2024

Radio Birdman will mark their 50^th year with a farewell Australian tour in June and July.

The seven-date , four-city run – labelled “Birdman 5-0” - starts with two nights in Melbourne and ends with a brace of gigs in hometown Sydney.

Japanese heavy rock pioneers Boris are joining forces with J-Rock legend Kiyoharu for a 2024 Australian tour billed as "Heavy Rock Breakfast".

Boris are known for their relentless pursuit of sonic excellence in heavy rock. The four-piece Boris line-up of Takeshi, Wata, Atsuo and drummer Osamu are playing the Golden Plains Festival in Victoria and the Ωhm Festival in Brisbane, as well as headlining shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle.

Cheap Trick
+ The Angels
The Palais, St Kilda, VIC
Wednesday, 13 March 2024 

Hello I-94 Barflies! I hope you are all in fine form. Myself, I’m still recovering from seeing the amazing Cheap Trick at The Palais Theatre in St Kilda and they did not disappoint.

Dragging myself out of bed at 430am for a 1000 kilometre public transport round trip is never pleasant and as the years creep by, travelling does get more fiscally challenging. But family and live rock ‘n’ roll is what gets me off the land and out of The Farmhouse. First, let me say this if you’re ever in Melbourne The Pint On The Punt in Richmond is a nice place to start your drinking, get a feed and sleep on a lumpy mattress. It’s also within walking distance of the now boring suburb of St Kilda. 

 _{Ash Naylor, Dave Shaw. Dom Mariani and Julian Matthews are The Stems in 2024. Craig MacLean photo @shot.by.mac.}

It’s called anticipation. You’re in a band. You’ve re-convened after a very long lay-off. The line-up’s now well-rehearsed, fed and watered, and it’s the lull before the storm that will be the first day of your 40th anniveresary tour. 

Rock and roll is more waiting than playing. Dom Mariani knows it well. He’s on the line from a hotel in Melbourne where The Stems are poised to undertake their first Australian tour this week in five years (thanks COVID) before taking off on a sweep through Spain and Italy.

Oh no. There’s a brief coughing fit. It's from Dom’s end. 

“You all right?”

Explosive Japanese band King Brothers are returning to Australian shores for the first time since 2016 this month. A mix of blues and outta control ‘90s garage, King Brothers are an example of a band that take two genres with deep roots and manage to make a sound that sounds original. 

With a reputation for loose and rowdy shows, this run of gigs by the band from Nishinomiya City are a must see.

Lead singer and guitarist Keizo spoke to Matt Ryan via email.

Genre-hopping Spanish pub-rock/garage-punk/country/gospel/soul luminaries Los Chicos have released the new single "For A While" ahead of a looming album and seventh Australian tour.

“Never Too Much” will be the band’s eight long-player and was produced the great Mike Mariconda, guitarist of the Raunch Hands and producer of classic albums by the Cosmic Psychos, Powder Monkeys and New Bomb Turks. The album comes out on Cheersquad Records & Tapes on November 1.

Los Chicos, who have previously played Boogie and River Rocks festivals and toured twice with Radio Birdman, will be returning to River Rocks in Geelong and playing tour dates with Hard-Ons, Private Function, The Meanies, Mach Pelicanand the New Christs in November.  Tour dates in The Living Eye gig guide at right. Pre-order the LP here.

Japan’s Iconic blues punk band King Brothers are returning to Australia in September and local label Cheersquad has announced a limited edition 12-song tour LP to coincide.

Known as Japan's most dangerous live act and their unique blend of barbed-wire blues and toxic punk rock, King Brothers promise a tour that will leave crowds breathless. This will be the band's first Australian tour since 2016.

The tour LP, “Hell Oh! Oz”, will be limited to 300 copies - 150 in fluro-green and 150 in green/white marble - with a download card and will be released on August 23. It’s available for pre-order here.

Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds are returning to Australia in April 2024.

Kid Congo has one of the most enviable rock n’ roll resumes in existence. He was a founding member of cowpunk blues outfit The Gun Club, guitarist for legendary psycho-billy purveyors The Cramps, and played with Australia’s own, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.

Genre-hopping Spanish garage-punk/country/gospel/soul luminaries Los Chicos are set to tour their home away from home, Australia, for the seventh time this November, and will release their eighth album, “Never Is Too Much”, to coincide.

