- Details
- Written by: Edwin Garland
- Hits: 184
I thought this was quiet year but, looking back at It, there were many more than 10 gems that stand out for me. So it’s a round-up - with only a slight concession to numbers.
I do see myself as a hermit compared to most people who go to gigs every week and constantly buy albums. But 2025 was a bustling and explosive year for me with some real highlights.
“South by South West” in Sydney was chaotic, a lottery dip and well worth a look for some superb bands. From Chinese metal art house to the best indie pop this side of Half a Cow Records, I recommend checking it out next year.
For personal musical highlights, I was honoured to be part of Ernie Oppenheimer’s post- punk album, “The Institutionalist”. Playing a gig at Geoff Datson’s hootenanny with someone I believe in one is one of the best blues-swamp guitar players, Bones of The Deadly Hume, was a hoot. There will eventually be a YouTube clip.
Finally, there was a little doco that I was involved with about the photography of Bryan Cook. There will a book out early next year, “Spirits of the Hopetoun” will feature his photos with some magnificent research and interviews by Dr Greg Ferris and Dr Liz Giuffre.
- Details
- Written by: Al Creed
- Hits: 504
Lisa Gough Photography
1. LACHLAN X MORRIS – “ILLUSIONAIRES”
If you don’t know about Novocastrian pop genius, Lachlan X Morris’s work, then you need to get off your ass and give his latest album, “Illusionaires”, a spin and subsequent purchase.
In my mind, Lachlan is one of those artists that you wonder, “how is this guy not world renowned and a household name?” He also surrounds himself with a cast of superb musicians whose abilities are equally the perfect vehicle for driving his musical offings into your worn-out earholes, making them feel fresh and resonant.
- Details
- Written by: Keith Claringbold
- Hits: 763
GIGS
The Schizophonics at the Factory Floor in Sydney
And no, Craig, I can’t name three songs and it doesn’t matter one iota.
The Fadeaways at Marrickville Bowlo, Sydney
Great fun.
Barry Adamson-Factory Theatre, Sydney.
It was a looooooong time since I last saw Barry, playing bass for Magazine in 1980. He was great then and is great now.
- Details
- Written by: The Barman
- Hits: 275
Following a run of sold out shows in Melbourne, Frankston's fab four The Gnomes have announced the six-date “Dive! Dive! Dive! Rock'n'Roll Dive Bar Tour” across Victoria and New South Wales throughout January and February,.
The NSW gigs include a support spot to Viagra Boys at the Hordern Pavilion. The band has a string of regional Victorian shows coming up, including two with Hockey Dad, and they have been included in recent line-up announcements by Frankston's Waterfront Festival (7 February) and Flippin' The Bird (28 February) as well as Golden Plains (8 March).
- Details
- Written by: Mike Foxall
- Hits: 768
2025 TOP 10 THINGS OF A ROCK & ROLL NATURE - BY FOX
1. TRANSISTORS - “EVERYTHING WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN” LP
My favourite album of the year was by this Kiwi trio I've never heard before. Turns out it is a reunion album of sorts, with the band being previously active in the late 00s / early 2010s. It’s up tempo punk / power pop with great melodies played with intent and aggression. The unexpected bonus to this discovery was my mate Troy accessing his internal Dewey Decimal System and gifting me a test pressing of their 2007 debut album “Shortwave” plucked from his vast wax museum. It’s also killer!
- Details
- Written by: Simon Li
- Hits: 377
1. "20 Years in the Crypt - Embedded on tour with Dead Moon" (documentary)
2. Fanny - "The Right to Rock" (documentary)
3. Karen Dalton - "In My Own Time" (documentary)
4, "Without Getting Killed or Caught" (Guy Clark documentary)
5. Margo Price - "Hard Headed Woman" (digital album)
6. Neko Case - "Neon Grey Midnight Green" (digital album)
7. Die Spitz - "Something to Consume" (digital album)
8. The Prize - "In the Red" (digital album)
9. The Mezcaltones "Big Hat, No Cattle" Album Launch at Marrickville Bowling Club, Sydney
10. Toody Cole and her band - PBS FM "Studio 5 Live"
RIP James Baker, Clem Burke, Sly Stone, Rex Bell, Steve Cropper, Ace Frehley, Garth Hudson, Todd Snider, David Johansen, Ozzy Osbourne, Jimmy Cliff, Raul Malo
- Details
- Written by: TheDean
- Hits: 1130
Alex Green photo.
Ginger Butcher, Baker and the Candlestick Maker
10. Nunchukka Superfly - “If You Go Down, I Go Down Too” LP Launch. Marrickville Bowlo, 29th August
We had the pleasure of seeing Ray and Blackie quite a bit this year. Live and on the big screen. The only artist we got to absorb more than these two champs were our Rock n Rock Bloodbrothers The Strike-Outs.
- Details
- Written by: The Barman
- Hits: 456
Legendary Japanese–Australian punk trio Mach Pelican are returning with their first new release in nearly two decades in January. Local label Cheersquad is releasing a vinyl single, “Remember It?” b/w “Summer Sun”.
Recorded by Paul Maybury (Rocket Science) at the renowned Secret Location Sound Recorders in Melbourne, the tracks are said to capture everything fans love about Mach Pelican: high-speed energy, pop-soaked melodies, and those unmistakably catchy hooks.
