Melbourne’s indie darlings The Temper Trap showed their hometown some loving with a secret Fall’s Festival side show at the intimate Corner bandroom. The excitement was palpable as the boy’s took to the stage and the sell out crowd listened in a hushed reverence as they began with an instrumental piece that quickly turned into…
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Ahead of their forthcoming tour, which includes a stint in Sydney at the intimate boutique festival that is Days Like This!, Andy Cat of Ugly Duckling chats to the AU review about how the present is making him ill, how the past still rests in his beeper, and what the future holds for the prolific…
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As 2009 draws to an end, Jet have been chosen by Kia Soul’s Live at the Chapel to close out their 2009 season – which saw appearances from the likes of Lady Gaga and John Mayer. Some may question this choice based on the band’s recent notes – but while Shaka Rock appeared on many “Worst…
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We’d like to dedicate this article to the memory of Rowland S Howard – One of Australia’s finest musicians who lost his battle with liver cancer today. For many of us at the AU review, his shows around the country were highlights of the year – and we feel honoured to have been able to…
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The electro trio are coming our way in January – better get your dancing shoes on! Larry had a chance to chat to the band ahead of their tour. Here’s what went down…. So you’re about to head down to Australia for the first time, playing a few club shows, Pyramid Rock on New Years,…
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This February, there are two major festivals vying for your dollars, travelling around the whole country. In one corner, Soundwave – bringing pure Rock and Roll to all major cities. In the other – Good Vibrations – the well established institution bringing the dance. Now of course some of you will be tempted to head…
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In part two of our best of 2009 series, once again we ask the AU crew to give us their favourite songs of 2009. Each contributor gave us their top 5 songs of the year, including a little ditty about their number 1 choice. But first, here’s a look at the song of the year,…
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Nestled in the back room of the La Campana Restaurant in Sydney is the latest addition to the Sydney live scene: the GoodGod Small Club – combining the charm of the Spanish restaurant, with the intimate nature of a “back room” venue. It’s fantastic to see locations like this popping up around Sydney, and we…
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There are few gigs these days that get me truly excited – I’m sort of at that point now where 90% of the bands who I’ve loved over the years; I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to experience them live. But much like Radiohead, Animal Collective have remained an elusive beast, with whom I’ve hungered a meal….
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The wonderful AU crew have joined forces to choose the best 5 albums of the 2009! Plus, selected contributors give you their personal choice for album of the year. It may surprise! Manchester Orchestra – Mean Everything to Nothing One of the hidden gems of 2009, Manchester Orchestra’s third LP Mean Everything to Nothing, showed…
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Powderfinger rocked the Sydney Entertainment Quarter for Take 40 LIVE over the weekend. Here are a few pics from the show! You can watch the whole thing on Channel 9 – Thursday, December 17th at 7:30pm and Channel [V] on Saturday 19th December at 5pm. And again congratulations to the winner of the VIP double…
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Most people would find it surprising that the 2009 edition of Homebake was the first time I’d ever paid visit to the iconic Sydney festival. But indeed, this was the first December in which I made the journey to the Domain, to see all that was ‘hot’ in Australian music right now. And boy, are…
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Much like Live at the Chapel, the Max Sessions have become an event synonymous with “live music for TV” in Australia – and in this, their 40th show, and their last for 2009, they seem to have no plans to stop anytime soon. And why would they? This is the television series that launched with…
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The following review is a two-in-one. In the Oxford Art Factory gallery, we had Bird Automatic closing out their month long residency with a rollicking set. Meanwhile, in the main room, The Veils and Oh Mercy were playing to a just-about-sold-out crowd, in a dual headlining show. Larry Heath attempted to review both gigs at…
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Having the privilege to enjoy the heat of Summer on New Years Eve is something deeply embedded in the Australian experience – and something we shouldn’t take for granted. So why have the same, boring old NYE, when you could be rocking out to the worlds finest bands, in some of the countries most beautiful…
