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.
Carclew has been a youth arts hub for young adults for many years and offers a range of opportunities for the under 26. The #nofilter Fair and open day was a way to showcase some of the arts on offer, including visual arts and music with Emma Rowe releasing a new single and video. Headspace…
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The Naked Magicians are just exactly as you would expect – two guys who strip down and perform magic tricks to a mostly female audience. This is no place for a guy’s night out, but there are probably plenty of “girl’s nights” in the audience. Endlessly touring Australia, the pair just wrapped up a run…
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Usually a magician likes to keep his tricks a secret for obvious reasons. But jden redden is no ordinary magician. Part of the Adelaide Fringe, over the course of an hour, jden performs card tricks and then explains how they are performed. The audience is led upstairs at La Boheme Theatre and sits around a…
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Jane Ferrari (normally known as just “Ferrari”) spent 30 years in the Australian wine industry, brand building and promoting wine both locally and abroad. Her show Unlimited Kilometres is a tribute to the people and places she’s met and been to along the way. Opening night at the Kentish Wine Shed was filled to the…
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Aphrodite’s Voodoo showcases chanteuse Jennifer DeGrassi with her live band and some special guests. Set in the beautiful Royal Croquet Club on the northern banks of the River Torrens, the Plaza Parlour tent is an intimate Bedouin style space that is perfect for the dark and mysterious journey to come. The voice of Anais Nin…
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The Talents of Darkness is billed as an “unforgettable experience of the unusual” and it lives up to that name. Hosted by drag queen Bebe Tricx, the show is a collection of short acts from five diverse performers. Bebe Tricx begins by inviting an audience member on stage to break a light globe and then…
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A word of warning; if you have a phobia or are allergic to pop corn then Tom Flanagan’s show Kaput is not for you. For everyone else though, read on. Kaput is a show in the mold of the ageless slap-stick style, from comics such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to more modern day…
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Thursday night marked Grand Opening Night at the Garden of Unearthly Delights with free performances, fireworks and much excitement. The newly installed venue known as The Box showcased a selection of artists from The Fun House, magician Kevin Quantum and New York ska trio Too Many Zooz among many others. Let the Adelaide Fringe begin….
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If you’re looking for the perfect cruisy soundtrack for your summer beach party the latest release from Above and Beyond could be just for you. The English based EDM group is already making waves on the charts within days of their latest release, Common Ground. The list of nominations and awards that they have amassed…
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Amongst the rubble of the Festival Theatre, buried deep in the Space Theatre, Club Swizzle is a welcome distraction to the outside world. Transformed into a burlesque bar, the atmosphere hits long before the show even begins. Waiters wander and the MC, Reuben Kaye mingles and greets the guests as they take their seats. The…
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The Kransky Sisters have set out on a national Christmas tour from their hometown in Esk, Queensland, to share their memories of Christmases past. Before the sisters arrive, the audience is treated to an intriguing slide show of their adventures to date, featuring the big Koala and the big potato amongst other charming places. Eve,…
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On the same day that Australia voted “yes” to marriage equality, Brodie John presented his brave and personal account of childhood sexual abuse. Dressed in drag and playing to an imaginary audience side stage, we are plunged into an intimate moment of rapture with Brodie as he takes his final bow. He then begins the…
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The Deni Ute Muster has been a regular drawcard for car enthusiasts for almost twenty years. With a range of activities including car demonstrations, a rodeo challenge, plenty of live music, helicopter joy rides, food, drink and sideshows, there is plenty to keep the whole family amused. Deni is also host to the Rhythm, Blues…
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German producer Purple Disco Machine has released his debut studio album Soulmatic and it’s as full of funk and soul as can be. After working with Jamiroquai and Gorillaz, the influences are clear. The 13-track album starts with “Music in You” featuring Lorenz Rhode and is packed full of vintage disco vibes and that 70’s funk…
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North American roots artist Eddie Berman has just released his latest album Before the Bridge and John Goodridge had a chat to him about the making of the album. It’s been a pretty busy year for you with releasing an album, having a baby and moving house, how have you managed it all? I actually…
