Bloom | Max Watts | Melbourne | 18th February
This show was a complete and utter success, with endless crowdsurfers and the most passionate audience I’ve seen in a very long time, it was hard not to feel like a proud parent in some strange way. A complete full circle for a band who deserves it more than anything, they’ve worked their asses off to get to where they are today, and I hope that after tonight they can see how much it has all paid off.
Floodlights | Balnarring Social Club | 15th February
An immensely likeable and charming band, whose music feels uniquely 2020s. They’re vague and thematic in their allusions to summer and country driving, and allow the listener to project into their music whatever they want it to symbolise.
Life’s A Beach | Riviera Beach Club Melbourne | February 14th
It was unreal from start to finish, and they’re a band I’ll never get sick of seeing live. But the cherry on top was the fireworks. Straight up fireworks. As Polaris’ set came to a close, the whole sky lit up in colour and the place just erupted, applause everywhere, people yelling, cheering, and soaking in the cool sandy breeze.
Lou Reed | 170 Russell
It was frankly euphoric to see so many of Lou’s songs that mean so much to me played by musicians whom I so admire, and to see that such a buzz still surrounds Lou and his work. This concert was everything I could have ever wanted, and if a benevolent God exists he very well may have orchestrated this entire night just for me.
The Growlers | Northcote Theatre | January 22nd
The Growlers are a band you have to see live. They tease out the slow and brooding undertones of their ‘beach goth’ throughout the set, subtly changing the tempo of their songs and accentuating different notes of the melody to lull the crowd into a haze of the Western American frontier.
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.
Thornhill Christmas Festival Extravaganza | Melbourne Pavillion
The night was full of unforgettable moments, from Santa throwing presents in the crowd and giving them to crowd surfers, to Mikaila joining the group on stage for a spine chilling rendition of “Lily & the Moon”. In the wake of their phenomenal last minute clutch at Good Things, and the resound success of “Bodies”, the band seems to have launched themselves to new heights, and seeing them perform tonight proved this new found glory further.
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.
High Vis | Bendigo Hotel
They’re an interesting blend of hardcore punk and indie rock, transitioning between moods with tact while maintaining momentum throughout a boisterous set. Heavy punk songs are balanced with stripped-back indie choruses, and whenever things get too dark, they lighten them again. An Aristotelian set by a disciplined, intentional band.
Architects | Festival Hall
Between a strong support lineup and a band clearly grateful to be back on local stages, the night set a solid tone for the rest of the tour. If this first show is anything to go by, Architects’ relationship with Australian crowds remains as strong as ever, and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the run unfolds.
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.
Good Things | Flemington Racecourse
Nostalgia, new blood, broken schedules and sweaty crowd, it all melted together into something unpredictable, alive and unmistakably memorable.
Fever 333 | Stay Gold
The energy both artists brought to the stage was nothing short of biblical, and on a small stage like that they still managed to use every inch of it to their advantage. Nights like this remind you why live music matters.
GWAR | Max Watts
Bodies surfed overhead, the pit kept mutating into new shapes and the front row screamed every line like it was gospel as fake blood dripped off their skin alongside the sweat. GWAR fed off of it, doubling down with their thrashing riffs and gore soaked vocals, it all merged into one visceral spectacle.
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.
Night Lovell | Northcote Theatre
Each artist carved out their moment, stacking energy on top of energy until Night Lovell closed the night with a performance that felt both heavy and cinematic. No matter where you stood in the venue, you could feel the pulse of the crowd, the low-end shaking the floor, and the collective rush of everyone locked into the same moment.
I See Stars | The Crowbar Review
Even with a jam packed setlist, we got more of an insight into the beginning of I See Stars, with how they first formed when Devin was just 11 years old and how money was not why they did this but for following their dreams and continuing to do what they love.
IC3PEAK | 170 RUSSELL
It warms me that even though the world outside, surrounding us and impeding on all my peers, in a tiny basement room like this, some strings and softly spoken words can be a respite. It’s safe to say that “Coming Home” has been on repeat in my earphones ever since that night.
Imminence | The Forum
What sets Imminence apart is that they’re not just a Metalcore band with a violin thrown in. The violin is the heart of their sound, the storm at the centre of the chaos.
Eddie Current Supression Ring | Fed Square
A gig that felt like a definitive re-debut for a classic Melbourne band who have been sorely missed, and appear to have lost nothing of what brought them their former glory.