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- By The Barman
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By The Barman
Having trouble keeping up with the plethora of new releases each week? Too much music, too many formats.
The struggle is real.
Welcome to The I-94 Bar's semi-regular round-up of new music that might appeal to Barflies.
First cabs of the rank are Wollongong, New South Wales, performance art-punks The Leftards who are calling it a day after almost a decade.
Their swansong release, “Bread and Circuses”, is available via their Bandcamp.
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- By The Barman
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Richie Weed, the unmistakable voice of Tumbleweed, stepped into bold new territory in 2024 with his debut solo album “Strays” and is doing a run of Northern New South Wales and Queensland shows to support it.
Recorded live-to-tape, “Strays” is made of songs written over the years that didn't fit into the heavy psychedelic groove of Tumbleweed, and was recorded without distortion pedals.
Richie Weed & His Band of Strays are packing up the van and setting the periscope for Brisbane, Murwillumbah and Ipswich, ready for fans to drift in.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 365
From Zombie Zoo Productions, the people who brought you “Fags In The Fast Lane” and tours by bands like Japan’s Baitones, comes “Wolf Cat Fever” a film that’s shaping as a must-see for aficionados of schlock rock and distorted guitars.
“Wolf Cat Fever” is having its Australian Premiere at the Ritz Cinema in Sydney’s Randwick on Friday, April 24, followed by a screening at The Lido in Melbourne on May 2, as part of the "Fantastic Film Festival Australia".
“Wolf Cat Fever” is an undeniable Australian original and the plotline is unique:
Furr Fever – a wild, fuzzed-up guitarist feline- crosses paths with the howling, leather-clad Wolfy Howl… two lost souls collide in a blaze of glitter and guitar overdrive.
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- By The Barman
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You might have been there to see it yourself. If you weren’t, you might have bought "The Murder Punk" bootlegs or "Do The Pop." You know good old Australian punk. So the rotating live punk rock show, Fuck The Neighbours, is in your wheelhouse.
Fuck The Neighbours is Oz punk played by some of the Oz punks who made it, and it’s quickly established itself as a “must see” and a good night (or afternoon) out. Fuck The Neighours returns for its first 2026 outing on the afternoon of Saturday, April 25, gracing MoshPit Bar in St Peters, Sydney. Tickets are on sale here.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 475
Australian tour dates by US punk veterans FEAR have been announced and tickets are now on sale.
With vocalist Lee Ving and original drummer Spit Stix still on board, the group features former AFl and Tiger Army bassist Geoff Kresge, and Eric Razo of The Henchmen on guitar.
FEAR's 1981 performance in the iconic Penelope Spheeris documentary "The Decline of the Western Civilization" is legendary, and frontman Lee Ving has carved out an acclaimed acting career, with appearances in "Flashdance", "Clue", "Streets of Fire" and more than 30 other film and television productions.
Ving is also a key member of Sound City Players, appearing in the 2013 documentary and accompanying soundtrack project led by Dave Grohl.
FEAR
Australian tour
JUNE
26 - Marrickville Bowlo - Sydney
27 - Thrashville Festival - Hunter Valley
28 - La La Las - Wollongong
JULY
3 - The Tote - Melbourne
4 - Vinnies Dive Bar - Gold Coast
5 - The Brightside - Brisbane
Tickets
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 674
From the smoke-choked seedy back rooms of Brisbane's 1980s underground scene to the rehearsal dens of Melbourne's inner north, The Girlies have blasted their way back out of the garage.
In the year of the 40th anniversary of their debut single, original member Heyden Wilson will unleash a re-tooled version of the band for one show at Brisbane’s PFR Lounge on Friday, April 24, to celebrate its legacy and pay tribute to fallen members.
Supports will be Dr Bombay and Gold Coast garage rockers The Spivs. Tickets are limited and on sale here.
Formed in 1986 at the tail end of Brisbane's punk heyday, The Girlies were a brash and unapologetic force, proudly wearing their Detroit Rock influences -The Stooges, MC5 and Radio Birdman squarely on their sleeves.
Descendants of a scene that birthed The Saints and fed the fire of Australian garage rock, The Girlies quickly became a fixture in the east coast pub circuit, alongside other Brisbane contemporaries like The Vampire Lovers, Voodoo Lust and The Screaming Tribesmen.
