- Details
- Written by: Deb Nankervis
- Hits: 506
Attending 80 gigs this year might seem a lot but imagine if I hadn’t cancelled a further 80 due to perpetual bronchitis and various bouts of flu. Thankfully, no Covid this time. Clearly four was enough.
I generally enjoy all music events so picking a Top Ten was quite a feat. If I’ve liked a band enough to see them more than once, I’ve included those gigs.
No. 1 - Bart Willoughby, No Fixed Address on two occasions
One at The Tote on Jan 3, and again at Yabun festival Jan 26. Their distinctive Aus/reggae rock has moved me since we came back to Melbourne from London in 1979. When my son Vyvyan’s godfather, Louis McManus, sadly passed away in 2004, NFA’s drummer and lead vocalist, Bart Willoughby, stepped up to the plate, his friend and mine being Maxine Briggs, his godmother.
I never tire of hearing Bart’s anthem “We have Survived”, beautifully delivered on a sunny Sydney afternoon at the Yabun Festival in Victoria Park, “Music to a Beat”.
- Details
- Written by: Edwin Garland
- Hits: 597
Thunk - Jim Moginie and The Family Dog (Reverberama)
Former Midnight Oil guitarist Jim Moginie’s book “The Silver River” outlines how the earliest gigs for his solo band, The Family Dog, were a humbling experience.
Not unlike early shows by his teenage band FARM in the mid-1970s, they played obscure venues outside the city so he could re-learn his craft and build confidence as frontman and singer. He was incredibly nervous,. Very few people showed up, and many only did so out of curiosity.
That’s Jim Moginie all over. Normally, when a member of an international band of some standing appears in a relative backwater (Midnight Oil sold 25 million records and ranks as the third most successful band that Australia has produced) it would be massive news. Jim exudes a sweeping humility and it shines through on this album.
- Details
- Written by: Milly Dalton & Adam Brzozowski
- Hits: 807
1. EAST COAST LOW:
The band’s third album “BADLANDING” is LP of The Year in terms of songwriting and production. The horn section — featuring Pete Kelly, Rudi Thompson and Rob Parkes — were a mind-blowing dream team at the two gigs we saw at Link and Pin Woy Woy and the Royal Oak. Absolutely splendid.
2. GIG CITY @ THE BRIGHTSIDE, BRISBANE:
We have a long history with Brisbane bands, so took a quick trip up north in November to help celebrate 4ZZZ’s 50th anniversary. Unreal performances by The Johnnys, Gazoonga Attack, plus Wayne and Cowboy Bob doing Blowhard/Fred classics in Coral Outcrop’s Half-Star Band, and Evil Dick Industries. It was ace to see some friendly faces at this ripper venue.
3. THE SAINTS ’73-’78 @ THE GREEN ROOM, BYRON BAY:
The Enmore gig was a total trip, but this was a much smaller venue and, being the final show of the tour, it was a band in sync, in love and on fire.
- Details
- Written by: The Barman
- Hits: 415
10 More – MC50 (earMUSIC)
Well ain’t this the surprise packet, coming seven years after the run of shows it captures and more than a year after the release of the MC5-in-name-only record, “Heavy Lifting”. If you grabbed it, you might also have snavelled the live MC50 album “10 X MC5” that came as a bonus with some copies.
MC50 is the all-star band assembled by the late Wayne Kramer to mark the 50th anniversary of “Kick Out The Jams”. It comprised Kramer and Kim Thayil (Soundgarden) on guitars, Brendan Canty (Fugazi) on drums, Billy Gould (Faith No More) on bass, and Marcus Durant (Zen Guerrilla) on vocals. Matt Cameron (Soundgarden/Pearl Jam) alternated on drums.
- Details
- Written by: Chris Virtue
- Hits: 348
1. Three Gigs
In March, Barry Adamson played the Factory, in what looked like it was going to be the gig of the year, touring his “Cut to Black” LP. Hot band, great songs, great voice and a running gag that I can’t remember from a man with a larger-than-life presence.
The album’s great too. Seriously good songwriting and composition which one would expect given that he does soundtracks. The title track and the opening “The Last Words of Sam Cooke” are the standouts for me, but all tracks are excellent.
2. The Beasts – twice
Saw The Beasts back in February at the Manning Bar in Sydney and it was last time to see the great James Baker. They were touring their latest release Ultimo. Great show and it reminded me that there are two bands who generate this sort of noise. The other is Crazy Horse.
- Details
- Written by: Graham Steel
- Hits: 814
Another busy year in the gig circuit in 2025. Plenty of gigs were attended. Plenty of old and new bands were viewed and enjoyed. It was also a year where seven Newcastle bands took on the domestic and global radio land.
Over the past six months Drugs in Sport, Melvic Centre, Autumn Hearts, Joint Pains, East Coast Low, Lachlan X. Morris and FÄHM ended up being played by more than 450 syndicated radio stations across 11 countries, including Cambodia and Mexico, with a total of over 2800 plays (that are known!! - most are on a regular rotation now) that consumed over 9000 minutes of airtime and made 32 Top Tens and produced four number-ones.
- Details
- Written by: Phil Van Rooyen
- Hits: 697
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: 840
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: 1358
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.
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The Living Eye
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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