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Like the dawning of a new day, a gentle light envelops the stage. Slowly we become aware of a solitary figure crouching in the gloom, gradually becoming clearer. Aakash Odedra dressed in traditional flowing Indian robes, unravels his body and dances across the stage in increasingly faster yet controlled movements. The name of this piece,…
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When strangers meet, they unconsciously do a “dance”, a subliminal meeting of minds using body language. Darlane Litaay and Tian Rotteveel explore this idea in their dance piece Specific Places Need Specific Dances, which this week is part of the OzAsia Festival in Adelaide. Indonesian native Litaay met Dutch / German Rottveel in Papua New…
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Until the Lions is derived from a tale in the Mahabharata about Amba and Shikhandi. Director Akram Khan has a long history with the Mahabhrata, having performed in Peter Brook’s version in 2005. In this dance piece, Khan brings to life the story of Amba, who on her wedding day is abducted by Bheeshma as…
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Germany’s Rolling Stone has compared Luke Elliot to some of the greatest sonic storytellers of our time and it’s easy to see why when you listen to his debut album Dressed For The Occasion. Recorded in Norway by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Kurt Vile), it has a real spaghetti western country feel. We…
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Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been interpreted many times over the years on stage and screen. This time, Queensland based Shake and Stir Theatre Company have breathed new life into the ageless classic. A single lit window on a darkened stage is the only clue to what is to come. There are shocks a plenty –…
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After dazzling audiences and critics alike at its recent world premiere, produced by the renowned Glyndebourne Festival Opera, in the UK, Neil Armfield‘s production of Australian composer Brett Dean‘s masterpiece Hamlet, conducted by Nicholas Carter, is set to make its Australian debut in March, with an exclusive season at the 2018 Adelaide Festival. Hailed as…
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The Sydney Dance Company are currently touring Australia with double performance of two individual but complementary pieces; Wildebeest with choreography by Gabrielle Nankivell and Frame of Mind by Rafael Bonachela. I caught the production last week as it arrived in Adelaide. In the opening scene of Wildebeest, a lone figure slowly unravels and expands in a…
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The Space Theatre stage setting is sparse; a central console and an outer ring of lights are the only props. The three performers, Black, White and Grey enter the stage to the sound of pulsing music and start to circle around the space, slowly at first then picking up the pace. The effect is one…
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Enoch Arden is a stirring tale written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in 1884. It tells the story of three children growing up together in a seaside town and the complicated love triangle between them. Enoch Arden is the rough sailor’s son who wins Annie Lee’s heart over his rival Phillip Ray. The performance at the…
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There are traditional cabaret MC’s and then there is Reuben Kaye. With an outrageous dress style, enough glitter to drown a Pride Mach and dark eyelashes that make him look like Jeannie Little has had a stroke, Reuben has gone to way too much effort to not let everyone have a good time. He prances,…
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After eighteen months in the studio, Perth trio Crooked Colours have just released their debut album Vera. This is a well-crafted and enjoyable release for those that love their music laid-back yet still up-tempo. The opening track “Flow” is a likable and catchy tune that has those summer vibes threading through. It begins with that…
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Adelaide’s own Bad//Dreems finished their Gutful national tour at home on the weekend, playing to a sold out venue at The Gov – their largest headlining show in Adelaide to date. We followed the guys around a bit after their soundcheck on Saturday night and found out how this tour has compared to their other adventures on the road,…
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You can tell the moment that Tina Del Twist (Wes Snelling) lurches out onto stage, with a bottle clutched in her hand, knocking over several props along the way, that this is going to be a wild ride. Introducing her band, visible to only Tina, she reminisces about her recent “world tour”, which we suspect…
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Bluesfest Byron Bay had such a variety of performances in five tents over five days that it can be difficult to catch it all. With five stages running between 11am and midnight so there is a lot going on. John Goodridge lists a few highlights from his visit. Patti Smith and her band perform Horses Patti Smith…
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Devon Allman is in Australia playing for Bluesfest with a couple of sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne. John Goodridge caught up with him backstage to chat about music making and recording his latest album Ride or Die”. How have you been enjoying Bluesfest? I say it on the mic and I really do mean it,…
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