Robert Forster | The Thornbury Theatre | Melbourne | 12th September
One of the country's greatest artists still puts on an exceptional show. Incredibly cool and deeply honest, the show was as full of surreal idiosyncrasies as it was of moments of divine transcendence.
The Temper Trap | The Forum | Melbourne | 11th September
The Temper Trap made a triumphant return to Melbourne for the first of two sold out nights at The Forum. Celebrating their new album Sungazer alongside career-defining anthems like Sweet Disposition, the night was a masterclass in hometown nostalgia, intimate storytelling, and pure euphoria.
Laufey | Rod Laver Arena | 1st August
If Laufey doesn’t end up as a generational artist, up there with the jazz and classical all-timers, then the timeline probably got messed up somewhere. I believe it’s inevitable.
Viagra Boys | Festival Hall Melbourne | January 20th
Beyond what the audience is hearing, the band is also incredibly engaging visually, with Murphy’s signature heavily tattooed beer gut on full display, or Oskar Carls’ big, shiny tenor sax on stage left glistening under the downlights. Plus, with six band members on stage, there is always someone or something to watch.
Molchat Doma | The Forum
Molchat Doma have a very distinct sound and emanate an energy you can’t get from any band in the West. Their album covers feature famous brutalist buildings like the Hotel Panorama in Slovakia and the Pyongyang Hotel, and there is no better parallel to their sound.
Nessa Barrett | Margaret Court Arena
Nessa Barrett knows what she's doing. She's a stellar vocalist, she's supported by a very talented backing band who serve her songs perfectly, and it's clear we're only just seeing the beginning of what will likely be a very strong and eventful career for her.
Sombr | Festival Hall
Lucky fans across Australia have lots of exciting things coming their way with Dust and Sombr, and many across the world as well with so many shows over the next 6 months it’s would not something you’d want to be missing.
Royel Otis | Margaret Court Arena
Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic, who make up the duo, are joined on stage by drummer Tim Commandeur, whose stage presence is incredible, expressive, energetic, and constantly engaging the crowd. Keyboardist Tim Ayre fills out the four-piece lineup, which boldly performs without a bassist.