John is all about celebrating the best of music, arts, and culture in Australia. He's a prolific reviewer and interviewer who's always on the pulse of what's new and exciting. His reviews are in-depth and thoughtful, giving readers a sense of what to expect from live performances, albums, and festivals. John's vibe on The AU Review is one of infectious enthusiasm, passion, and dedication to showcasing the vibrant cultural landscape of Australia.
There are very good reasons why the Meredith Music Festival is celebrating the 32nd edition of the event. It’s a combination of the vision of the Nolan Family, who own the farm that the event is hosted on and the support of the community who come together to make it happen. There are a few…
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Meredith Music Festival had the 32nd iteration this year, with acts such as Genesis Owusu, Jamie XX and Angie McMahon. However, the entertainment is not all just on stage. People go to incredible lengths to create a group theme for their crew. Whether it’s rats and cats, or super-sleuths, we sussed out the fashions on…
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We sat down with Adelaide singer / songwriter Naomi Keyte to discuss her sophomore album Milk Paper Gold, out now.She highlighted her collaborative process with songwriting mentor Ben Talbot-Dunn and co-producer Nick Huggins. She also emphasizes themes of connection, live performances, and overcoming challenges posed by climate change and COVID-19. Milk Paper Gold is an…
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In between supporting Death From Above 1979, DZ Deathrays are launching their own mammoth regional festival tour, in early 2025. They’ve got a slew of bands supporting them, from Last Quokka to Pretty Uglys, Drunk Mums, Mannequin Death Squad and much more. Needing no introduction to our readers, DZ Deathrays have won accolades such as…
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WOMADelaide is the World’s Festival and 25 new artists from around the world have been added to the list of 48 acts already announced for 2025. From the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir to the Saigon Soul Revival from Vietnam, the team have scoured the globe to bring a diverse array of artists for the…
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Immersive live music event, New Found Sound, returns to 10 unique venues across Port Adelaide on Saturday 18th January. The best thing is that you can see any of the 30+ emerging South Australian bands for free. It’s one night only, so if you heard about it last time and wished you’d joined in on…
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On the back of their latest album, Supercharged, THE OFFSPRING are heading down under to showcase the songs to a live audience. Joining the punk rock icons will be another incredible band, Simple Plan, who between them have a massive catalogue of hits. The Offspring: SUPERCHARGED Worldwide in ’25 Aussie tour kicks off on Sunday 4th…
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Legendary Canadian duo, Death from Above 1979 will be touring Australia in April, 2025 to celebrate 20 years of their debut album, You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine. Released in 2004, the album has gone on to become a cult classic and still shines after 20 years. Classic tracks include “Romantic Rights”, “Blood on Our…
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The Kid LAROI was initially scheduled to tour back in February, but now that the tour has been rescheduled to November, it’s all worth the wait. There was a definite buzz of anticipation as the audience filled the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Rap artist Quavo was unable to perform, so Kid LAROI’s DJ, TJ Mizell took…
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It’s hard to believe that Hoodoo Gurus released their debut album Stoneage Romeos forty years ago. Winning awards in the day, it’s as fresh and exciting now as it was back then. The sold out crowd crammed the three levels of the Hindley Street Music Hall to witness rock history. Opening act, Dallas Crane are…
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South Asian indie-pop musician TUSHAR has just released his sophomore EP, Feels Like a Start. The title song is a feel-good uplifting pop song that just makes you feel happy. The song is infectious, with an upbeat vibe. The pace slows down a little for a previous single “Peaches and Wine”, but the deep brooding…
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Next year the Mundi Mundi Bash will be your best outback music festival option, as the Birdsville Bash will be taking a break for a 2025. Running over three days from the 21st to the 23rd of August, the festival on the outskirts of Broken Hill has several options for 1, 2 or 3 days,…
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It was a beautifully balmy Tuesday evening at The Drive for Troye Sivan‘s Something to Give Each Other Adelaide stopover. The Drive as a venue has come a long way since it was Memorial Drive back in the day, hosting the likes of Rod Stewart and Midnight Oil. Since the Adelaide Oval modernisation, the Drive’s subsequent…
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Australian rock legends Hoodoo Gurus have just begun their national Back to the Stoneage Tour, with additional shows added earlier this year to cater for the incredible demand. Playing the Stoneage Romeos album in full to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its release, the band is excited to be back on the road. Lead singer…
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For the fourth year of Froth and Fury, the festival moved down the road to Hart’s Mill. One assumes that it was due to logistical reasons; not having to close off roads, two stages side by side, and more space. There are still three stages, with the Froth and Fury stages alternating shows, with the…
