This week Australians welcomed the arrival of summer with arms very wide open. Finally the days are longer, a hellova lot warmer, and there’s that special summer scent in the air that falls over nation, oh and of course, there’s a massive influx of amazing international artists touring.
We’re super stoke to announce a myriad of acts that will be taking over our shores in the coming months, including Danish post-punk, Californian psych-rock trippers, Mercury prize nominated singer-songwriters and Japanese punk, it’s fair to say that Australia is one of the hottest live music destinations right now.
The Growlers 2015 East Coast Tour
The year 2014 has been a ripper for Californian five-piece, The Growlers. Having released their fifth studio LP Chinese Fountain to a rouse of acclaim as well as a celebrated Aussie tour at the beginning of the year, 2015 will see the legends return for an epic tour.
Making multiple pitstops along the East Coast, The Growlers will bring their energetic and mind-bending live show to both majors city’s and country towns, adding to their reputation as great dudes who just love performing.
If you see yourself as a fan of surf-rock, psychedelica, post-punk, and want to know what happens when five dudes meld these genres together into one, jump on this opportunity ASAP.
BATEAU BAY, NSW – WEDNESDAY JAN 7TH – THE ENTRANCE LEAGUES
NEWCASTLE, NSW – THURSDAY JAN 8TH – THE SMALL BALLROOM
SYDNEY, NSW – FRIDAY JAN 9TH – THE ROLLER DEN
MONA VALE, NSW – SATURDAY JAN 10TH – MONA VALE HOTEL
WOLLONGONG, NSW – SUNDAY JAN 11TH – ANITA’S THEATRE
MELBOURNE, VIC – WEDNESDAY JAN 14TH – CORNER HOTEL
BALLARAT, VIC – THURSDAY JAN 15TH – KAROVA LOUNGE
GEELONG, VIC – FRIDAY JAN 16TH – BARWON CLUB
BYRON BAY, NSW – WEDNESDAY JAN 21ST – THE GREAT NORTHERN
COOLANGATTA, QLD – THURSDAY JAN 22ND – COOLY HOTEL
BRISBANE, QLD – FRIDAY JAN 23RD – THE TRIFFID
MAROOCHYDORE, QLD – SUNDAY JAN 25TH – SOL BAR
Iceage Sugar Mountain 2015 Sideshows
These four hard-hitting punks of Copenhagen, Denmark, have had a steady rise to glory. Cutting their teeth with ferocious, angst-ridden punk and post-hardcore tunes, the quartet have well and truly found their sound in 2014 on their critically acclaimed third record Plowing Into the Field of Love.
Iceage made their debut live performances in Australia back in September, stopping by in both Melbourne and Sydney, their shows selling-out almost instantly. Thankfully, the guys are returning for a fully-fledged national tour as well as a performance at Melbourne’s Sugar Mountain Festival in January of 2015.
Touted to be the cliched “next big thing”, Iceage have garnered praise even from the great Iggy Pop, who heralded them as one of his favourite bands, and trust this writer, they kick fuckin’ ass live. Be sure to jump on tickets will you can.
SYDNEY – January 21 – Oxford Art Factory
With guests Dead Farmers & M.O.B
BRISBANE – January 22 – Alhambra Lounge
With guests Thee Hugs, Clever & Unpeople
MELBOURNE – Friday January 23 – Ding Dong Lounge
With guests The UV Race
MELBOURNE – Saturday January 24 – Victoria College of the Arts
Ben Howard Bluesfest 2015 Sideshows
Armed with his soaring and emotionally connective second album I Forget Where We Were, the million-selling, Mercury-nominated English singer-songwriter Ben Howard returns to Australia. A featured artist at Bluesfest, he will also take his captivating new music and beloved classics to a sold out crowd at the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena and Fremantle’s stunning Arts Centre and the historical confines of Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.
Despite achieving critical and commercial success with the release of his 2011 debut Every Kingdom, he’s one to shy away from the limelight – choosing instead to craft an expansive LP that builds magnificently on his debut. I Forget Where We Were is a superlative return that cements Howard’s place as one of the a fantastic singer-songwriter.
Thur 26 Mar – Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle
Sat 28 Mar – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Sun 29 Mar – Sydney Opera House, Sydney
Tues 31 Mar – Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne
Thur 2 Apr – Bluesfest, Byron Bay
Eagulls Laneway Festival 2015 Sideshows
Laneway is most definitely the festival that keeps on giving, and this time they’ve delivered one of the finest purveyors of post-punk in globe right now.
The Leeds five-piece spent the past six months playing sold out shows UK tour with the likes of Franz Ferdinand and Manic Street Preachers as well as headlining sold out shows across the UK, Europe and the States.
Eagulls will indulge audiences with a sound that references notable punk influencers Joy Division, Dinosaur Jr. and the like, but offers a refreshing, modern-day take on the genre. What sets them apart rests with frontman George Mitchell’s vitriolic bark, the band’s buzz-saw guitars shrouded with effect haze and that on-point timing which makes for a captivating listen on record, and will surely provide for an belter of a live show also.
Wednesday 28 January – The Howler, Melbourne
Friday 30 January – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Tonstartssbandht 2015 East Coast Tour
Tonstartssbandht (pronounced Tahn-starts-bandit) are set to make their maiden voyage to Australia at the end of December and will kick-on into the New Year.