The single will be released on January 30 in three limited vinyl variants — translucent red, translucent blue and classic black — in runs of 100 copies each, plus a worldwide digital release.
Pre-orders are open here.
Mach Pelican have been gigging, mostly in and around Melbourne, and will host a single launch party on Saturday, January 31 at The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar in their adopted home city, Special guests will be Loose Lips and Elvis II.
- Details
- Written by: The Barman
- Hits: 588
Swiss psych-garage punk trio The Jackets are finally bringing their long-awaited Australian tour to life in February and March..
Hailing from Bern, Switzerland, The Jackets are known for their ferocious blend of fuzz-soaked garage rock, raw punk energy and warped psychedelia. Frontwoman Jackie Brutsche commands the stage with a fearless, high-voltage live performance, while the band’s no-frills approach has earned them cult status across Europe, the UK, Japan and the USA
The Jackets have released five full-length albums and three vinyl singles, collaborating with labels such as Voodoo Rhythm Records (Switzerland), Chaputa! Records (Portugal), and Soundflat Records (Germany). Along the way, they’ve worked with influential musicians and producers like Reverend Beat-Man (The Monsters), King Khan (The Shrines/KK & BBQ), and Jim Diamond (White Stripes/Dirtbombs).
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The Living Eye
NYE Masquerade: The State Of Re-emergence
The Double Happiness
+ The Heydaisies
+ The Mick Medew & Ursula 4
(Screaming Tribesmen set)
+ Purple Adventures
+ Cross Town Collective
+ The Worm Turns
+ iLdil
+ The Randomizzzed Experience
+ DJ Patience Hodgson
The Cave Inn, Wollongabba, QLD
- Dec 31
Tickets
Tumbleed & The New Christs
JAN
16 - The Marlin, Ulladulla, NSW
+ Cool Jumper
17 - Avalon Beach RSL,
Avalon, NSW
Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes
Service Station Chcken Tour
JAN
17 – MoshPit Bar, Sydney, NSW
+ Bahne Super-Flex + Sam Shinazzi
18 – The Junkyard, Maitland, NSW
+ Tim Easton (USA)
20 – The Tamworth Hotel, Tamsworth, NSW
“The Tops Day Out” festival
30 – Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
+ The Dunhill Blues
31 – The Oak Tighes Hill,Newcastle, NSW
+ Crank Williams and Patsy Decline
FEB
27 – The Main Bar, Ballarat, VIC
28 – Union Hotel, Brunswick, VIC
MAR
1 – Bendigo Hotel, Brunswick, VIC
The Gnomes
Dive! Dive! Dive!
Rock ‘n’ Roll Dive Bar Tour
JAN
16 - The Lansdowne, Sydney
+ Marilyn Maria + Aria Nova
17 - Dicey's, Wollongong
+ Kryver + Jordan Kenny + Harold & The Bishops
18 - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
w/ Viagra Boys
23 - The Gem, Collingwood (8pm)
+ W.O.M.B.A.T. + Sargent Baker
30 - Last Chance Rock'n'roll Bar, Melbourne (8pm)
+ Winsky + Riviera
31 - Trash Cult, Bendigo (7pm)
+ Clydesdale
FEB
14 - Shotkickers, Thornbury (8pm)
+ Public House + Special Guests
20 - The Tote Front Bar, Collingwood (6pm)
+ Champ Ruby
21 - Kindred Bandroom, Footscray (8pm)
+ Stimpies + special guests
TsuShiMaMiRe (JP)
Australian Tour
FEB
19 - Shotkickers, Melbourne, VIC
20 – Trash Cult, Bendigo, VIC
22– Young St Tavern, Frankston, VIC
27 - Shadows, Canberra, ACT
28 – Moshpit, Sydney, NSW
The Jackets (CH)
Australian Tour
FEB
25 – Shotkickers, Thornbury, VIC
26 - Vineyard, St Kilda, VIC
27 – Marrickville Bowlo, Sydney, NSW
28 - The Bendi, Collingwood, VIC
MAR
1 -– Trash Cult, Bendigo, VIC
2 – The Last Chance, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets
Cosmic Psychos
"I Really Like Beer Tour"
JAN
1 — Edge Hill Tavern, Cairns, QLD
2 — Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville, QLD
3 — Magnums, Airlie Beach, QLD
4 — Metropolitan Hotel, Mackay, QLD
7 — Harvey Road Tavern, Gladstone, QLD
8 — Grand Hotel, Childers, QLD
9 — Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast, QLD
10 — Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga, NSW
11 — Bellingen Brewery, Bellingen, NSW
14 — Moonshiners Honky Tonk Bar, Tamworth, NSW
15 — Finnian's Tavern, Port Macquarie, NSW
16 — Avalon RSL, Avalon, NSW
17 — The Marlin, Ulladulla, NSW
18 — Beer Deluxe, Albury NSW
22 — Tanswells Hotel, Beechworth, VIC
23 — Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, VIC
24 — Westonport Hotel, San Remo, VIC
25 — Social Club, Balnarring, VIC
26 — Volta, Ballarat, VIC
29 — Whalers Hotel, Warrnambool, VIC
30 — Torquay Hotel, Torquay, VIC
31 — Riverview Hotel, Tarwin Lower, VIC
FEB
12 — Royal Oak, Launceston, TAS
13 — Forth Pub, Devonport, TAS
14 — Altar, Hobart, TAS
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