Tag Archives: live music

Live Review: Falls Festival 2013 – Byron Bay – Day 2 Wrap

Review and photos by Merinda O’Brien / Jose Eduardo Cruz
FF1328-MIt was surprisingly quiet driving into Falls Festival this afternoon, but understandable given last night’s massive party. New Years’ day brought a more subdued and chilled out crowd but Falls Festival did not disappoint delivering yet another sensational line up to celebrate the first day of 2014.

Johnny Marr was a small treat to the few that were present at the main stage. It was such an honour to have caught the Smith’s guitarist perform solo in Australia. There is no denying that The Rubens were a crowd pleaser. Their vocalist treated the crowd with his honest and deeply emotive voice and much to his surprise everyone sang along with him. With a tinge of Tame Impala to their sound this Aussie band from Menangle NSW, was rewarded by an appreciate crowd. Yeah I know, you are asking where Menangle is. It is in Inland NSW with only 350 inhabitants which makes The Rubens even more remarkable.
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Byron Bay, Falls Festival, January 2014, Live Review, Merinda O'Brien, Review

Falls Festival 2013 – Byron Bay – Day 1 Wrap

Review by Merinda O’Brien / Jose Eduardo Cruz
FF13 The inaugural edition of Falls Festival, Byron Bay, launched in the midst of the stunning North Byron Parklands. The parklands, particularly the natural amphitheater in which the main stage is set, are a befitting setting for a festival that has always provided excellent music amongst nature. No doubt Byron Bay has captured the essence and sprit of the festival formerly held in only Lorne and Marion Bay.

Given the heat waves that have been hitting Northern NSW over the last couple of weeks; the crowds in mid afternoon were still very timid. It took British duo, The Correspondents, to begin to warm up the crowd in anticipation for the new year. Their trade mark British sound and high energy immediately enticed a sizable contingent of revelers to the front of the stage.
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Live Review: Steven Wilson @ Metro Theatre, Sydney – October 3, 2013

Words by: Ben Hosking – www.hoskingindustries.com.au
Photo Credit: © Naki Kouyioumtzis
As we arrive at Sydney’s Metro Theatre to a line of punters that stretches down that little side street and around the corner, we realise this will be one of this year’s more special musical events. The range of fans waiting patiently for Steven Wilson’s gig are as mixed and varied as the artist’s back catalogue, with young and old, male and female, overtly metal and overtly not…

After a short wait, watching a slow-moving animation of Wilson’s new album ‘The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)’, the band take to the stage to rapturous applause. Anyone would be forgiven for thinking it was country-mates One Direction taking to the stage and not the frontman of a proggy UK cult act like Porcupine Tree.
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Live Review – Lindsey Stirling @ Brisbane Powerhouse – August 24, 2013

Review and photos by Stephen Goodwin
There’s a long wait for rock-violinist Lindsey Stirling this evening at The Powerhouse — at least 15 minutes long, to be honest. For a touch over an hour, Kiwi DJ 1000 Ninjas labours manfully from a cubbyhole spot almost side-of-stage. In a club environment his chill-out grooves and odd samples would probably win a better reception, but this crowd is expecting action and movement, and that’s something beyond 1000 Ninjas’ scritchy-glitchy stillness tonight.

By contrast, Stirling is all movement. Over the course of an hour and twenty minutes she barely halts — whirling, twirling, jumping and pirouetting. Formal ballet it isn’t, still Stirling’s show is as much an act of dance as it is a musical performance. All with a carbon-fibre violin jammed under her left ear. And the capacity crowd — a peculiar mixture of young and old; gamers and geeks reflective of the diversity of her fanbase — laps it up.
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Live Review: KISS + Motley Crue @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre – 12 March 2013

Review by Michelle O’Rance
Two of the biggest names in rock’n’roll and heavy metal joined forces and descended upon Brisbane in a fiery, laser light filled show complete with upside down drum solos, acrobatics, ladies on stilts, flying musicians and pyrotechnics.

The elaborate stage set-up promised something big as the house lights dimmed and a single spotlight picked up the page bearers carrying the Motley Crue banners and leading a robed Nikki Sixx through the sea of people on the Entertainment Centre’s floor.
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Live Review: 65daysofstatic + sleepmakeswaves @ The Corner Hotel, Melbourne – 4 January 2013

Review by Billy Geary
As is the case with many bands that are somewhat lesser known, despite being critically acclaimed and possessing a stellar live sound, British four piece 65daysofstatic have taken quite a while to finally make it down under. After over ten years together, the band, with the help of the increasingly impressive Birds Robe record label, it was finally Australia’s turn to experience the quartet in the flesh.

Fresh from a huge 2012, including an ARIA award nomination, Sydney’s sleepmakeswaves were tasked with the role of main support for the entire tour. The quartet has, over the last few years, grown their fan base quite significantly and it showed in the sheer volume of the crowd’s cheers on Friday night as the band wandered on stage. The highlights of the set were opener ‘To You They Are Birds…’ and ‘We Sing The Body Electric,’ displaying exactly why they are considered one of Australia’s best young bands. To the delight of many, the band also showcased a couple of new tracks in ‘Avalanches’ and ‘Freshmaker.’ The former was particularly impressive, being slighter faster paced compared to most sleepmakeswaves tracks whilst still retaining their original sound.
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Billy Geary, Live Review, Melbourne, Review