- Details
- By JD Misfortune
- Hits: 1387
24 Hours in Detroit - Troy Toma and The Lousy Lovers (Jett Plastic Recordings)
So, my good friends, I hesitate to even commit my thoughts to paper very often nowadays cause I'm just so curmudgeonly and grouchy and pessimistic, I've totally turned into one of those ruined, scarred, and bitter men muttering to himself about the MC5, and wishing all these new kids in their expensive hats would get off my fucking lawn.
I got the oldness; walk with a cane, been having some scary health issues, with gratitude for some narrow escapes, my old friends are dropping like flies, and many of those remaining suddenly look like Uncle Jessie from "Dukes" Of Hazzard".
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 955
The Jane Does – The Jane Does (self released)
It seems hard to find good bands fronted by women no longer aged in their teens in Sydney these days. The reality is that the city’s small roster of rock and roll venues means the sisters (mums? aunts?) aren’t hiding, you just need to look for them at the right time.
Along with The Sugar Beats and Raising Ravens, The Jane Does are the pick of the semi-femme crop (although technically you could say that the former come from Wollongong.)
The Jane Does are Rebecca Halley (vocals and guitar) and Joanne Bennett (bass and vocals) sharing front-of-stage duties with guitarist Matt Allison. Rebecca and Jo are cousins and have shared stages before. They’ve had a series of drummers but Tim Savage now seems firmly sequestered on the stool, barring spontaneous combustion or bizarre gardening accidents.
- Details
- By Steve Lorkin
- Hits: 1229
Zeno Beach - Radio Birdman (Citadel Records)
By Steve Lorkin
Quick quiz: Which legendary band who broke up in the 1970s but reformed several decades later and recorded a album of new material which actually honoured their original legacy?
1) New York Dolls
2) MC5 (aka MC1)
3) The Stooges
4) Radio Birdman
If you answered “Radio Birdman” you win a million in prizes!
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 1238
Sonic Maze – Flippin’ Kick Outs (self-released)
The splintering of what used to be called mass media has put a universe of sounds at everybody’s fingertips and they only need to pay a pittance - if anything at all. The onus really is on you and me to step carefully. lest we tread in dog shit.
It really is a maze out there – as the title of the second album from Sydney’s Flippin’ Kick Outs attests.
- Details
- By Edwin Garland
- Hits: 1471
1978 - Young Charlatans (Eminent Vinyl)
If you go on YouTube you can see a remarkable clip of two 18-year-old kids, Rowland S Howard and Ollie Olsen, being interviewed by the ABC. As the teenagers walk down St Kilda Road in Melbourne, they are jeered at for looking like aliens with art school aesthetics.
It was 1978 and a vastly different time in Australia. In the beige, conservative world ruled by the Tories and the Country Party. Every second house had porcelain ducks on its wall and a framed picture of Queen Elizabeth the 2nd. The Robert Menzies vision of Australia ruled and the fashion mindset embraced Dennis Lillee’s porn star moustache and safari suits.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 1554
Family Affair - Gaian Soul (Charlie Marshall)
Because I've been in a tunnel several years long it's been a while since I reviewed a CD. I won't say I'm out of the tunnel because I'm not. As most music writers know, LP or CD reviews always take up a lot of time (the book I'm currently beavering away at doesn't get much of a chance when reviews come tapping at the door. Poor little thing).
However. I was asked if I would do a CD review to get The Barman out of a hole and I rashly said yes, so this will probably be the last for a while, so there.
- Details
- By Bob Short
- Hits: 1378
Not Like Everybody Else – The Damned (earMusic)
Growing up in Sydney in the ‘70s, betrothed to the rise of punk music, you and most of your fellow travellers understood that this music had roots. It did not appear out of vacuum. It was a folk art built upon a tradition.
While folk art maybe sneered upon by some, it creates a sense of community and shared history. And punk rock is counter culture. It celebrates the outsider by counter-intuitively placing the outsider within the shared myth of the outsider.
