‘Pretty soon I’ll be getting on my first plane’ sang Lorde on ‘Tennis Court’, the opening track of her debut album. Four years later, and she stands beaming out across a packed audience as thousands of iPhones capture every second … Continue reading Lorde – Sidney Myer Music Bowl (26/11/17)
There was something quite surreal about the entire event. Hanging over the celebratory nature of the show was the sad knowledge held by all that this was a farewell to a much-loved band. A group that had toiled at their … Continue reading The Peep Tempel + Batpiss – The Forum Theatre, Melbourne (03/11/17)
There aren’t many musicians whose vision is so far reaching that, more than simply innovating within their chosen genre, they have created their own mythical universe. But this is exactly what George Clinton has done in a career spanning 50 … Continue reading George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic – Palais Theatre, Melbourne (27/09/17)
On Sunday night I stumbled into a strange and foreign world – a pop concert by the US singer Kehlani. We found The Forum completely packed upon arrival, with the 22-year-old Californian already on stage and the similarly youthful audience … Continue reading Kehlani – The Forum, Melbourne (27/08/17)
LCD Soundsystem proved several things tonight, not least that music designed for dancing can also be vital, dynamic and filled with flawed human emotion. Another is how loud and detailed a band can sound in a stadium if they invest … Continue reading LCD Soundsystem – Marriage Equality Arena, Melbourne (26/07/17)
Angie McMahon’s powerful and surprisingly deep vocal filled the Melbourne Recital Centre, even if the majority of the seats remained unoccupied. The singer’s lyrical content and charmingly nervous between song banter revealed her youth, but this didn’t really matter once … Continue reading Father John Misty + Angie McMahon – Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne (24/07/17)
It’s extremely heartening to see the amount of love that is being shown to Cable Ties at the moment. Their debut album has been embraced by community radio and music publications around the country and the three launches being held … Continue reading Cable Ties + The Peep Tempel – The John Curtin Hotel, Melbourne (13/07/17)
“I’m going to explain the format, I’d hate to get to the end and find you’d been confused this whole time,” joked Joe Henry. This was because tonight’s performance was not a typical Billy Bragg or Joe Henry show, rather … Continue reading Billy Bragg and Joe Henry – Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne (23/04/17)
Festival Hall was packed with exactly the sort of crowd you would expect to turn out for a Madness gig in Melbourne – the overall age bracket was decidedly +40, with the dress code consisting of flat tops, novelty hats … Continue reading Madness – Festival Hall, Melbourne (13/04/17)
The Croxton Bandroom was in seated ‘theatre’ mode this evening, arranged thus for the believers who had come to bear witness to a living legend. Roy Ayers holds a unique position in music, having achieved mainstream success in the late … Continue reading Roy Ayers – The Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne (09/04/17)
Once again we descend upon the small town of Meredith seeking entertainment, adventure and spiritual release. We arrived on site at the Nolan’s farm a little later than usual, and our beloved Bush Camp was already closed, but we quickly … Continue reading Golden Plains 2017 – Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Victoria
There are certain elements that you expect going into a Bruce Springsteen concert; showmanship, musicianship, heart-on-the-sleeve and knees-to-the-floor pleas to your most uncomplicated emotions. Last night’s show at Melbourne’s AAMI Park provided all of the above in a huge, bombastic … Continue reading Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – AAMI Park, Melbourne (02/02/17)
