Live Reviews

Melbourne’s Better Half were lucky (?) enough to receive the tough task of warming up The Corner Hotel’s stage for international acts Touché Amore and Turnover. No biggie, that wouldn’t have been terrifying at all. A subdued stage presence matched the mellow crowd, which is understandable, considering vocalist Christopher Vernon was fresh off the back…

I think it was Mac DeMarco who breached the final barrier of bringing smooth yacht rock back to the realm of the hipsters, but I’m glad he did. He proved that just like every genre which gets a blanket opinion, there were reasons it got popular in the first place which are lost in the…

Who doesn’t love a cover song? I have a theory that in any festival set, if a band (irrespective of their size or street cred) covers a classic song, the crowd will froth on it and that will be the biggest moment of the set. Playing their own headlining show at the Enmore Theatre, Furnace…

Adelaide trio DONNARUMMA launched their new EP Billy Billy at one of the city’s most beloved music venues – The Grace Emily – on Saturday night; an evening that was full of love and support for the players who have established themselves as more than just familiar faces on the circuit. Coming together with a wealth of…

Before anything, let’s take a moment and raise a glass to Furnace and the Fundamentals for not just changing the face of live music, but giving the public want they want – all killer, no filler. Gracefully traversing a well-blended medley of greatest hits, the spicy six piece took to an eager Max Watts on…

Relative newcomers SPIT opened the evening, their saccharine garage-punk even more evolved than when I saw them play last. With a triple mustang combo, they were a wall of sound, held together by the razor sharp drumming of Jonnine Nokes. One of their hallmark features is the alternating, dynamic vocals, shared between guitarists Chloe Turner…

Ten seconds in: hands are thrown in the air, heads are banging, hair whipping, water bottles spraying, a couple both wearing spikey chokers are making out – as soon as Grinspoon hit the stage the crowd instantly transitioned from relatively chilled, to nostalgic 90’s punk rock! Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their album, Guide to Better…

In what could easily be described as one of the most exciting co-headline tours we’ve seen this year, hip-hop heavyweights Remi Kolawole and Sensible J (collectively known as REMI) and Sampa The Great joined forces this winter for the Fire Sign national tour. The duo are no strangers to collaborating, most recently teaming up for…

Playing their biggest headline run to date, Big Scary kicked off their Animal tour at the Forum Theatre in Melbourne on Friday June 16th. Gracing the stage with a five-piece band and a shadowy backdrop, the live show proved to be just as brooding as the much loved album of the same title. Supporting Big…

As part of her The Soloist National Tour, Sarah Blasko left her audience head over heels in love after her performance at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Thursday night. Performing without a band for the first time, Blasko laid bare her iconic voice and melted the hearts of everyone present, triggering a stand ovation. Opening the…

With Sydney’s nightlife and arts community severely depleted in recent years on the back of a government seemingly going out of their way to deny any support to the community, one of Sydney’s more famed venues reopened its doors to a packed band room upstairs, and a bustling bar and bistro downstairs. Back after a…

I’m calling it here. Laura Marling will go down as one of the greats. For someone to be so prolific, accomplished, lauded and respected by fans and critics alike at the age she is, it’s a testament to how great she is in a live setting. Playing a headlining show as part of Vivid Live,…

On Sunday of the Queen’s birthday long weekend, Vivid Sydney took their creative lighting installations to a new level combining with them with some top dance music artists for an ultimate audio visual experience at Curve Ball. After the success of its debut in 2016, the guys from Fuzzy who take care of Field Day, Harbourlife…

San Cisco have captured Australian audiences with their quirky, bright hooks and unique bouncy sound. Their carefree energy and irresistible charm make them one hell of a fun band to see live, and their set on Saturday night at The Village Green Hotel in Mulgrave was no exception. The night began with Perth based artist…

The Necks Have this sense of touch and repetitive nurturing that makes them a special trio of musicians. Standing still for a moment, silent, the band collect themselves like they normally do. It’s then a case of ‘go with the flow, man’ when the twinkle of the pianos start sparkling away. This is what this…

