Category Archives: Review

Live Review: Lisa Mitchell @ The Tivoli, Brisbane – 7th May 2010

Review by: Lauren Sherritt
Lisa MitchellHeading to Lisa Mitchell’s gig at The Tivoli on Friday night, I held some pretty general expectations as to what the “Oh! Hark!” tour would have in store for its Brisbane leg. Some of these expectations were met delightfully, others were interestingly challenged, and in all it was a memorable experience.

The Tivoli is undoubtedly the kind of venue you would expect to suit such a whimsical songstress as Mitchell. Upon entering the historic building it was easy to see, with gauzy material curtained from the stage’s rigging and washed colourfully by the bright lights, that this was true. Through strong sets by Georgia Fair and Boy and Bear, who both proved to be stunning choices as a lead in to Mitchell’s set and are definitely bands worth keeping an eye on, the sell-out audience waited, tantalized by the promise such a setting held for a beautiful evening with Mitchell.
Continue reading Live Review: Lisa Mitchell @ The Tivoli, Brisbane – 7th May 2010 →

Live Review: Ben Sherman Big British Sound 2010 @ Corner Hotel, Richmond 6 May 2010

  Review: Lachlan Sadler

Fashion label Ben Sherman have always had a special relationship with up and coming bands. They have been known to invest heavily in new musicians, and have developed strong relationships with the likes of New Order and The Clash.

The idea of ‘Big British Sound’ was launched in Britain a while back, but this is only the second year that it has taken place in Australia. Essentially, Ben Sherman organises a lineup of impressive Australian acts, they all play a gig together, and each act covers a British song that has influenced them.

Realistically however, it’s just a chance to see some great Aussie acts perform together at the one show.

Melbourne was the first stop for Big British Sound 2010, and The Corner Hotel was the chosen venue. Instead of alternating bands between the venue’s two stages, the organisers opted to have the smaller stage allocated for a DJ that would play between acts on the main stage. Ultimately this decision worked well, providing a bit more of a party atmosphere or- dare I say it- an underground British club feel. Continue reading Live Review: Ben Sherman Big British Sound 2010 @ Corner Hotel, Richmond 6 May 2010 →

Live Review: The Cult, The Black Ryder @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 5 May 2010

By Denis Semchenko


[Photo by Charlyn Cameron]

The black is the new black and has always been. With The Tivoli already three-quarters-full with classic rock fans, the suitably monochrome-clad openers The Black Ryder roll out a tight neo-shoegaze opening set. Tonight being the Sydney-based band’s biggest support slot to date, principal leaders Miss Aimee Nash and Scott von Ryper (both former members of New York-through-Melbourne combo The Morning After Girls) command the show with their detached, deadpan presence.
Continue reading Live Review: The Cult, The Black Ryder @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 5 May 2010 →

Review and Photos: Tegan & Sara @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 4 May 2010 w/ The Jezabels

Review by: Victoria Nugent
Photo by Charlyn Cameron
Click photo to view photos
The evening was kicked off by Sydney band The Jezabels who warmed up an initially reluctant crowd with their explosively energetic indie pop set. Front woman Hayley Mary won over the audience with her physical performance and raw vocals with solid rhythmic guitar from Sam Lockwood, a whimsical keyboard backing from Heather Shannon and wildly powerful drumming from Nik Kaloper.
Continue reading Review and Photos: Tegan & Sara @ The Tivoli, Brisbane 4 May 2010 w/ The Jezabels →

Caxton Street Seafood and Wine Festival – May 2010

By: Hannah Collins

Click the image to view more photos
Caxton Street Seafood and Wine Festival

[Photo: Stuart Blythe]
  The day is hot, the patrons at the ready. The tents are up and the beers are flowing. Every morsel of seafood in the region has been iced, packed and shipped over to Caxton Street, for Brisbane’s annual Caxton St Seafood Festival.

Founded as a small community event in 1994, the modern emancipation has become well known institution, and attracts supporters in their 10’s of thousands each year.

One street, 12 Venue’s, 3 stages, 27 bands, and prawns, octopus and scallops as far as the eye can see.

