Review by Denis Semchenko
Photos credit Stephen Goodwin
‘Post-rock’ is a tired term – in fact, so tired it’s lost its meaning since the genre’s noughties heyday. This writer has long discovered that instrumental rock music doesn’t need to come with a ‘post-‘ or ‘math-‘ prefix attached to it in order to sound good; in the end, it either does or it doesn’t. It has now been 15 years since Explosions In The Sky first showed us how delicate instrumental rock can be and before that, Slint and Tortoise did the same for a mix of tricky time signatures and sparse guitar atmospherics.
Continue reading Review : 65daysofstatic at The Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane – March 12, 2015
Tag Archives: Review
Live Review : Macy Gray at Lismore City Hall – March 13, 2015
Review by Wanda De Verelle-Hill
Macy Gray is on a bus and travelling around Australia bringing her world class show to major cities and a few very lucky regional towns such as Lismore. Last night Lismore City Hall was packed with thoroughly pumped people having a wild party with the funked up Macy Gray and her very stylin’ band.
Don’t know how I got it so wrong – I was expecting something mellow and jazz club like, so made my way early into the theatre to get a good seat thinking it will be all about having a good view. Turns out I should have rocked in late, charged to the front and spent the night dancing with all the sensible people that had staked out the limited space on the dance floor.
Continue reading Live Review : Macy Gray at Lismore City Hall – March 13, 2015
Live Review : Dan Sultan + Benny Walker at Melbourne Zoo Twilights – March 5, 2015
Review by Ben Connolly
Photo by Lucinda Goodwin
There are fewer more pleasing sights in the live music world than a rock act totally on form. And for Victorian lad Dan Sultan, he couldn’t presently be more on point at the moment: his third long-player Blackbird is universally lauded, has given him a swag of awards and, just last month, notched over to ‘gold’ status in the sales sheets. More than all of that, however, is the confidence all of this has brought the charismatic singer. And it spills out in abundance in his stage shows of late.
Continue reading Live Review : Dan Sultan + Benny Walker at Melbourne Zoo Twilights – March 5, 2015
Live Review : Mogwai at The Tivoli, Brisbane – March 4, 2015
Review by Stephen Goodwin
Photos by Stuart Blythe
Mick Turner spends 40 minutes creating slow-moving, somnolent guitar figures interspersed with distorted drags of cello bow, while a Jim White sound-a-like softly layers staccato drum patterns underneath. It’s a “solo” mode that could almost be The Dirty Three on benzos, but if so it shows that D3 is much more than the madcap antics of Warren Ellis.
Mogwai has eight studio albums under its belt now. It’s the sort of longevity that adds friction live: inevitably something must give way.
Continue reading Live Review : Mogwai at The Tivoli, Brisbane – March 4, 2015
Live Review : Conor Oberst at Metro Theatre, Sydney – March 4, 2015
Review by Tess Kerbel
There are gigs that go down in history, gigs where something very rare and very special happens, where people come together and experience the extraordinary. This was one of those gigs.
Continue reading Live Review : Conor Oberst at Metro Theatre, Sydney – March 4, 2015
Live Review : Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks @ Melbourne Zoo Twilights – February 27, 2015
Review by Ben Connolly
There’s a somewhat delicious irony to the longevity of the slacker indie rock of Stephen Malkmus. First in the iconic 90s indie kings Pavement and now with his own band The Jicks, the slacker lo-fi ethos portrayed belies the studied industriousness of the bands, who combined are now well into their third decade in existence.
Continue reading Live Review : Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks @ Melbourne Zoo Twilights – February 27, 2015
Live Review : Soundwave Festival 2015 – Day 2 – Sydney
By Scott Singh
After an explosive day 1, it was time for punters to prepare themselves with another offering of head banging, arm swinging, all round chaos that Soundwave always ensues. Remarkably the grounds were spotless as rejuvenated faces filled the area once more.
Continue reading Live Review : Soundwave Festival 2015 – Day 2 – Sydney
Live Review : Incubus + Antemasque + Le Butcherettes – The Enmore Theatre, Sydney – February 27, 2015
By Courtney Laura
Photo credit Stuart Blythe
Three-piece band LE BUTCHERETTES took to the stage of the Enmore Theatre with a bang. We were captivated with the diverse vocals ranging from a classic style, to the heavy scream vocals in some tracks. A high energy and bizarre performance played out before us, that I am sure left most of the audience wondering what had just happened.
