Ups and Downs mark 40 years with a reformed Crystal Set

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By The Barman

The Barman

06 November 2024

Hits: 234

Renowned Australian guitar pop band Ups and Downs are playing a special set of shows in March 2025 to celebrate their 40th anniversary. They will be joined by The Crystal Set, another iconic Australian indie rock band from the 1980s, playing live for the first time in more than 25 years.

Formed in Brisbane in the early 1980s, Ups and Downs became known for their jangly guitars, melodic hooks, soaring harmonies and introspective lyrics, cementing their place in the hearts of indie music fans. They gained attention with their breakout single "The Living Kind", which became a staple of the Australian alternative music scene, topping the independent charts.

Their EP “Sleepless” and album “Underneath the Watchful Eye” showcased the band’s ability to blend heartfelt songwriting with infectious guitar-driven sounds, drawing comparisons to the likes of R.E.M. and The Church.

Tracks like "Lit by the Fuse" demonstrate their knack for crafting memorable songs that resonate with fans of thoughtful, melodic rock offering a distinctive blend of indie and post-punk.

Known for their swirling atmospheric sound, The Crystal Set made a name for themselves with key songs like "Benefit of the Doubt," "Wholly Holy," and "A Drop in the Ocean." Led by Russell Kilbey, their distinct dream-pop influences cemented their status as pioneers in the Australian indie music scene. 

Ups and Downs will be releasing a brand-new vinyl compilation album, “Stained Glass Memories”, a collection that spans their entire career,. More information and pre-order details soon.

• ups and downs
• 40th anniversary tour
• the crystal set

Watch a video preview of the John Kennedy and The New Originals album

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By The Barman

The Barman

06 November 2024

Hits: 144

Hola! Join us to watch the premiere of the video for the song “King Street” from the 2024 album "Live At The Marrickville Bowl" by John Kennedy And The New Originals, coming soon on I-94 Bar Records. The performance is from John Kennedy's farewell show at the Marrickville Bowling Club in Sydney in May 2023 and the video was produced by BetterBreeders.

Join the Facebook event for a reminder to watch at 8pm AEDST on Friday, November 11 and chat with John, online from Spain, four days from album release day. Pre-order now at I-94 Bar Records or from your favourite bricks and mortar shop and set yourself for live shows in Australia in December and January.

• i-94 bar records
• youtube
• John Kennedy and the New Originals
• premiere
• live at marrickville bowl

Psychotic Turnbuckles take on Bahne Super-Flex and Chainsaw Four in Xmas Cage Match

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By The Barman

The Barman

05 November 2024

Hits: 203

PISMO BEACH, CA. NOVEMBER 5 - A Message From Chester Chitworth, US business manager of the Psychotic Turnbuckles:

"It's the Xmas party you know and love and it's for one night only when the Kings of The Ring fly into Sydney from Pismo Beach and then depart, with no indication if and when they'll be back.

"Venue will be Marrickville Bowling Club on Saturday, December 21. Tickets are here.

"It's been a big 2024 for the Turnbuckles who celebrated their 40th year of slamming all challengers into the canvas, so be prepared for some surprises when Jesse the Intruder, The Grand Wizard, Count Forza, The Infliktor and Buddy Bam Bam Balam square off, one more time.

"Venue will be Marrickville Bowling Club on Saturday, December 221

"Supports will be Bahne Super-Flex and Chainsaw Four. Bahne Super-Flex (ex-Trilobites and Celibate Rifles members) are supposedly back by popular request. Whose request? Not ours! Chainsaw Four are a supergroup drawn from membership of the New Christs, Harpoon, Vanilla Chainsaws and a bunch of other bands. Who cares. They're going down, too.

"So it's nearly Xmas and there will be prizes for the best dressed (that's YOU - not the bands).

"You know it's going to be a gig to remember so reserve your spot sooner rather than later. The 40th show in Sydney was a sell out so if you snooze, it's a sure bet you will lose. Abdullah The Butcher wouldn't have it any other way.:

• sydney
• psychotic turnbuckles
• bahne super-flex
• chainsaw four
• xmas

Get Psyched As for this Sydney summer festival line-up

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 November 2024

Hits: 234

Summer in Sydney will take a psychedelic twist when DIY community festival Psyched As Forever takes over the Portugal Community Club in Marrickville on Saturday, January 25.

Leading the charge are The Buoys, fresh off their sold-out Australian tour, riding the wave of their acclaimed debut album, “Lustre”. Joining them are powerhouse rockers (and I-94 Bar's Edwin Garland favourites) Full Flower Moon Band, who have been shaking things up with their recent album “Megaflower”, and raw, gritty live shows.

The Gooch Palms will also be gracing the Psyched As Forever stage for the first time.

A slew of local and international talent fils out the line-up, including GIMMY, Dick Move (NZ), Grinding Eyes, Antenna, The Uplifting Bell Ends,  The Blamers, Swine, O.M.R., and the Psyched As House Band.

Psyched As Forever celebrates the life and legacy of Richard “Millsy” Mills, co-founder of Psyched As, Now in its third year, the 2025 festival with run across two stages, with a portion of ticket sales donated to Bula Bula Arts Centre in Rammingining, where Millsy worked. Tickets are on sale here. 