Humans love our smoke and mirrors.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 799
Live At The ANZA Club - Rich Hope (Planned Obsolescence Recording & Novelty Inc)
There was a time when you could walk into a designated rock and roll club in most sizeable North American cities and try your luck, knowing that you might just stumble on a band that would make it the best night of your month.
It may still be the case in musical hotbeds like Austin and Nashville. No idea because it’s been such a loooong time between long-haul trans-Pacific flights. But that's the scenario that Canadian rocker Rich Hope tried to replicate on “Live At The ANZA Club”.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 952
Kicks and Diabolik Licks – Brian James (Easy Action)
As his last will and testament, “Kicks and Diabolik Licks” is Brian James as most fans of The Damned have never heard him.
It’s rock and roll, mostly, stripped right back in places with a dollop of jazz, and most of it is a few steps removed from the punk rock foundation that he helped build and the dark storm that was The Lords of The New Church.
Brian James passed in March 2025 after protracted health issues. Not before he’d re-joined Captain Sensible, Dave Vanian and Rat Scabies for Damned shows and a one-off with a reconstituted Lords with Michael Monroe subbing for the long departed Stiv Bators.
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The Living Eye
I-94 Bar presents
Chris Masuak’s Dog Soldier
“The Shiny Side Tour”
OCT
8 - La La La’s, Wollongong, NSW
+ The Sugar Beats
+ Buzz Wagon
Tickets:Tickets
9 - Smith’s Alternative, Canberra, ACT
+ ZZG
Tickets
10 - Shotkickers, Thornbury, VIC
+ Grindhouse
+ The Girlies
Tickets https://tickets.oztix.com.au/
11 - Trash Cult, Bendigo, VIC
+ Trip Hazard
(matinee)
Tickets
15 - Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
+ SPLODGE
(free)
16 - Federal Hotel, Bellingen, NSW
+ Love City Radio
(free)
17 - The Cave Inn, Brisbane, QLD
+ Mick Medew & The Ursula 4
+ The Spivs
Tickets
18 - Vinnies Dive, Southport, Gold Coast, QLD
+ Mick Medew & The Ursula 4
+ The Spivs
Tickets
23 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
+ The Dunhill Blues
Tickets
24 - Marrickville Bowlo, Marrickville, NSW
+ Fuck The Neighbours
+ The Stallers
Tickets
Negative Approach (US)
Australian Tour
OCT
21 - Lynott’s Lounge, Perth, WA
22 - Ed Castle, Adelaide, SA
23 - The Tote, Melbourne, VIC
24 - Singing Bird Studios, Frankston, VIC
29 - The Baso, Canberra, ACT
30 - La La La’s, Wollongong, NSW
31 - The Chippo, Sydney, NSW
NOV
6 - Vinnies Dive Bar, Southport, QLD
7 - The Brightside, Brisbane, QLD
8 - Black Box Theatre, Nambour, QLD
Tickets
Joeys Coop
SEP
18 - Tap Room, Castlemaine, VIC
19 - Painted Lady, Ballarat, VIC
+ Cold Irons Bound + Neutron Flow
20 - Union Hotel, Brunswick, VIC
NOV
28 - Blah Bar, Lismore, NSW
29 - Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD (arvo)
Swervedriver Australian Tour
SEPT
14 - Melbourne, Northcote Social Club
with Fancy Weapon
15 - Adelaide, Lion Arts Factory
with Chimers
Tickets
The Cribs (UK)
"Selling A Vibe" Australian Tour
OCT
4 - 170 Russell, Melbourne, VIC
5 - Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
6 - The Triffid, Brisbane, QLD
8 - Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA
Mudhoney
Australia-NZ 2026
OCT
16 - The Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne VIC
17 - Torquay Hotel, Torquay VIC
