After the heavy rainfall of the first day, BIGSOUND attendees finally saw that famous Brisbane sun. Most people would have rested from the late night of enjoying the best up-and-coming bands, but a mid-morning keynote talk with Aussie legend Paul Kelly made the early start worthwhile. Chatting with The Australian’s Andrew McMillen at a packed…
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Brisbane may be the capital of the Sunshine State, but the first day of BIGSOUND saw very little sun amongst the downpour. But the wet weather did little to dampen the excitement of the members of the Australian music industry gathered for the festivities. Everyone soldiered on through the wet weather – wearing free ponchos supplied…
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BIGSOUND officially kicks off in Brisbane tomorrow, and our man on the ground this year will be Tim Byrnes. Tim has narrowed down his five must-see acts for the festival. Take a look: Wax Chattels Auckland, New Zealand trio Wax Chattels play bass guitar, keyboard, and a two-piece drum kit. But with those barest of…
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Music industry conference BIGSOUND is less than a month away from taking over Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley and is already bursting at the seams with 150 acts announced. But the event has made just made its final announcement, which includes more artists, speakers, and parties. Joining the line-up of up-and-coming performers includes G Flip, I Know…
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Brisbane venue The Foundry was pitch-black. The only light inside was an exit sign above a door and the red glow of the stage lights. Eyes were fixed to the stage, where Tropical Fuck Storm unleashed chaos upon spectators on the sold-out first stop of their tour in support of their debut album, A Laughing Death…
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In 1996, Dr Octagon was insane. During a time when gangsta rap reigned supreme, a concept album about a time-travelling gynaecologist from Jupiter was something from another galaxy. But the trio of rapper Kool Keith, producer Dan The Automator, and DJ Qbert created a hip-hop masterpiece with their debut album, Dr Octagonecolygyst (the group doesn’t…
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The first time I saw Machine Age, a.k.a. Adrian Mauro, was in 2015 when he supported Youth Group. Mauro was alone on stage, creating loops and sounds with his guitar and a bevy samplers and synths, including a memorable cover of “Pony” by Ginuwine, a memory that makes him laugh. “I used to throw it…
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Brisbane rockers DZ Deathrays’ new album opens with a throat-shredding shriek of singer and guitarist Shane Parsons. His voice becomes overwhelmed by an earth-shaking riff and drummer Simon Ridley’s explosive beats on “Shred For Summer” to the point I couldn’t quite hear the chorus’ final line. Was it “Bleed a riff from my blood” or…
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Joe Casey, frontman of Detroit post-punks Protomartyr, is surprised the band has never ventured Down Under. “It seems like we should’ve gone over earlier,” he says. “Bands from Detroit have toured Australia, so we thought if they can do it, we can do it.” The band has worked hard over the last five years, touring…
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It’s no secret how much Dorset, England metalheads Electric Wizard worship Black Sabbath. There’s the surface level influence, like the slow beats, bottom-heavy riffs, and Satan-worshipping lyrics, and their name is a reference to two of their idol’s songs – “Electric Funeral” and “The Wizard”. The band has made their influence more obvious by paraphrasing…
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American electronic-musician Julianna Barwick has been taken far-and-wide thanks to her music. At the time of the interview, a tired and jet-lagged Barwick is in Berlin, awaiting a flight to Barcelona. “I can’t wait to see what my brain feels like when I’m in Australia,” she laughs. Live and on record, Barwick’s experimental choral-music billows…
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It was a sad day when Brisbane indie-pop weirdos Custard threw in the towel in 1999. The band behind “Music Is Crap” and “Girls Like That (Don’t Go For Guys Like Us)” brought a lot of fun and levity to music. Now, after their 2015 reunion album Come Back, All Is Forgiven, Custard is back…
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Brisbane duo Elko Fields are hyped to do big things, but the massive hometown crowd at Lefty’s showed big things are deservedly happening for them right now. Opening with a bang was local duo The Royal Artillery, whose riffs packed more firepower than their namesake. Every song felt like an explosion, but the duo’s finale…
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