Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Scroll down for Image Thumbnails

Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Continue reading The Damned @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane – 19th January 2012 | Photo Gallery →

Review by Ben Connolly
Longevity was probably not high on the list of adjectives when describing The Fauves back in their heyday of the late 90s. They were one of the numerous guitar pop bands riding on the coat tails of Triple J nationalisation, laying claim to a niche which polarized the audience – snarky, cynical lyrics under laid with a straight-edged, post-Seattle dirge. Poking fun at itself as much as the scene it worked within, the band was undoubtedly voted the act least likely to see the end of the decade.

Seeing its name pop up in random gig guides intermittently throughout the next two decades was, then, always greeted with a curious cock of the head and the inevitable wonderings about how they’re still around. Ardent fans lifted them to a cult-like status, and reviews always pegged them in the “criminally under-rated” category.
Continue reading The Fauves – Japanese Engines | Album Review →

Photographer: Chris Dornan Photography

Photographer: Chris Dornan Photography
Continue reading HEATWAVE Festival 2012 @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre – 17th January 2012 | Photo Gallery →

UNWRITTEN LAW inhabits the upper echelon of successful punk bands, bands whose substance and longevity overshadow the countless hordes of imitation, fly-by-night pop-punk operations riding a one-way train to anonymity.

UNWRITTEN LAW have reached unprecedented heights amassing a passionately loyal fan base and releasing 6 critically acclaimed albums including their genre defying breakthrough self titled album which spawned the hits ‘Teenage Suicide’ and ‘Lonesome’ which went on to define an entire generation.
Continue reading Unwritten Law +Zebrahead + Royal Republic Sidewaves announced! →

Photographer: Naomi Rahim

Photographer: Naomi Rahim
Continue reading So Frenchy So Chic In The Park @ Werribee Park Mansion, Melbourne – 15th January 2012 | Photo Gallery →

Returning to Australia this March with their warm vocal harmonies and woodsy, folk-influenced songs is Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit.

The stunning video for ‘Emmylou’ was released into the world this week, and is the second single from First Aid Kit’s forthcoming album (in stores January 27). A tribute to some of the band’s favorite country musicians – Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, June Carter and Johnny Cash – the song struck a chord with Johnny’s daughter Roseanne Cash, who tweeted “I don’t usually like ‘tribute’ songs but this is beautiful. Heartening that such young girls know the stories.”
Continue reading First Aid Kit touring Australia – March 2012 →

THIRD TRAILER RELEASED FOR LAMB OF GOD’S ‘RESOLUTION’

Following 2 album teasers featuring the songs Ghost Walking and Desolation, Lamb of God today release the final teaser for the album, Resolution, set for release in Australia on January 20.

The video features the song King Me, which closes Resolution – the band’s seventh studio album. The track is one of the most musically ambitious the band has ever put forth, features a full orchestra as well as opera singer Amanda Munton.

Watch the King Me teaser video

RESOLUTION Trailer from Lamb of God on Vimeo.

Continue reading LAMB OF GOD Release Third Album Trailer From ‘Resolution →

Victoria’s longest-running all ages live music festival Push Over returns to Melbourne’s Abbotsford Convent on Monday 12th March with a killer line-up of upcoming Aussie talent, the freshest young Victorian acts, some of the country’s most fast and furious hardcore and metal bands and a full arena of bouncing hip hop music and break dance!

Firing thriller beats across four sound stages will be: Parkway Drive, 360, Tonight Alive, Yacht Club DJs, Alpine, Dangerous!, Snakadaktal, Mantra, Redcoats, Eagle and The Worm, Glass Towers, 8 Bit Love, Northlane, Skyway, Hands Like Houses, Mindset, Hallower, This Town A Forest, Awaken I Am, and Boris The Blade plus more to be announced.
Continue reading Push Over festival returns to Melbourne – March 2012 →

After years of providing quality shows to an ever growing and appreciative audience, Strike Hard Bookings will be closing its doors as of 30th January 2012.

Forming in May 2007, Strike Hard Bookings moved from booking shows at makeshift venues in Wollongong onto an international touring company that has presented some of the world’s best alternative artists to Australian audiences – from Unearth to Shai Hulud, from The Black Dahlia Murder to Cruel Hand, from Emmure to All Shall Perish.

Founder Daniel Misztal, will join the ranks of the Staple Group having accepted a position with Destroy All Lines. He will be the National Booking Agent for the Australia’s leading alternative nightclubs and booking international tours.
Continue reading STRIKE HARD BOOKINGS CLOSES ITS DOORS →

JOHN FOGERTY WILL BE ROLLIN’ ON THE RIVER AT BLUESFEST!

17th of January 2012 – The 4th round of artists to perform at Australia’s much awarded and loved Bluesfest has today been announced.