• full moon flower band
• 2025
• psyched as
• the buoys
• the good palms
• the portugal club

Saints 2007 reformation show to be re-released in full

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 November 2024

Hits: 368

With The Saints '73-'78 tour less than two weeks away, there's more big news coming out of Saintsville...“Pig City: Live in Brisbane 2007”, the live album that documented the first public show by the three original Saints - Ed Kuepper, Chris Bailey and Ivor Hay - in almost 30 years, is available again. This time with a different mix and released on vinyl and in its entirety for the very first time.

• pig city
• australian tour
• (I'm) stranded

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Japan rock and roll revivalists The Bawdies heading to Oz

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By The Barman

The Barman

02 November 2024

Hits: 303

Get ready, Australia: Japan’s The Bawdies are coming in hot for their first tour down under since 2008, bringing that old-school rhythm and blues fire with a modern twist!

Hailing from Tokyo Japan, these four childhood friends—Roy (vocals/bass), Taxman (guitar), Jim (guitar), and Marcy (drums)—have been tearing up the scene since 2004, reviving the raw energy of ‘50s and ‘60s rock 'n' roll.

With killer singles lighting up the charts and a reputation for setting venues like Budokan on fire, The Bawdies are known for their sweat-soaked, soul-drenched live shows. This is rock 'n' roll revival at its finest—don’t sleep on it!

DECEMBER 5, THURSDAY
MARRICKVILLE BOWLO, SYDNEY
$38 + BF / $43 DOOR / OPEN 8PM

DECEMBER 6, FRIDAY
NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE
$38 + BF / $43 DOOR / OPEN 8PM

DECEMBER 8, SUNDAY
BELLS BEACH BREWERY, TORQUAY
$25 DOOR ONLY / OPEN 4PM

Tickets at toshimaeda.com.au 

Tumbleweed set to release Rob Younger-produced 45

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By The Barman

The Barman

02 November 2024

Hits: 320

Everybody’s favourite Aussie stoners, Tumbleweed are releasing a new physical single. “When We Were Young” b/w “Patchouli Girl'” on November 29 with shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane across December and January.

The tracks were produced by the New Christs’ Rob Younger, who was working with Tumbleweed for the first time.

Richie Tumbleweed says of the sessions “I was always a big fan of Rob Younger’s work as a singer and as a producer and always wanted to work with him, when we had the idea to record a string of 45’s, we really wanted Rob to produce.

“We live in the same town, we have shared band members and crossed paths for the past 25 years but we have never worked together.”

While “Patchouli Girl” tapped into the bands gentler pop orientated side, “When We Were Young” picks it up a notch with Tumbleweed’s garage/punk influence coming to the fore.

• tumbleweed
• hoodoo gurus
• rob younger
• when we were young

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John Kennedy's send-off is the new release on I-94 Bar Records

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By The Barman

The Barman

31 October 2024

Hits: 477

The next release on I-94 Bar Records will be “Live at The Marrickville Bowl” by John Kennedy and The New Originals on November 15.

The album captures the farewell gig by urban and western troubadour Kennedy and his all-star band, performed under the Copperart ceiling of the beloved Marrickville Bowling Club in Sydney’s inner-west in May 2022.

Kennedy upped stakes and relocated to Spain shortly after the sold-out show, unaware that in-house soundman Richard Ball had captured the gig on hard drive. A post-show listen by bassist Phil Hall (ex-Dropbears, Sardine v and Lime Spiders) confirmed that something special had been recorded. He and Kennedy oversaw some minor polishing before Melbourne’s Ernie O sprinkled his mastering magic dust.

Kennedy’s band, The New Originals was Hall, Murray Cook (Wiggles, Soul Movers) and Matt Galvin (Barbarellas, Scruffs, Happy Hate Me Nots) on guitars and longtime drummer Pete Timmerman.   

Kennedy will support CD’s release with a string of homecoming gigs with The New Originals and also in solo mode in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in December and January.

• i-94 bar records
• john kennedy
• John Kennedy and the New Originals
• live at the marrickville bowl

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Zoning in on quirkiness and classic songwriting

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By Ron Brown & Edwin Garland

Ron Brown & Edwin Garland

27 October 2024

Hits: 1080

In The Zone - Mick Medew and Ursula (I-94 Bar Records)

Hello I-94 Barflies. Well folks, The Farmhouse has been rocking this past week because I’ve been listening to the new Mick Medew and Ursula “In The Zone”. What a follow up to “Love Is Calling”.

“In The Zone” is classic Mick but what makes this so interesting is how Ms Ursula has taken over some of the songwriting duties to come up with some bloody classic tunes

Mick and Ursula have been joined in the studio by Mick’s Mesmerisers bandmate, the wonderful Lois Andrews, on bass guitar and newcomer Stuart McLaughlin on drums. Ex-Mesmeriser Brian Mann also lent a hand on production while contributing some guitar, drums, bass and vocal parts.

• i-94 bar records
• lois andrews
• brian mann
• mick medew and ursula
• in the zone
• stuatt mclaughlin

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