Full disclosure. I’m not the world’s biggest pop punk fan. Hell, until I found Modern Baseball and Basement, I avoided the overtly emotional genre like carpet cleaners avoid The Tote. Joyce Manor are one of the select acts on the pop punk spectrum I can’t get enough of – something in the combination of their…

Alex Lahey’s been making pretty big waves in the music scene both at home and internationally lately. She’s been very busy while on the road, with a heap of brand new music in the works. She stopped into Adelaide on Friday night towards the final leg of her Wes Anderson Tour and I was lucky…

It’s a little difficult to accept that at 33 I’m attending nostalgia concerts. But in Adelaide on Saturday evening that’s what I did as Ella and Jesse Hooper made sure that Heidi was, in fact, dead. That said, this was never going to be a nostalgia show. And let me be clear, this was nothing…

“This gig’s like the difference between metallic and metal. Metallic’s still shiny and impressive, but doesn’t have the strength of actual metal,” was the analogy a friend made as we watched UK electro legend Alison Goldfrapp, clad in a head-to-toe metallic suit, perform as a part of VIVID Music at Carriageworks on Friday night. The…

Recently the best former member of One Direction, Harry Styles, came out in support of the strength and undying enthusiasm that young fans have for the artists they like. “Teenage-girl fans – they don’t lie. If they like you, they’re there. They don’t act ‘too cool’. They like you, and they tell you. Which is…

The debut of Nick Murphy’s Missing Link at the Opera House was not so much a concert as it was an odyssey – a journey through the life and death of Chet Faker, and his rebirth as Nick Murphy. Much has already been said about the change in Murphy’s moniker, but from the opening moments…

Don’t think that because The Tote “Upstairs” had a renovation, it’s lost any of its degenerate charm. If anything, the red-lighted, red-walled room has increased its appeal for debauchery, with Horace Bones’ single launch on Saturday night being no exception. The line-up featured some of the loudest and filthiest in Melbourne punk; a standard Saturday…

With Melbourne being a mixing pot of niche scenes, particularly in music, its not often you see them all unite for something. On a Wednesday night, that something, or someone, was Melbourne musician Allysha Joy. Riding in on the wave of re-invigorated R’n’B and neo-soul, Joy had first gained my attention as singer for local…

If there is a personification of the word “chill”, it’s US singer-songwriter, Ryan Adams. His hidden-eye mop hairstyle, mumbling presence and sizable discography took to a security-laden (and now-controversially named) Margaret Court Arena on Friday night and delivered a slick, calming performance. Supporting Adams were popular Australian up-and-comers Middle Kids, who were an absolutely killer…

What do you get when you mix a beautiful voice, with a beautiful venue and a beautiful band? One hell of a beautiful night! UK Artist Sampha achieved just that, bringing his soulful goodness to The Forum in Melbourne last night, delivering an unforgettable performance. Opening the night was PAULi with his soulful tones and…

After 20 years, Air have become something of legends – making a space like the Sydney Opera House the natural fit for their suave style of electronica. And now in their first visit in nine years, their last being for the great V Festival (RIP), Air have finally returned to the iconic venue for two exclusive shows as part of Sydney’s…

When was the last time you had a bad time listening to a party band play party tunes? This is actually a trick question and the answer for you and anyone else is and forever will be ‘never’. That’s right, you never have a bad time listening to a party band. And if Northeast Party…

Playing to an adoring crowd, Golden Syrup and The Ocean Party served up a delightful Friday night filled with seductive sounds at The Tote in Collingwood on May 26th. The cosy, old band room upstairs played the perfect host, creating a laid back atmosphere that complimented the local Melbourne artists. Kicking off the night was…

In the dark corners of Hobart, surrounded by many a fast food restaurant or club, sits the Odeon Theatre, the premiere setting for the majority of all age concerts to grace Tasmania’s capital. In the wake of their new release, More Afraid Of You Than You Are Of Me, The Smith Street Band make their…

Something magical happened at The Gasometer Hotel on Thursday night. The lighting was dimmed to sultry, red stage lights catching the smoke in the air, the oversized disco ball looming overhead, and Donny Benét (the sexiest man in music), was set to take the stage. Silver Linings took to the stage first, to warm the…