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I arrived at the Enmore Theatre on a warm Thursday evening, greeted by an equally warm venue (air conditioning problems!), and a crowd who were enjoying Sydney’s Mental As Anything – who opened up what was essentially a triple bill, the eccentric group playing through a good selection of their hits. Come to this of…
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When I was in Los Angeles in 2006, I passed up the opportunity to see Zero 7, accompanied by Jose Gonzalez and Sia, at the Hollywood Bowl. Oh, how I still regret this decision. But the result of this decision meant that this gig at the Enmore would be the first time I’d have the…
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Taking a moment away from his recording studio in Coffs Harbour, Johnny Mackay from Melbourne’s Children Collide had a chat to us at the AU review – speaking on the bands recent USA tour, the state of the Australian live scene, and how he doesn’t mind Children Collide becoming a “Video Game Band”. Read to…
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Last week, Larry had the opportunity to speak to Jim Webster, drummer of the up-and-coming UK band Baddies, who are in town next month to play Pyramid Rock Festival and Purple Sneakers NYE House Party in Sydney. What followed was an interesting insight into the lives of a band on the rise, excited by their…
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When one thinks of music they love in Sydney these days, it’s unsurprising that most say “Cloud Control!” – their warm on stage presence, combined with some of the catchiest songs since Dappled Cities were “Fly”, always make for a show that leaves audiences spellbound, hypnotised, and shaking their tail-feather. But this was a night…
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I am not a fan of outdoor arena events. The concert itself is always something special, mind you, a notion of “epic” that you can’t quite match in any other setting – regardless of the performer. But when you combine some 35,000 people going to one event, alongside unpredictable weather (in this case, one of…
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A Byron Bay band without a single dreadlock among them? Meet Polaroid Fame, a snap-friendly (pun intended) five-piece armed with a whole array of vintage New Romantic hooks and with a sound glossier than hair gel. Keen to surf the last wave of ‘80s revival before the noughties are well and truly over, PF’s debut…
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In this week’s Festival Spotlight, we turn our attention to the increasingly popular Laneway Festival. What started out as a small showcase of bands at St Jerome’s Laneway in Melbourne, has become a mammoth touring festival, with some of the worlds most respected artists taking the stage, and publications such as Pitchfork giving the thumbs…
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With Sydney Festival finally announcing its 2010 lineup, they’ve once again delivered a truly eclectic group of musicians, who’ll be entertaining Sydneysiders in a variety of unique venues. What continues to amaze me is just how impressive these line-ups are, year after year – it helps, of course, that we are provided with artists who…
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Two years and one album since they last graced the Metro stage, Maxïmo Park returned to entertain Sydney audiences on Friday night. Supporting Maxïmo Park on their long awaited Quicken The Heart tour were Melbourne duo Denim Owl. Not since Fergie supported The Police have I seen a stranger support choice. One one hand, you’ve…
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When it comes to the business side of the Australian club scene, there are few bigger names than Peter Raff. In 2001, Peter collaborated with Frank Coleta to form what is now the biggest brand of the Australian club scene, and our answer to UK’s Ministry of Sound: Onelove. I recently had the opportunity to…
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Combine a 6pm start, with a rainy Sunday evening, and the fact that everyone who lives near the Annandale would have just been getting home from the Newtown Festival – PLUS the fact that very few people have ever heard of Mark Steiner (more would have heard of the fantastic Des Miller, however) – and…
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As I entered the Metro on a humid Friday evening, I found myself somehow pleased that this Midnight Juggernauts concert would be an over 18s affair, right back at the venue I first remember seeing the band, supporting Electric Six way back in 2005. And what a way they’ve come since then! Headlining the same…
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This Saturday has been massive – no, I’m not talking any hedonism. Still, I only manage to see the last half of Perth resident and frequent Brisbane guest Jeff Martin and his fearsome Armada. The show is in full swing and numerous exotic instruments such as the harp guitar, sarod, harmonium and theremin are tantalisingly…
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If there is one musical event which has come to encapsulate Summer in Australia, there’s no argument that it’s the Big Day Out – the 2010 edition of which has now sold out around the country, despite a lineup born out of a recycling bin. But in Sydney, there is a parallel force for our…
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