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- By The Barman
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The first bands have been announced for Thrashville, the boutique festival in the lush bushland of Dashville at Lower Belford in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, and heading the bill is veteran American punk band FEAR,
Thrashville is on Saturday, June 27. The line-up so far is:
FEAR (USA), Disentomb, The Bennies, Dregg, Hybrid Nightmares, Turtle Skull, Good Sniff, Private Wives, Couch Wizard, Catpiss, Purple Disturbance, Pyrefly, Whisperhead, Shacked, Happy Fuckin Family, Immortal Within and I Hate People.
No word on sideshows by FEAR but stay tuned.
Tickets for Thrashville are on sale here.
Formed in Los Angeles in 1978, FEAR didn’t just help shape punk rock - they defined its confrontational spirit.
The band made history in 1981 as the first punk act to appear on national TV in North America with their infamous Halloween performance on “Saturday Night Live”, courtesy of John Belushi. The chaotic set left the studio in shambles, landed the band on a permanent ban list.
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- By The Barman
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They’re still pinching themselves, but evergreen fans The Hard-Ons have been announced as punk pioneer TV Smith’s backing band for his April Australian tour.
Yep, Ray, Blackie and Murray and TV Smith will be powering thru 21st century renditions of The Adverts’ seminal punk rock catalogue including the 1977 classic “Crossing The Red Sea” album. Here's what two of them have to say about it:
Blackie: "As a young little fart being blown away by the shock horror of punk rock it seemed like every record I brought/heard was better than the last! Of course years later you shift back and forth and some lose a little power..
BUT a few stay with you .. you know every nano second of an album.. not just a track but an entire album!! That’s what Crossing the Red Sea with the Adverts is to me!! This tour coming up with TV Smith is a constant “pinch myself” moment. Excited!!!"
Ray: "TV Smith's songs always made a great impression for me. Passionate and intelligent social and political critique and observations that made me dance and think at once.
"The Adverts were the perfect band from 1977. That their songs do not sound dated at all is a testimony to their unique greatness. Words can't express how honoured I am to be able to be TV SMITH's bass player for one crazy Australian tour."
Read our TV Smith interview here.
TV SMITH'S ADVERTS
LIVE IN AUSTRALIA APRIL 2026
APR
2 - Young St Tavern Frankston
3 - The Tote Collingwood (w/Alien Nosejob)
4 - Barwon Club Geelong (w/ Handgrenade Hearts)
5 - Last Chance Rock'n'Roll Bar, Melbourne (matinee)
8 - Hamilton Station Newcastle
9 - Link and Pin, Woy Woy
10 - Lansdowne, Sydney
11 - La Las Wollongong -
(w/ Cammy Cautious and the Wrestlers)
Tickets
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 720
Renowned Melbourne indie/noir/neofolk troubadour Michael Plater is doing a four-date tour of Sydney this week and you’ll find dates at the end of this article.
He’ll be accompanied by Adam Geoffrey Cole (Trappist Afterland) on the Thursday and Matt Malone & the Holy Spirits on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. His Saturday gig is the single launch for Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes.
Plater has been compared to Berlin phase Crime & the City Solution, as well as “Burning World”-era Swans. In a world where there are far too many would-be Ed Sheerans, Michael Plater is a darkling glint of reality wrapped in a shivery, somewhat eerie cloak of familiarity.
While fans of the dark folk sub-genre have claimed him as one of their own, like Adam Geoffrey Cole, such claims are as foolhardy as they are confining.
I've lost count of the number of times I've seen Plater - in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney - and I find his performances to be mesmerising if not outright addictive.
