Even before you consider all of the music, art, performances, workshops and food, just on the basic levels of design, scale and location, Strawberry Fields was just nuts. Like any festival worth its weight, it has a distinctive vibe, a … Continue reading Strawberry Fields 2019 – Tocumwal, NSW (29/11-1/12/19)
Musical history is littered with flagpole moments, momentous occasions whose import and cultural repercussions are better understood from the vantage point of hindsight. November 16 1999, seven years after the release of Dr. Dre’s solo debut The Chronic, and three … Continue reading How Dr. Dre’s 2001 ushered in a new era of hip-hop
Look, the package tour is always an odd concept. Decidedly more random and small-scale than a festival — a curated collection of diverse yet complementary artists — they’re instead often loosely based on genre. It’s been happening since at least … Continue reading RnB Fridays Live: Janet Jackson + Black Eyed Peas – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne (09/11/19)
“I remember going into the rehearsal on that Monday night saying ‘Oh guys, I’m joining The Lemonheads’,” recounts a clearly uncomfortable Nic Dalton. “I could see they were really upset and pissed off. I didn’t want to do it, I … Continue reading The Story of The Plunderers
“My name is Kamasi Washington and we’re the next step,” stated the bandleader. A declaration, true, but one presented simply as the way it is, with the screeches of James Brown’s ‘Get Up Offa That Thing’ still fading from the … Continue reading Kamasi Washington – Hamer Hall (8/10/2019)
Ready to Die, the only album released by The Notorious B.I.G. in his lifetime, has now lived longer than its creator ever did, with September 13 marking its 25th anniversary. The years have been kind to Ready to Die; it’s … Continue reading ‘Ready To Die’ at 25
Neil Finn stepped to the microphone, acoustic guitar in hand and began strumming the opening chords of ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’. Though I have seen him do exactly that many times and in various bands before, what struck me at … Continue reading Fleetwood Mac – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne (2/9/19)
Appearing at the end of the stage’s runway, surrounded by faces tilted upwards with awe, Childish Gambino appeared bathed in light. Shirtless in white baggy pants, Gambino, soon to be known solely as Donald Glover, bowed his head as his … Continue reading Childish Gambino – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne (17/7/19)
There’s a picture on Empress Of’s Instagram page from last month of the singer being fitted for a stage outfit. The crouched figure adjusting the pink satin dress — whose own page a tag reveals, bears the description ‘I make … Continue reading Empress Of – The Northcote Social Club, Melbourne (20/6/19)
Much more than technical ability, of which he is not lacking, or key collaborators, among which can be counted the most revered in jazz history, musical curiosity has defined the long and rich career of Herbie Hancock. Backed by a … Continue reading Herbie Hancock – Hamer Hall, Melbourne (9/6/19)
“Hollywood Sound called us, they said ‘Do you have an engineer and a studio available for the weekend,’” recalls Peggy ‘Mac’ McCreary of the moment in 1981 that led to her becoming one of, if not the main, recording engineers … Continue reading Interview: Peggy McCreary on Recording Prince
Like any artform, music is at its best when it refuses to stand still; rather extending branches from its foundations in perpetual exploration for something as yet undefined. Music is also a reflection of the environment in which it is … Continue reading The Enduring Legacy of Chopped and Screwed
