i94bar1200x80

Top Ten for 2023: Matt Ryan of Melbourne zine Munster Times

Details
Matt Ryan
Hits: 6674
  1. Collingwood- having done these Top Tens at the Bar for a few years now, I had to make a best team category, just so I could get my beloved Pies in. Now we won the flag, no need. The Magpies take their rightful spot as the best of the best of 2023.

  2. Test Cricket- great series of cricket from the Aussies in India and England, and a ripper series between England and New Zealand, as well as the Kiwi’s against Pakistan. And while some controversy dominated the headlines (Johnny, what were you smoking?), at least people are talking Test cricket again.

  3. Pat Todd, Mad Macca at the Espy, St Kilda- Having been a Lazy Cowgirls/ Rankoutsiders fan for years, it was incredible to finally see Pat live. Pat for me is one of the all-time greats of American rock. A voice any singer would kill for, and a storyteller up there with the best of them. Just a man and guitar, nothing else needed. Macca played a corker of an opening set. While I’ve seen him live many times over the years with different bands, seeing him stripped back solo was a reminder of how good he is, and like Pat, give him a mic and stage, and the man will entertain you.

  4. Ed Kuepper: National Theatre- Astonishing gig from Edmund and band. A ten minute version of "Electrical Storm" had me wondering for days what I just witnessed.

  5. The Breadmakers: The Gem- had the joy of seeing the Breadies many times this year, including an excellent double bill with Brisbane’s The Far Outs. But a tribute show to Graeme Thomas of Preston Records/Studios was a classy way to praise an important Melbourne figure.

  6. Hoss, Persecution Blues, Dino Bravo: St Kilda Bowls Club- I might look like a twat putting a gig I had a hand putting on in this list, but sod it. One of my all-time personal favourites in Hoss played two killer sets, along with Persecution Blues, who would have fit right in the Melbourne scene of the late '80s/early '90s. Three balls-out rock 'n' roll bands on the one bill in St Kilda, you don’t get that often and was proud to be part of it.

  7. Chris Masuak, River of Snakes, The Fiction: Northcote Social Club- Brilliant setlist choice from Masuak; good collection of his solo work, Birdman, Hitmen, and the Tribesmen. Along with the ever-reliable Fiction and River of Snakes, three wonderful guitar focused bands playing intense rock n roll north of the river.

  8. Cruel Sea: The Palais- Having never seen the Sea before, I was blown away. Nice mix of the greatest hits and instrumentals. Greg once again showed why he’s up there as one of our best frontmen.

  9. Shepparton Airplane-, Affordable Repayments, Persecution Blues: St Kilda Bowls Club- Ok, I put another gig I had a hand in on the list, but this was amazing. And onya Flash for booking 'em.

  10. Hip Priests: Old Bar- Great to finally meet my German correspondent Martin Rabitz at the start of the year. He told me to meet him at the Old Bar on a Saturday, never mentioned his drummer also came along for the trip, and they had a show. I didn’t know he was in a band to begin with. That said, was a classic punk show, angry, little talking in-between, intensity to the max, and all over in 30 minutes. I loved every second of it.

Gig Ads

Click for tickets
The Johnnys on the Goldie
Datura4 on the Gold Coast
Click to buy

The Living Eye


Right eye
Van Ruin
French Tour 

SEP

18 - Shapers Club House, Marennes

20 - Irish Pub, Frontignan

26 – L’Armony, Paris

27 - La Griffe, Lille      

Soundpressing presents
Datura4 
+ The Spivs
Iron & Resin Garage, Currumbin, QLD
- Oct 24
Tickets

The Soft ‘n’ Sexy Sound Tour
Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes
OCT
3 - Factory Theatre, Marrickville, Sydney
Tickets
4 - Waves, Wollongong, NSW
Tickets
5 - The Street Theatre, Canberra
Tickets
10 - The Corner Hoyel, Richmond, Vic
Tickets
11 - Bundy Hall, Bundalaguah VIC
Tickets
24 - Freo Social, Fremantle WA
Tickets
25 - The River Hotel, Margaret River WA
Tickets
31 - Brisbane Crowbar QLD
Tickets
NOV
1 - The Imperial, Eumundi QLD
Tickets
2 - Mo's Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast QLD
Tickets
7 - Byron Bay Theatre NSW
Tickets
8 - Bellingen Memorial Hall NSW
Tickets
13 - King Street Bandroom, Newcastle
Tickets
14 - Avoca Beach Theatre NSW
Tickets
15 - The Lounge, Chatswood NSW
Tickets
16 - Dangar Island Bowlo NSW (matinee)
Tickets
21 - The Gov, Adelaide SA
Tickets
28 - Royal Oak, Launceston TAS
Tickets
29 - The Pier, Ulverstone TAS
Tickets
30 - Longley International Hotel, Longley TAS
Tickets