- Sacred Cowboys announce Sydney and Canberra shows
- Charlie Owen brings his re-vamped "Searching..." show back to Sydney
- Hellacopters release new album and rarities collection
- Tragic news as Ross The Boss struck down
- Punk forefather TV Smith changes world tour channel to Australia
- Help Him Ann: Lyres and DMZ legend Mono Mann struggles to pay for cancer meds
Send us stuff to review
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Oatley NSW
2223 Australia
Get in touch: barman@i94bar.com
The Living Eye
The New Christs
+ Jupiter 5
+ The Stallers
Marrickville Bowlo, Sydney
- June 19
Tickets
Sister Paul (JP)
Australian Tour
MAY
21 - Kindred Studios, Yarraville, VIC (lunchtime)
22 – Medusa, Geelong, VIC
23 - Trash Cult, Eaglehawk, VIC
24 - Social Club Balnarring, Balnarring, VIC
25 - Northcote Social Club, Nothcote, VIC
28 - The Espanade Hotel, St Kilda, VIC
29 - The Painted Lady, Ballarat, VIC
30 - The Belgrave Hotel, Belgrave, VIC
Tickets
Black Flag
Australian Tour 2026
MAY
30 – Crowbar, Brisbane
31 – Vinnies Dive Bar, Gold Coast, QLD
Tickets
Lydia Lunch
The Songs of Suicide and Alan Vega
featuring Andrew Coates (Black Cab)
JUN
14 - Meow, Wellington, NZ (as part of Lōemis)
17 - The Tote, Melbourne (with Black Cab)
+ Belle Phoenix & Jeffrey Wegener
18 - The Tote, Melbourne (with Black Cab)
+ Tongue Dissolver
20 - Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane
21 - Factory Floor, Sydney
+ Rebel Yell
24 - Ed Castle, Adelaide
+ Messianic Gloss
25 - The Milk Bar, Perth
+ Streets of Separation
Tickets
FEAR
Australian tour
JUNE
26 - Marrickville Bowlo - Sydney
27 - Thrashville Festival - Hunter Valley
28 - La La Las - Wollongong
JULY
3 - The Tote - Melbourne
4 - Vinnies Dive Bar - Gold Coast
5 - The Brightside - Brisbane
Tickets
Indie Sounds of the Harbour City Vol 2
Launch Tour
JUL
3 - Dissent Bar, Canberra ACT
4 - Ryans Hotel, Thirroul
5 - The Marlin Hotel, Ulladulla
10 - Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle
11 - Six String, Erina
12 - Deadsset, Darlinghurst, Sydney
17 - Lou Lou Room, Wynnum, QLD
18 - Coffs Harbour Hotel, Coffs Harbour, NSW
19 - Blah Bar, Lismore, NSW
24 - Crowbar Sydney
25 - Vi-Nil HQ, Ourimbah, NSW
26 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
31 - The Vic, Orange, NSW
AUG
1 - Crossroads, Dubbo, NSW
7 - Diamond Dogs, Dapto, NSW
8 - Wings & Tins, Dee Why, NSW
Amammoth + None For One
+ Old Heathens + Buzz Wagon
+ The Limited + Headspacer
+ My Velvet Exit
Lazy Thinking, Dulwich Hill, NSW
2.30-11PM
- July 25
Smoked Salmon
Totally Sick!! Tour
JULY
24 - Mojo's, Fremantle, WA
25 - Prince of Wales, Bunbury, WA
31 - Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine, VIC
AUG
1 - Shotkickers, Thornbury, VIC
2 - Wheatsheaf, Adelaide, SA
6 - La La La's, Wollongong, NSW
7 - Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham , NSW
8 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
9 - The Oak Tighes Hill, Newcastle, NSW
(free)
14 - Tanswells, Beechworth, VIC
(free)
15 - Smiths Alternative, Canberra, ACT
21 - Republic Bar, Hobart, TAS
22 - Royal Oak, Launceston, TAS
28 - Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD
29 - Blah Bar, Lismore, NSW
30 - Cabarita Beach Club, Cabarita, NSW (free)
SEP
4 - Young St Tavern, Frankston, VIC
The Exploding Universe of Ed Kuepper
Ed Kuepper 50 Years Retrospective
JULY
30 - Avoca Theatre #
31 - Canberra, The Street
AUG
1 - Wombarra Bowlo
6 - Adelaide, The Gov
8 - Melbourne, National Theatre
9 - Barwon Heads Hotel
15 - Fremantle, Freo Social
20 - Brisbane, The Princess
21 - Coffs Harbour, The Jetty Theatre
22 - Murwillumbah, Regent Theatre
27 - Sydney, Enmore Theatre
Tickets
Huxton Creepers
12 Days To Paris Tour
AUG
7 - Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, VIC
+ Icecream Hands
8 - Croxton Bandroom, Thornbury, VIC
+ Icecream Hands
14 - Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
+ The Johnnys
15 - Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
+ The Johnnys
16 - Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
(afternoon show)
+ The Johnnys
21 - Norton Music Factory,
Caloundra, QLD
+ The Johnnys
22 - Crowbar Brisbane, QLD
+ The Johnnys
+ Mick Medew and Ursula
23 - Wallaby Hotel, Mudgeeraba, QLD
(afternoon show)
+ The Johnnys
The Damned
Final Damnation 50
Australia and New Zealand
SEP
8 - AUCKLAND, Powerstation
10 - SYDNEY, The Opera House
11 - BRISBANE, The Tivoli
13 - MELBOURNE, The Forum
Tickets
Pre-sale: Wednesday April 22d at 9:00am Local
General Public: Friday April 24 at 9:00am Local
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18 April 2026
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13 April 2026
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