It’s the Festival’s biggest announcement yet for 2012; presenting more than 30 artists, including some very special headliners, the return of previous favourites, and opening the Bluesfest door to some exciting new discoveries.

Festival director Peter Noble says, “We’ve unveiled some amazing headliners and celebrated bands coming to Byron Bay for Bluesfest 2012, but now our fourth announcement is the final touch which really tips the scales into overdrive.

It’s certainly one of the best Bluesfest’s I’ve ever booked. Following on from the big headline acts in earlier announcements, our fourth artist unveiling is full of more headline surprises.

Bluesfest will be held at its home at Tyagarah Tea Tree farm just off the Pacific Highway, 12 minutes north of Byron Bay from Thursday April 5 through to Monday April 9, 2012.
Continue reading JOHN FOGERTY WILL BE ROLLIN’ ON THE RIVER AT BLUESFEST! →

Flying into Australia this weekend, Olivia Newton-John will be here to promote the release of her new film “A Few Best Men”. However, it’s not the new film that has Olivia fans and Olivia herself tweeting today, but a new video clip from Australian’s own The Swamp Dandies.

Best known for his 1992 Top 10 hit single “Happy Birthday Helen”, The Swamp Dandies is the new project for Things of Stone & Wood’s lead singer Greg Arnold.
Continue reading Olivia Newtwon-John causes a stir with twitter about new ‘Olivia’ video clip →

The Golden Globes award ceremony live stream with comedian Ricky Gervais.

Children Collide are back in full force with a brand new single ‘SWORD TO A GUNFIGHT’ unleashed on radio, internet and TV today, Monday 16 January. In true Collide fashion, the band will embark on a tour across the country in March/April giving audiences their first taste of the new album.

Frontman Johnny Mackay expounds on the new single: “I was paddling down the river somewhere between Primal Scream & Boney M and ended up falling out of the boat into a time-travelling disco space-punk song which I still think is hilarious.”

Late 2011, the band locked themselves away in Melbourne’s Red Door Sounds with Woody Annison (Red Riders, Cabins, Young Revelry and who also co-produced their sophomore album) to record their third album ‘MONUMENT’.

‘MONUMENT’ is the follow up album to the ARIA nominated Top 5 album ‘Theory Of Everything’ which spawned the singles JELLYLEGS (reached #22 in The Triple J Hottest 100) and LOVELESS, which was accompanied by a world class music video directed by the multi-award winning director David Michôd (Animal Kingdom) and also Nominated for an ARIA Award.

Johnny reveals of the sounds to come; “There’s post-punk still, there’s sort of Krauty-psych influence in a lot of it. It gets a bit dancey…”

“We tried to build our own aural theme-park out of twelve different kinds of song. There’s one or two ghost trains, a few rollercoasters and even a couple of tea-cup rides. It’s always hard to describe these things from the inside but the sound and production feels very here and now to me”

Single ‘SWORD TO A GUNFIGHT’ is the first taste of the theme-park. The band enlisted Natalie Van Den Dungen to direct and produce the video. Her previous works include ‘Persecution Blues: The Battle For The Tote’ documentary and music videos for Seeker Lover Keeper, Wagons and Dan Deacon.

Relish in the unmistakable Children Collide sound punched with a swagger and rhythm unlike beforeand get ready for the ride in 2012. Full tour details below.

CHILDREN COLLIDE

Official video for Children Collide’s brand new single Sword to a Gunfight, from the album ‘Monument’ due April 2012. Touring Mar/Apr DATES BELOW…Tickets on sale Thu Feb 02 via http://childrencollide.oztix.com.au/
Continue reading Children Collide – Sword to a Gunfight | Video →

Brand new sets added from Das Racist, Grinspoon, Grind Time Now Australia and The Living End!

There’s just under a week to go! The 2012 BIG DAY OUT will kick off its 20th Anniversary trek on Friday, 20 January, making its very first pit stop in Auckland, New Zealand. Maps and playing times for each city of the tour are now online (along with a swanky new mobile App, where fans can get busy creating their very own custom schedules?).

Now there’s even more additions for punters to include! We’re chuffed to announce four special guest artist performances in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Start your engines …

SPECIAL GUESTS SYDNEY: GRINSPOON
Thursday, 26 January, 2012 – Sydney Showgrounds
Essential Stage: 8.30pm – 9.20pm

Australia has a history of producing killer rock bands, and few come finer – or play harder – than GRINSPOON. No strangers to BIG DAY OUT punters, it was way back in 1997 that the then Lismore-based outfit first smashed through the airwaves with their debut album, Guide to Better Living. Since then they’ve churned out hit after hit: Just Ace, DCX3, Ready 1, Chemical Heart, Lost Control, Hard Act To Follow and much more.
Continue reading 2012 BIG DAY OUT SPECIAL GUEST ADDITIONS! →