The two-piece comprised of brothers Andy and Edwin White, the former notably Mac DeMarco’s guitarist, produce a warming wave of groovy psychedelica that’s virtually impossible not to shake your ass to.
The boys will play a string of dates around the country. They’re definitely an act to keep an eye on.
Saturday 20th December
Trainspotters, Brisbane QLD
w/ Morning Harvey + Twin Haus + Tempura Nights
Friday 26th December
The Tote Hotel, Melbourne VIC
w/ Mangelwurzel + Baptism of Uzi + Premium Fantasy
Saturday 27th December
The Brisbane Hotel, Hobart TAS
w/ Small Black Lambs + Mandek Penha + Georgia Lucy
Friday 2nd January
Rad, Wollongong NSW
w/ Special Guests TBA
Saturday 3rd January
Red Rattler, Sydney NSW
w/ Los Tones + more TBA
Rodrigo y Gabriela Bluestfest 2015 Sideshows
Mexico’s spectacular acoustic guitar duo are returning for the sixth time to play to their increasingly large Australian fan base in March and April in 2015.
March 29th West Coast Blues & Roots Festival, Fremantle WA
Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th April 2015 Bluesfest, Byron Bay NSW
Tuesday 7TH April 2015 The Palais, Melbourne VIC
Thursday 9th April 2015 Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW
Slow Club East Coast Tour 2015
January sees the return of UK boy-girl duo Slow Club. Formed in 2005 when both Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor were still teenagers, they return to Australia on the back of their new career-defining album Complete Surrender.
Initially categorised as anti-folk, they quickly proved there was so much more to the band and their sound , sweet harmonious hooks, rockabilly beats and exuberant yelps and yips, all held together by some breath-taking harmonising. Slow Club are defined by their own distinct and powerful partnership, Charles with bruised vocal, rasping guitar and disarming lightness of touch; Rebecca with her dash of Northern Soul and sharp wit, playing stand up drums.
Thursday January 15th Melbourne – Northcote Social Club
Friday January 16th Brisbane – Black Bear Lodge
Saturday January 17th Sydney – Newtown Social Club
Wye Oak East Coast Tour 2015
Making their way from Baltimore, Maryland, this sugar-sweet duo will bring their electro tinged indie rock tunes to the east coast in January of next year.
Releasing their sophomore record Shriek earlier this year, the pair gained a mass of well-warranted praise and adoration, their 10-track featuring instrumental, R&B influences supplemented with bouncing melodies and a heavy dose of fuzzy layers.
Friday 9 January – Sydney Festival
Saturday January 10 – The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne
Sunday January 11 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Omar Souleyman National Tour 2015
Without question one of the finest artists to emerge from The Middle East, the Syrian electronica-based producer will rock Aussie shores for the third time in 2015 and we cannot wait.
Having dropped his guiltily infectious record WENU WENU that was produced by none other than Four Tet last year, we’re yet to witness the killer new album live.
Souleyman will star at Tasmania’s MOFO Festival in January, as well multiple shows across the country.
January 16 – Sydney Festival
January 17 – MOFO
January 19- The Corner – Melbourne
January 21 – The Brightside – Brisbane
January 23 – World Fringe Festival in Perth
Bo Ningen Sugar Mountain 2015 Sideshows
One of Japans most internationally recognised and celebrated outfits, Bo Ningen, are gearing up for a brief tour of Australia in 2015.
Renowned for their incendiary and intense style of acid-punk, Bo Ningen’s live offering is one not to be missed. With audiences all over the world turning up to see the androgynous, visceral and progressive nature of their shows, Australian east-coast audiences will have a chance to witness their face-melting set live.
The band are raring to perform once again on our soil and will be bringing with them a whole arsenal of fresh tracks, loaded straight from their stellar 2014 LP release, III.
Wed 21 Jan Brisbane | The Zoo
Fri 23 Jan Sydney | Oxford Art Factory
Sat 24 Jan Melbourne | Sugar Mountain
Adam Cohen National Tour 2015
Last most certainly not least is, revered Canadian singer-songwriter Adam Cohen.
The son of acclaimed musician and noted inspiration Leonard, three years ago Cohen almost quit the music business altogether. Talked into giving it one last go, he released what would be his most acclaimed album to date , the powerful Like A Man, an intimate album of romantic poetic folk-pop that has echoes of his father Leonard’s finest work.
Performing a 10-date strong list of personal shows, Cohen’s unique ability to tell stories through sound is an experience any poetry lover cannot afford to miss.
WED 11 MARCH
The Gov, Adelaide (18+)
FRI 13 MARCH
Caravan Music Club, Melbourne
SAT 14 MARCH
The Toff, Melbourne (18+)
SUN 15 MARCH
The Abbey, Canberra
TUES 17 MARCH
The Basement, Sydney (18+)
WED 18 MARCH
The Hydro Majestic, Blue Mountains
THU 19 MARCH
LIzotte’s, Newcastle
FRI 20 MARCH
The Tivoli, Brisbane
SAT 21 MARCH
The Majestic Theatre, Pomona
SUN 22 MARCH
Byron Theatre, Byron Bay
