans since he released his debut single “Grace” in 2019. His first two EP’s amassed over 40 million streams, and his 440+k TikTok followers are kept amused with his prodigious output. Last year Thomas embarked on a tour in the US with his good…
And so we have it, the biggest concert so far this year for Sydneysiders; a packed-out, uniformly excellent performance from indie rock legends Arctic Monkeys and DMAs on support duties. It felt like a festival; it basically was. The Domain has been used quite extensively as a venue over the past few months, jumping from…
Marlon Williams will be bringing his My Boy tour to the East Coast of Australia next month, and has today announced that Isabella Manfredi will be joining him on all dates. This is a stellar addition to what was already promising to be a very special night. Isabella is well known from being the lead…