4ZZZ presents
“ZED 50”
Ther Saints ’73-‘78
+ Regurgitator
+ Tropical Fuck Storm
+ Full Flower Moon Band
+ Big Noter + Butterfingers
+ Screamfeeder
+ Nice Biscuit + Party Dozen
+ Frangipanis + Dancingwater
+ Platonic Sex + Velociraptor
Roma St Parklands, Brisbane
- Oct 25

The On and Ons 
New Album Preview Show
+ Velvet Parade
+ Jupiter 5
Marrickville Bowlo, NSW
- Nov 8 
Tickets

“4ZZZ Joint Effort 50”
Dave Warner’s From The Suburbs
+ X + The Survivors + XERO
+ The Black Assassins
+ Pineapples From The Dawn of Time
Hamilton Hotel, QLD
- Nov 8

Asteroid B612
Australian Tour
NOV
6 – La La La´s, Wollongong NSW
7 – Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
8 – Avalon Beach RSL Club, NSW
14 - The John Curtin Hotel, Carlton VI

I-94 Bar Records and Promotions Presents
Chris Masuak’s Dog Soldier Australia 2025
NOV
13 - Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
+ Drugs in Sport + Melvic Centre
14 – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Burleigh Heads, QLD
+ Dr Bombay + The Spivs
Tickets
15 – The Cave Inn, Woolloongabba, QLD
+ The Mick Medew & Ursula 4
+ Dr Bombay + The Spivs
Tickets
16 – Banshee’s Bar & Artspace, Ipswich, QLD
+ The Mick Medew & Ursula 4
+ The Spivs
Tickets
21 – Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
+ The Dunhill Blues + Chaos Vinyl
Tickets
22 – Waywards, Newtown, NSW
+ Spitting Chips + Jupiter 5
Tickets
23 – Elton Chong, Penrith, NSW
+ The On and Ons + Jupiter 5
Tickets
28 – La Las La’s, Wollongong, NSW
+ The Sugar Beats + Rawrus Tongue
Tickets
30 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra, ACT
+ Jupiter 5
Tickets
 
I-94 Bar presents
The Johnnys
+ The Mick Medew & Ursula 4
+ Scrambler
Mos's Desert Clubhouse, Burleigh Heads
- Nov 28
Ticets

Punkest, Lockdown, Renegade Playground & 4ZZZ present
GIG CITY
Headliner TBA + The Johnnys 
+ Gazoonga Attack
+ Monster Zoku Onsomb! + Dad Fight
+ Mark N [Bloody Fist Rec.] + The Disables
+ Combat Wombat + Paul Abad + Fat
+ Viper Snatch + Mitch Please + Gurridyula
+ Coral Outcrops Half Star Band + The Distained
+ The Stress of Leisure + Kunt
+ Red Devotchkin + Evil Dick Industries
+ Strange Stains
The Brightside, Brisbane
- Nov 29 from 3pm
Tickets

Cosmic Psychos
"I Really Like Beer Tour"
NOV
7 — Singing Bird, Frankston, VIC
8 — Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
9 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
12 — UC Hub, Canberra, ACT
13 — Uni Bar, Wollongong, NSW
14 — Crowbar, Sydney, NSW
15 — King Street Bandroom, Newcastle, NSW
19 — Racehorse Hotel, Ipswich, QLD
20 — Vinnies Dive Bar, Gold Coast, QLD
21 — Solbar, Maroochydore, QLD
22 — Crowbar, Brisbane, QLD
23 — Bangalow Bowlo, Bangalow, NSW
26 — The River, Margaret River, WA
27 — Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA28 — Indian Ocean Hotel, Scarborough, WA
29 — Queenscliff Music Festival, Queenscliff, VIC
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

 

Send us stuff to review

PO Box 334
Oatley NSW
2223 Australia

Get in touch: barman@i94bar.com

Fresh Reviews

Latest Comments

Banzai! Troy is SO there!
Karlos posted a comment in Four against the world: 20 years of RUST
You might want to ask Gaz about his younger days running around the northern beaches with his skinhe...
An album very close to my heart, as it was the first Beasts album I heard and its one of a handful t...
Nice one JohnYes, five stars to the gig and reviewTwo hats to Marc (I didn't notice that one)...
Geoff Cahir posted a comment in Revenge is a dish best served on top of a valve amp
Exceptional Rockabilly band saw them at The Gem in Collingwood last December, very tight and togethe...

All content © 2025 I-94 Bar
c/o PO Box 334 Oatley, NSW, Australia, 2223

Web development by TRO