By late afternoon, the sun is still high in the sky and the day is surprisingly warm for Early April. Caxton Street has been quartered off, and it’s shoulder to shoulder once through the gates. The smells of sauté and marinade float through the air,

Continue reading Caxton Street Seafood and Wine Festival – May 2010 →

Live Review: Hoodoo Gurus, The Break, The Gun Street Girls @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane 29 April 2010

By Denis Semchenko

Hoodoo Gurus
[Photo: Stuart Blythe]
  Tonight’s triple bill at West End’s Hi-Fi is more Aussie than Paul Hogan’s thongs, Merv Hughes’ handlebar or Rolf Harris’s wobbleboard – and all the more fun for it. Specialising in no-bullshit, classic pub rock, Gun Street Girls provide an invigorating start to the evening as the predominantly middle-aged, ’80s-weathered punters fill the venue. The erstwhile Dallas Crane dynamo, frontman Dave Larkin hammers a very cool Gretsch White Falcon and belts it out like one of the best screamers in Oz-rock that he is. Barnstormers How I Roll, Right Under The Wind and powerpop-tinged Party In Hell get the heads nodding and feet stomping; I consider myself nicely warmed up for the next sonic wave…

…which duly hits as The Break – an instrumental rock combo comprising three former Midnight Oil members and Violent Femmes’ bassist – open with a crunchy Ventures cover.

Continue reading Live Review: Hoodoo Gurus, The Break, The Gun Street Girls @ The Hi-Fi, Brisbane 29 April 2010 →

CD Review: Drawn From Bees – “Run Away”

Review: Victoria Nugent

Drawn From Bees   The latest offering from Brisbane art rock band Drawn from Bees is their new single Run Away, a melodious, Powderfinger-esque sample of their particular brand of indie rock.

Honest lyrics are teamed with a full-bodied acoustic sound to produce this mellow sounding single, hinting at more good things to come from the band’s upcoming album –

Fear Not the Footsteps of the Departed, to be released on May 21 2010. Continue reading CD Review: Drawn From Bees – “Run Away” →

CD Review: Mapletons – “Origami Army”

Review: Victoria Nugent

Mapleton's   Mapleton’s Origami Army is an infectiously cheery blend of indie pop tunes that bring a smile to the face and make the listener want to sing along.

Mapletons started life as a duo with guitarist Derek Orr and keyboardist Kane Mazlin winning national songwriting awards. When Mazlin left to pursue other musical avenues, rather than abandoning Mapletons,

Orr rallied around the creative hub to create a new line up, with Anita Goldsworthy on keyboard and lead vocals, Carl Roosmale-Cocq on bass and programming duties, and Mitch Clark on drums. Continue reading CD Review: Mapletons – “Origami Army” →

Theatre Review: Waiting for Godot – Theatre Performance, 29th April 2010

Review: Lana Harris

Waiting for Godot   A play about nothing? It sounds like a Seinfeld spin off, but Waiting for Godot was actually written almost sixty years ago. At the time, entertainment which focused on absolutely nothing was a revolutionary idea: post millennium we’ve been exposed to more than our fair share of popular media centred on not much more than ordinary people talking amongst themselves. But as tonight’s performance shows, nothing can still be a captivating, entertaining concept. Hosted by the Queensland Theatre Company in their Bille Brown Studio in West End, Waiting for Godot is delivered to a room packed with an appreciative audience.

Waiting for Godot opens with a man sitting on a log, trying to remove his shoe and blathering nonsense syllables as he does so, while the other stands with his back turned,

Continue reading Theatre Review: Waiting for Godot – Theatre Performance, 29th April 2010 →

Henry Rollins Frequent Flyer Tour – Brisbane Powerhouse, 20th April 2010 : Live Review

Review: Lana Harris

Henry Rollins   Henry Rollins, ex front man of punk rock bands Black Flag and Rollins Band, is a charismatic man. He has the presence and easy manner that comes from half a lifetime on stage but this is tempered by the time spent on his more austere pursuits of observation, self imposed isolation and a hell of a lot of reading. Tonight he’s solo on stage, sharing the contents of his mind in the Brisbane Powerhouse for the first of three Brisbane shows – two added to the bill due to popular demand, despite the fact that Rollins has travelled to Australia no less than 27 times in the last 20 years.

