- Details
- Written by: Phil Van Rooyen
- Hits: 401
In no particular order, here are my rock n roll highlights for 2025:
1. Barry Adamson/The Wreckery @ The Factory Theatre Marrickville, NSW
I mainly went to see support act (The Wreckery) after enjoying the Fake Is Forever album of late 2024 but the whole evening including a cracker set by Barry Adamson was memorable .The sound for the openers was not great but good songs always stand out and Hugo Race s voice is one of the best.
2. The Stems / New Christs @ The Manning Bar, Sydney University
No explanation required. Two major influential bands in my life right back to their early singles and EPs. Pre Fathers Day, my daughter even got me a new T-shirt with “Distemper “graphics for Dads’ Day.
- Details
- Written by: Joanne Bennett
- Hits: 598
Mine goes to 11 in honour of Rob Reiner.
1. Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter - The Hordern Pavillion
Yes, it would have been awesome if it was with John Lydon, but Frank Carter is great frontman in his own right. Seeing Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glenn Matlock together again doing those songs was pretty special too.
2. Cronulla Jazz & Blues Festival - Cronulla Beach
Great to have something like this in The Shire. Standouts where Spurs for Jesus and Ellie & The Vandelles (what a voice!).
3. Australian Labor Party winning the federal election
I was playing a show at Marrickville Bowlo when the results came in so it was quite the celebration.
4. Ray Ahn’s 60th birthday party – MoshPit
A night of celebration with performances by The Hovering Spooks, Hard-Ons, and Boiling Frogs (featuring past and present members of Hoodoo Gurus).
- Details
- Written by: Mark Fraser
- Hits: 1092
Ten personal musical highlights from 2025. In no particular order…
1. The privilege of releasing the 40th anniversary edition of the Hard Ons' "Surfin On My Face" EP on the Vi-Nil Records label. Originally planned as a limited run of 300, it was extended to 500, after 100 or more were sold in the first ten minutes…the remaining copies selling out within a week of pre-sales opening. Hard-Ons have an amazing fan base, and copies of this EP went to all corners of the globe.
2. Hard Ons live at Avalon RSL Club, NSW
In three-piece mode, and still carrying that same passion, frantic punch and infectious affability that they possessed back in 1984. Riding high on the release of their two docos and a host of community awards, they show no sign of ever slowing down. True Aussie icons…and nice guys to boot.
3. The Indie Sounds From the Gong album launch tour.
This tour seems to get bigger each year. Featuring some of the best indie bands from Wollongong and surrounds, this was the fourth release in the INDIE SOUNDS series and saw a tour that took in Bellingen, Port Macquarie, Lismore, ACT, Port Kembla, Ulladulla, Penrith, Dee Why, Woy Woy, Fortitude Valley, Wynnum, Burleigh, Newcastle, Ourimbah and Erina. Fifteen shows over five weeks. An epic venture that saw most of the bands on the comp playing live, along with a handful of awesome blow-ins who jumped on board to fill some slots…namely Tshitaki, CHAMBERLane, Thee Repton County Killers, Punktilious, the Warts, Outer Control, Zipper Clone, Van Ruin, Doxxed, Non Binary Code, A Commoner’s Revolt, I Hate People, Crowbar Scars, Blistered Minds, Hairy Mother of God, Dead Pennies, Eat City and The Nikkis. A massive thanks to you guys, and all the Indie Sounds bands that jumped on the tour.
- Details
- Written by: Mick Medew
- Hits: 498
1. "Punk Grandma" hits number-three
The year started with plenty of energy off the back of our "In The Zone" album release with our song “Punk Grandma” hitting the number-three spot in 4ZZZ’s Hot 100 for 2024. Ursula and I were just about shaking when we realised we were going to make the top five. It was a very emotional day at The Triffid for us. Even back in the day, The Screaming Tribesmen only made the Top 10. “Punk Grandma” seems to connect with people. It’s the most successful song that I have been involved with this century!
2. Touring New South Wales
February marked the drive to Sydney and Newcastle. It’s always great to play at Marrickville Bowlo. A big shout out to the bands we played with, Jupiter 5, and East Coast Low (in Newcastle) and Jupiter 5 and The Dark Clouds in Marrickville. Plenty of great rock ‘n’ roll bands in N.S.W. I always enjoy the road trip and can’t wait for next time.
- Details
- Written by: Edwin Garland
- Hits: 1208
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: 748
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: 1013
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: Mike Foxall
- Hits: 968
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: 471
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: 1341
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: Sean The Bastard
- Hits: 1252
In no particular order heres my Top Ten highlights of 2025
Hard-Ons
There’s just no stopping the Hard-Ons. I was fortunate enough to play three gigs in three days with them recently and they just don’t stop. A band who’s been around this long could be excused for dialing it in from time to time but they never do. They’re still putting out music of a consistently high standard (their collab with Jerry A recently being up with their best) and their live shows never disappoint. And they still manage to be top blokes.
- Details
- Written by: Mark Roxburgh
- Hits: 1262
I missed the 2024 deadline for a Top 10 because I struggled to recall 10 things musically that gave me a lift. I came up with five and gave up. I saw a bunch of live stuff that really gave me the shits so that doesn’t count. Says more about me than the music scene.
Although I could put together a list of 10 excellent music things this year, I thought I’d take a different tack and go all academic on you because the thing that has been most on my mind this year is all the bands hating on Spotify and jumping off it. Partly because of its piss poor payment to, and chronic exploitation of, musicians.
Spotify isn’t alone in this. Although at the bottom end of pay per streams they are in stellar company with YouTube Music, Apple, Amazon and Deezer. But the main reasons artists are boycotting Spotify is because of Daniel Ek’s investment in Helsing, a German AI drone defence company. Purportedly established to boost the defence of European Democracies in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
More Articles …
- 2025 Top Tens: Ursula Collie Medew of The Mick Medew and Ursula 4 from Brisbane
- 2025 Top Tens: Colin Gray of Vicious Kitten Records
- 2025 Top Tens: Simon Vines of The Strike-Outs
- 2025 Top Tens: Adam Vines of Wollongong band The Sugar Beats and Sydney band The Strike-Outs
- 2025 Top Tens: Author and Molly Fet Circuit and Smallpox Confidential frontman Robert Brokenmouth
- 2025 Top Tens: Ex-Lime Spiders and Grooveyard member, and solo artist Richard Lawson
- 2025 Top Tens: Garry Gray of the Sacred Cowboys
- 2025 Top Tens: Peter "Blackie" Black of Hard-Ons and Nunchukka Superfly
- 2025 Top Tens: King of Pop Dave Graney
- Coming Soon!
- BARFLY TOP TENS: Donat Tahiraj of LCMR and Phase 4 Records & Cassettes
- BARFLY TOP TENS: Doc Temple from Chickenstones & Radio Northern Beaches
Page 1 of 24
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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
"King Street Crawl
Summer Edition"
- Jan 25
Too many venues to mention
in Newtown, NSW
Mach Pelican
“A Secret Session”
Single Launch
+ Loose Lips + Elvis II
The Last Chance Bar, Melbourne
- Jan 31
Tickets
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
The Sugar Beats
+ Plastic Section
Golden Barley, Enmore
- Feb 20
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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