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Adelaide is the Australian UNESCO City of Music, which may go part of the way to explain why there is so much musical talent in South Australia. The SA Music Awards, held at the Dom Polski Centre this year, is a way of recognising talent, established, new and emerging. With the support of several Government,…
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On November 11th, Vietjet are having a flash sale on airfares between Australia and Vietnam. For just AUD$199 (depending on route) customers can book flights for travel between 1 January and 22 May 2025. Just use the code VJ11 when booking through the website www.vietjetair.com or using the mobile app. Vietjet flies to destinations such…
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Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known professionally as Hozier, is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. You may know him from the viral song “Take Me to Church”, but he is so much more than that. On Friday evening at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, he bought a full repertoire of songs from his collection of folk, soul and…
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Melbourne artist Eugene Fox has just released his debut single; a stirring folk track titled “Miss The Goalie”. The track oozes with the charm of clever songwriting and sweet, plucky guitar melodies, and was written and recorded in his home studio in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne. We reached out to Eugene to discuss the…
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Formed in Ballarat in 1987, The Mavis’s carved a solid following in the Aussie rock scene. Led by Becky Thomas (a.k.a. Beki Thomas, Beki Colada) on vocals and keyboards and her brother Matt Thomas on guitar and vocals, they originally called it quits back in 2001, after launching hits including “Cry” and “Naughty Boy”. They’ve…
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Andr is a musician from Taiwan that we caught up with recently at SXSW Sydney for the Taiwanese Beats Showcase. She shares her excitement about performing at Sydney and the enthusiastic crowd. She discusses her musical journey, starting with learning guitar in junior high and writing songs at 15. Her upcoming album, “Under Your Bed,”…
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The Adelaide Film Festival presented the Australian Premiere of director Justin Kurzel’s movie The Order at the Piccadilly Theatre last Wednesday evening. Based on a true story, it stars Jude Law as world weary FBI agent Terry Husk, who is sent to investigate a series of armed robberies in the Pacific Northwest in 1983. Nicholas…
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For those who love music, beer and skating, this two day free event at Manly Beach this weekend – tonight and tomorrow, November 1st and 2nd – may be just the thing for you. Young Henrys and Volcom are hosting the event at Hotel Steyne, with DJ sets from Dune Rats, The Buoys, Haiku Hands…
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Singer Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab sat down with the AU review to discuss Machine Gun Fellatio’s reunion and recent performances, including a secret gig in Newcastle. The band members, who hadn’t played together in 20 years, felt a sense of nostalgia and rejuvenation, with standout moments like rehearsing with Marshall stacks and the entire…
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David Thompson, lead singer of Adelaide folk band Bromham, chats about their live performances, emphasizing community and collaboration. Their upcoming EP, Adulthood, is inspired by personal challenges, including infertility and property issues. The song “Friends” reflects the support from diverse friends, while another track honours Hannah’s sister. The EP features local Adelaide artist Max Ballard’s…
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The University of Adelaide Theatre Guild are presenting the Patrick Barlow adaption of the novel The 39 Steps by John Buchan and the subsequent movie by Alfred Hitchcock. Patrick Barlow is an English actor, comedian and playwright, whose adaption was first presented on London’s West end in 2005. Despite the Hitchcock movie being presented in 1935,…
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Adelaide’s Froth and Fury Festival, the massive all-ages alternative craft beer and music event is back at The Port in November with an explosive lineup of 33 bands across three stages. Northlane, Thy Art Is Murder, and Fear Factory lead the lineup, including the USA band’s only Australian show. Testeagles and Day Of Contempt will be playing exclusive reunion shows….
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The cast of The Correspondent and other dignitaries were out in force for the opening night of the Adelaide Film Festival. The movie tells the gripping story of Peter Greste, a journalist who was sent to cover the riots in Egypt following the election in 2013, and was arrested and convicted of terrorism. Richard Roxburgh…
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Metallica have just announced that Australia will be part of their M72 World Tour in November 2025. Metallica will perform in stadiums in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland. These shows will include the famous Snake Pit extending from the front of the stage, meaning that the band will perform at each end of…
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The iconic Melbourne identity “Chopper” is back reincarnated in the hilariously talented Heath Franklin. Heath will present his brand new show “Not Here To F*** Spiders” over two nights in Melbourne in November. This is Chopper’s triumphant return after a short break to focus on his ‘other’ life and come back fiestier than ever. We…
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