Rollins works, moves, looks like a boxer. Short staccato sentences are tapped out relentlessly, full stops after every syllable working the ear drums of the audience. This is utilitarian prose: make the audience think, laugh, empathise; uplift and unsettle them. Do not waste a single letter. The rags mimic the approach– close cropped hair, plain black fitted t-shirt (that reveals he’s still in great shape), drill pants and sneakers – a perfectly functional outfit. There are no breaks – not for Rollins, not for us. One hundred and sixty five minutes of verbal onslaught.
Continue reading Henry Rollins Frequent Flyer Tour – Brisbane Powerhouse, 20th April 2010 : Live Review →

Live Review: Northern Brisbane Rollers Derby League – Season Two Bout One

Review: Pepa Wolfe

Roller Derby   Northern Brisbane Rollers Derby League – Season Two Bout One
Love Rockettes vs. Diner Might Dolls
Saturday 17th April 2010 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

It’s official. Roller Derby fever has hit Brisbane. And with the way these girls tear up the track, is it any wonder that the sport/sub-culture is attracting new fans all the time?

Continue reading Live Review: Northern Brisbane Rollers Derby League – Season Two Bout One →

CD Review: An Horse – Rearrange Beds

Review: Lauren Sherritt
rearrange beds coverRearrange Beds recalls in lurid, dreamlike detail memories of adolescent youth; of mistimed love, desperation and a need for just a little bit of control, and as the debut album for Australian two piece An Horse it acts as a solid showcase of the band’s notable talents. It’s honest, edgy and just a little bit off centre and will speak to anybody who remembers that baffling and awkward experience that is emerging into adulthood.
Continue reading CD Review: An Horse – Rearrange Beds →

Live Review: Paul Dempsey, Dan Kelly & His Dream Band and Papa Vs Pretty @ The Metro Theatre, 17 April 2010

By Natalie Salvo
Paul DempseyGeorge Street had a long line of Paul Dempsey/Something For Kate fans waiting outside the Metro and eagerly anticipating what is a farewell show (for now) by our favourite enigmatic front man turned solo artist before he embarks on dates in Europe and America. This group were treated for their punctual efforts in the first support act, Papa Vs Pretty.

The trio played frantic guitar rock peppered with interesting harmonies and elements inspired by some of the best bits taken from sixties and seventies pop. Guitarist, Thomas Rawle entertained the pop devotees with his cheery red axe and excellent lead guitar work. The group are still quite young but scream potential as they have all the markings of a silverchair about them. Mark my words – give them a year or two.
Continue reading Live Review: Paul Dempsey, Dan Kelly & His Dream Band and Papa Vs Pretty @ The Metro Theatre, 17 April 2010 →

Live Review: Behemoth, Job for a Cowboy, Goatwhore, Amenta @ The Metro Theatre – Friday 16 April 2010

Review: Ben Hosking
behemothThere can be no disputing that Behemoth’s latest tour has been one of the most anticipated events on the 2010 Australian metal calendar. Tonight’s full house should be evidence enough.

Outside, fans form a haphazard monochrome line up the adjacent alleyway as they wait patiently to get in. Some take swigs from take away beers, some inhale their last cigarette before entering the smoke-free zone and most talk excitedly amongst themselves about what they’re about to witness.
Continue reading Live Review: Behemoth, Job for a Cowboy, Goatwhore, Amenta @ The Metro Theatre – Friday 16 April 2010 →

CD Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat The Devil’s Tattoo

Review: Lana Harris

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club   Black Rebel Motorcycle Club burst from the deep south of the USA and appeared on the music scene at around the same time as we were all worrying about the millennium bug. They were often touted as being ‘the band to take rock forward into the new millennium’ and with this expectation yapping at their heels they crossed the century border.

A decade on, BRMC are still making rock records, their most recent offering entitled Beat the Devil’s Tattoo. The band’s sound has since acquired other labels and modifiers including garage rock,

swamp rock, blues, country, indie pop and psych-garage. Elements of stoner rock appear in Beat The Devil’s Tattoo too, the characteristic fuzzy guitars and drawling lyrics of the genre weaved with a 70’s rock vibe. Nowhere is this more prevalent than on tracks ‘War Machine’ and ‘Aya’, droning slow burners bloated with distorted guitars that alternatively smoulder and blister. Continue reading CD Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat The Devil’s Tattoo →