Continue reading Live Review : Incubus + Antemasque + Le Butcherettes – The Enmore Theatre, Sydney – February 27, 2015
Live Review : Soundwave Festival 2015 – Day 1 – Sydney
By Scott Singh
Soundwave Day 1
With a new format and a festival spanning the entirety of a weekend, it was time for day 1 of Sydney’s Soundwave to kick off. Being Australia’s premier rock experience, Sydney Olympic Park was filled with black cladded fans and an assortment of coloured hair and accessories. It was from the moment the gates opened that fans rushed in with pure excitement as they scoped out the grounds and prepared themselves for the intensity of the weekend.
Continue reading Live Review : Soundwave Festival 2015 – Day 1 – Sydney
Live Review : Soundwave Festival 2015 – Brisbane
By Morgan Van Ewyk
Battling the unrelenting humidity was one hundred percent worth the sweaty mess I had become, just to see the amazing talent on show this year at the Brisbane RNA Showgrounds. However, a welcome addition for Brisbane and Sydney venues, that would’ve been dearly missed in Melbourne and Adelaide, was the ‘Comfort Zones’ which provided lucky ticket holders an experience of luxurious proportions with clean amenities, massage services, exclusive bar service and deliciously prepared barista coffee. The perfect opportunity to recharge the batteries.
Continue reading Live Review : Soundwave Festival 2015 – Brisbane
Live Review : Slash + Steel Panther – Festival Hall, Melbourne – 26th February 2015
By Geoffrey D’Unienville
Walking up to Festival Hall on a Thursday night it was clear from the sea of black t-shirts and pleather that people were here for a rock show.
It’s kind of hard to feel like you’re at a real rock show though, when its 7pm on a warm Melbourne night and still daylight outside, however this didn’t stop support act Steel Panther instantly whipping up the crowd into a frenzy.
Continue reading Live Review : Slash + Steel Panther – Festival Hall, Melbourne – 26th February 2015
Live Review : Smashing Pumpkins + Gerard Way + One OK Rock – The Big Top, Luna Park – Sydney – 25 February 2015
By Meghan Player
It’s the most glorious time of the year; Soundwave time. Where Australia goes into a frenzy of anticipation for, not only the festival itself, but the promise of sidewaves in between.
Tonight, Japan’s stadium rock icons One OK Rock kick off a triple-threat billing at the Big Top.
Continue reading Live Review : Smashing Pumpkins + Gerard Way + One OK Rock – The Big Top, Luna Park – Sydney – 25 February 2015
Live Review : THIRD DAY + NEEDTOBREATHE – “Make A Difference” Tour – Mueller Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane – February 20, 2015
Review by Anna Woning
The Christian band Third Day rocked Mueller Performing Arts Centre last Friday night instead of the scheduled River Stage in Brisbane due to wet weather. The sold out show was supported by NEEDTOBREATHE from South Carolina and Melbourne based acoustic Australian singer-songwriter Levi McGrath.
Continue reading Live Review : THIRD DAY + NEEDTOBREATHE – “Make A Difference” Tour – Mueller Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane – February 20, 2015
Review : Guy Sebastian at Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney – February 18, 2015
Review by Belinda – www.facebook.com/belindavelphotography
Photo credit Maria de Vera
The night unfolded with support act Fatai from Season 2 of The Voice Australia. She performed a variety of her own beautiful tunes proving she has the voice. She thanked Guy Sebastian for inviting her to tour with him and reflected on what an amazing opportunity it was. At the conclusion of her final song she got the fans pumped up and ready to go. “Who’s excited to see Guy tonight?” she cried! The crowd went wild and they were ready for a night full of madness.
Continue reading Review : Guy Sebastian at Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney – February 18, 2015
Review : WICKED the Musical – Lyric Theatre, QPAC Brisbane – February 15, 2015
Review by Connor Blythe
Wicked is the most awarded new musical and has grabbed the attention of theatre goers in recent years. It tells the untold story of unadulterated loathing and friendship between two unlikely but no so different friends. One born with emerald-green skin who is the social outcast while the other is popular, self-absorbed and determined to get what she wants. These two girls soon become The Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
Continue reading Review : WICKED the Musical – Lyric Theatre, QPAC Brisbane – February 15, 2015