Georgia Maq & Ben Lee | Review | Melbourne Recital Centre | 24th September
We crossed over Princes Bridge, through the throng posing for photos in front of the illuminated facade of Hamer Hall, past the NGV and its ponds, and past the VCA campus to The Melbourne Recital Centre, a far cry from the beer-sticky carpet of The Old Bar where I last saw Georgia Maq in June.
Noah Kahan Live Review | Melbourne | Rod Laver Arena | 25th September
Noah Kahan transformed Rod Laver Arena into an intimate, communal space for his highly anticipated The Great Divide World Tour. Featuring an elaborate shifting house set, massive unscripted crowd singalongs, and a local Melbourne horn section for the finale, Kahan delivered a grounded and brilliantly authentic performance.
Holding Absence | 170 Russell | Melbourne | 16th August
Holding Absence are one of those bands on a seemingly permanent uphill ascent. The many years of relentless and extensive touring as a supporting band have led to the well-deserved next few months of upcoming headlining shows.
Ocean Grove | 170 Russell | Melbourne | 15th August
As the night drew to a close, the impressive line-up left everyone more than satisfied, Blinder, Deficit and Cane Hill all came through as expected and this is certainly not the last we will see of ocean grove within the coming years as they set aboard the Hellbound II metal cruise joining the jam-packed line up featuring Amity Affliction, Parkway Drive and Alpha Wolf, be sure to not miss out.
Parkway Drive “Killing With A Smile” | The Forum | Melbourne | 9th August
Decades later, the impact of that debut album is still undeniable: it’s alive, hitting as hard as ever, and proving why it shaped an entire generation.
Plini | Northcote Theatre | Melbourne | 8th August
Plini’s Northcote Theatre show was as down-to-earth as it was grandiose. Incredibly talented artists with endless chemistry both in their musicianship and on-stage interactions. It was a joy to have been able to experience the electricity in that theatre last night.
Wage War | The Forum | 2nd August
There’s a physicality to hardcore that can sometimes get lost when it moves onto larger stages. Wage War doesn't let that happen. The crowd is pulled closer into the performance with every breakdown, while the band themselves seem locked into a constant state of controlled confrontation.
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.
Karnivool + Tesseract | Melbourne | Margaret Court Arena | 24th July
The Neighbourhood | Margaret Court Arena | Melbourne | 10th July
The Neighbourhood truly are a unique indie rock band that have contributed so much depth and saturation to the alternative rock scene over the years.
Deafheaven | The Forum | Melbourne | 9th July
Deaf Heaven is certainly a band for the books and with so many gigs approaching in the next couple of months, it certainly presents so many opportunities to experience their heavy thrill live.
Motionless In White | Margaret Court Arena | Melbourne | 24th June
Honestly, I have no notes. This has to be one of the best shows I have ever experienced, and every single band and moment during this night was a pure 10/10. However, one thing’s for certain: Everyone needs to see a Motionless in White show at least once in their life.
I Prevail | John Cain Arena | Melbourne | 18th June
Having listened to them since their debut album Lifelines, it is always a pleasure to see I Prevail constantly growing. Watching them seamlessly step up to command a room of this magnitude just proves exactly why they earned the headlining slot.
Poison The Well | 170 Russell | Melbourne | 11th June
I think the best way to describe their music is as an unrelenting wave of sound. Poison the Well is both the immovable object and the unstoppable force, and watching them perform, I could understand how they have such incredible staying power within the hardcore community.
Georgia Maq “Surprise Show” | The Old Bar | Melbourne | 10th June
The progression of her songwriting in LA is promising. I hope that a new chapter in her musical career is coming, and that she can once again find a band that can complement her exceptional, eccentric talents as a songwriter and performer, and I hope that it will happen back here in Melbourne.
Balu Brigada | 170 Russell | Melbourne | 4th June
After more than 12 years of making music together, the brothers have clearly found their lane: songs for cars, crushes, clubs, daydreams and late-night overthinking. At 170 Russell, they made every one of them feel alive.
Quadeca | 170 Russell | Melbourne | 5th May
Overall, Quadeca’s show at 170 Russell was incredibly enjoyable. It’s rare to see a solo artist at a show this intimate where you’re able to see them flaunt their full spectrum of musical talent and songwriting abilities, as well as appreciate the clear passion for their craft, but when it happens it’s not to be missed.
TISM | PICA | Melbourne | 2nd May
TISM’s PICA show was not only a grand celebration of Melbourne music culture, but also a wonderful culmination of a career spanning 4 decades that truly made the most of the opportunity they had given the capabilities of the venue.
Black Foxxes | Young Street Tavern | Melbourne | 25th April
It is difficult to describe without experiencing, but there is something to their soundscape that I have not felt before, something that lures me in quickly and mesmerizes me all the way up until they stop, no matter the runtime. The music grows and dips, churns itself up and then provides soft release, shouts at you and then whispers to you, relies on hypnotic repetition before snapping into something new to surprise you.
Ruby Fields | Croxton Bandroom | Melbourne | 24th April
If I was to describe this band with a single word, I think I would have to say “authentic.” It is impossible to not be engaged with every single second of every story they tell.