18 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine VIC
20 - Volta, Ballarat VIC
21- Felons Barrel Room, Manly NSW
22 - Factory Theatre, Sydney NSW
23 - King Street, Newcastle NSW
24 - ZED 51, Brisbane QLD
25 - The Northern, Byron Bay NSW
28 - Blue Smoke, Christchurch NZ
29 - Meow, Wellington NZ
30 - Totara St, Tauranga NZ -
31 - Harbour Hotel, Raglan NZ
NOV
1 - Double Whammy, Auckland NZ
The Exploding Universe of Ed Kuepper
Ed Kuepper 50 Years Retrospective
RESCHEDULED
OCT
29 - Avoca Theatre, NSW
30 - Canberra, The Street Theatre, ACT
31 - Wombarra Bowlo, NSW
NOV
4 - Adelaide, The Gov, SA
5 - Melbourne, National Theatre, VIC
6 – Geelong, Barwon Heads Hotel, VIC
7 - Sydney, Factory Theatre, NSW
(matinee & evening shows)
13 - Fremantle, Freo Social, WA
15 - Brisbane, Princess Theatre, QLD
Tickets
New Christs
NOV
21 - The Brightside, Brisbane, QLD
+ Suicide Country Hour
+ Mick Medew & The Ursula 4
Reverend Horton Heat (US)
Australian Tour
NOV
11 - Crowbar, Brisbane, QLD
+ The Linelockers
+ Jake & The Cadillacs
+ DJ Lori Lee
12 - The Gov, Adelaide, SA
+ The Satellites
13 - Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
+ The Johnnys
+ Pat Capocci
14 - Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne, VIC
+ The Johnnys
+ Ezra Lee & Jumpin' Jethro
15 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
+ The Johnnys
Hoodoo Gurus
"Rewind Tour - All Killer, No Filler"
+ Ratcat
+ The Stems
NOV
28 - Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide, SA
DEC
1 - Ice Cream Factory, Perth, WA
5 - Tumbalong Park, Sydney, NSW
6 - Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, VIC
11 - Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
16 - Odeon Theatre, Hobart, TAS
The Saints 73-78
UK Tour with The Damned
2026
NOV
25 - Brighton, Dome
27 - London, British Airways ARC
28 - Bristol, Beacon
30 - Manchester, Academy
DEC
1 - Newcastle, O2 City Hall
2 - Derby, Vaillant Live Derby
5 - Birmingham, O2 Academy
The Saints 73-78
Australian Tour
2027
JAN
21 - Newcastle, King St
+ Chimers
22 - Sydney, Metro
+ Antenna
23 - Wollongong, Waves
+ The New Christs
29 - Brisbane, Tivoli
+ Tape / Off
30 - Gold Coast, Miami Marketta
+ Mick Medew & The Ursula 4
FEB
2 - Perth, Astor
+ Last Quokka
4 - Barwon Heads, Barwon Heads Hotel
+ dB4
5 - Melbourne, Croxton
+ Public Figures
Public Image Ltd
Australia and NZ
JAN
20 - Auckland, Powerstation
22 - Brisbane, The Tivoli
23 - Sydney, Enmore Theatre
24 - Melbourne, The Forum
26 – Adelaide, The Gov
28 - Perth, The Astor
"Superpussy 2"
The Supersuckers
+ Nashville Pussy
+ Nine Pound Hammer
FEB 2027
18 - Crowbar, Brisbane, QLD
19 - Mo's Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast, QLD
20 - Crowbar, Sydney, NSW
24 - Ed Castle, Adelaide, SA
26 - Barwon Club, Geelong, VIC
27 - Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne, VIC
28 - Young Street Tavern, Frankston, VIC
Respect The Rock Australian Tour
The Hellacopters + Gluecifier
MARCH
17 – Brisbane, The Triffid
18 – Sydney, Manning Bar
19 – Melbourne, The Croxton
20 – Adelaide, Ed Castle
Tickets
Fresh Reviews
-
It's not too late to take a chance on Perth's Volcanics
20 September 2026
-
This man needs to be Instutionalised
19 September 2026
-
Honestly, Pat Todd and The Rankoutsiders' "I'll Dream Alone" is a record you need
19 September 2026
-
A Streetwalkin' Cheetah and a City Kid walk into a bar...
25 August 2026
-
We need to talk about Molly
09 August 2026