Teyana Taylor’s K.T.S.E. was, for me one of the standout releases of 2018; a soulful slice of modern R&B, tastefully undercooked, brimming with originality and showcasing the most interesting creative sides of both Taylor and producer Kanye West. Consequently it … Continue reading Teyana Taylor – The Forum, Melbourne (30/5/19)
The Night Cat hummed with the excitement of young bodies pulled together by a unified cause, the bass heavy beats emanating from the DJ booth adding to the chatter and the general expectancy of imminent good times. The buzz in … Continue reading Mildlife – The Night Cat, Melbourne (9/5/19)
It was Iggy Pop’s 72nd birthday and he was not about to give a half hearted performance. Limbs flailing, leathery skin sagging and a voice that must have been encased in liquid amber, a la` those bugs from Jurassic Park, … Continue reading Iggy Pop – Festival Hall, Melbourne (21/4/19)
It took Julia Jacklin exactly one verse of ‘Body’, the lead single and album opener of Crushing, the album which tonight’s show would launch, to settle into the mesmerising groove in which she remained for the entirety of her performance. … Continue reading Julia Jacklin – The Forum, Melbourne (14/3/19)
2018 was a big year for Ravyn Lenae; in January she celebrated her 19th birthday and two weeks later released her third EP, Crush, a laid back collection of funky R&B and modern soul. The EP’s first single ‘Sticky’ had … Continue reading Ravyn Lenae – Howler, Melbourne (6/2/19)
Neneh Cherry has had an interesting career; having emerged with 1989’s Raw Like Sushi, with its new jack swing production and hit rap single ‘Buffalo Stance’, the Swedish born singer has continued to take left turns over the last 30 … Continue reading Neneh Cherry – Melbourne Recital Centre (22/1/19)
The summer sunlight made our arrival time of 6:30pm seem even earlier, but there were a lot of acts to get through before the Sidney Myer Music Bowl’s 11pm cut off time. The woman behind the counter flipped through some … Continue reading The Jacksons, Kool and the Gang, The Pointer Sisters, The Village People, Sister Sledge – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne (16/1/19)
It was a 30 degree day and the kids who were strutting about excitedly were all wearing variations of the same wardrobe: the girls in as little as possible + dashes of glitter paint, and the boys dressed as either … Continue reading FOMO – Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne (13/1/19)
Maybe we left later than planned or perhaps many more sensible minds had taken note of the oncoming 38 degree heat and made sure to arrive while the sun was still a distant threat. For a brief moment we feared … Continue reading Meredith Music Festival 2018
Chicago rapper Noname’s excellent album Room 25 — technically her debut following the critically acclaimed 2016 mixtape Telefone — was released exactly a week before tonight’s sold out show at The Forum. That she barely touched on the new material … Continue reading Noname – The Forum, Melbourne (21/09/2018)
The 800 capacity Corner Hotel was, unsurprisingly, sold out, and as soon as the support act, Exhibitionist, quit the stage, after reaching a triumphant high point with the new song ‘Being A Woman’, the crowd pushed forward as one. It’s … Continue reading Kimbra – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne (19/07/18)
Even when it was together it was falling apart. Marshall Allen dropped his arm and the horns landed in unison on command, the dual alto, tenor and baritone saxes, the trombone and two trumpets creating a sound that was at … Continue reading Sun Ra Arkestra – Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne (06/05/2018)
words by watts 