Produced by Mike Mariconda (guitarist of the legendary Raunch Hands and producer of classic albums by the Cosmic Psychos, Powder Monkeys and New Bomb Turks). “Never Too Much” is out on Cheersquad Records & Tapes on November 1.

Australian sonic chanteuse Penny Ikinger is touring France and Spain in October 2024 to promote her latest album, "Travels and Travails".

Fittingly for an international tour, the record is a compilaiton of new and older material recorded around the world that showcases her collaborations with artists from France, Australia, Japan and the United States. 

Thje tour is in both solo mode and with a mostly French band, The Not, a high-energy outfit that came together in a seedy Paris bar. 

The Not features Penny’s long time musical collaborator Vinz Guilluy (Penelope Inc, Charles de Goal, the Holy Curse,and Bad Music with Rob Younger) on bass, Greek guitarist Roy Mitakidis (ex-Sonic Tramps), JB Didier (ex-Rhinosonics) on keys and Frantz Arnould (Whodunit) on drums. 

Penny Ikinger and The Not
France and Spain Tour
OCT
13 -  L'Alimentation Générale, Paris,
w/ Glenn Burns (AUS)
17- Funhouse, Madrid
w/ Jibaros (ESP) 
18 - La Casa De Sabica, Pamplona
19 - VIII. ZZ Rock Jaialdia, Zumarraga 
26 - Skate Parc Le Moulin du Rousseau,
Périgueux, FR 
(solo)
w/ Kosmik Twaregs (ESP)
Tickets

 _{Onstage with the "Searching For Charlie Owen" show at Sydney's MoshPit Bar in 2023.}

Master guitarist Charlie Owen  - notably of Beasts of Bourbon, New Christs, Tendrils, Tex Don and Charlie, Divynils, Working Class Ringosand Louis Tillett among many others - is on the road along Australia's East Coast in August and September, touring his music and spoken word show "Searching for Charlie Owen", the dates for which are here.

It's an engrossing and emotional stroll through his own back pages. We decided to mark the occasion by pulling this nugget from our archives. It's was conducted in Melbourne in August 2022 by then I-94 Bar writer John McPharlin. 

* * * * *   

JM: Charlie, I guess the first thing that's going to knock most people out of their chairs when they start reading this interview is your interest in techno music. Can you tell us how you got into that and what you've been doing with it?

CO: I don't have an interest in techno music; I have an interest in all music. My reason for playing it recently is the same reason for any other music I've played. I hear it and hear what I'd like to do with it, not liking what I've heard... it's not because I like what I hear, it's what I'd like to do with the medium.

It’s been 30 years since North Carolina indie-rockers Superchunk released their classic fourth album, "Foolish", and they're bringing it and the rest of their bulging back catalogue Down Under.

Produced by Brian Paulson (Slint, Beck, Wilco, Dinosaur Jr) and mixed by the legendary Steve Albini, it was just one of the band’s many releases that resonated with musicians, critics and music lovers alike, and became one of Merge Records’ biggest releases.

Written following the break-up of Mac McCaughan (guitar and vocals) and Laura Ballance (bass and vocals) who both remained in the band and co-founded Merge, its powerful and catchy melodies and raw emotion still make "Foolish" stand out as one of the band’s best albums.

Here's news to make it This Perfect Day or send you down a One Way Street...

The Saintsare reforming with Mudhoney's Mark Arm up front for a six-date Australian tour in November.
 
Arm, founding Saints members guitarist Ed Kuepperand drummer Ivor Hay will be joined by bassist Peter Oxley of Sunnyboys and former The Birthday Party/Bad Seeds member Mick Harveyon guitar.

The dates will be in celebration of a vinyl box set release of the 1977 classic debut album "(I’m) Stranded" on In The Red. The sets will be largely drawn from it, "Eternally Yours" (1978) and "Prehistoric Sounds" (1978). 

Wed Nov 13 Hindly St. Music Hall, Adelaide, SA
Fri Nov 15 Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
Sat Nov 16 Northcote Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Wed Nov 20 Freo Social, Fremantle, WA
Fri Nov 22 Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Sat Nov 23 Princess Theatre, Brisbane QLD SOLD OUT
SUN Nov 24 Princess Theatre, Brisbane QLD 
Tickets via feelpresents.com

The Damned are the unassailable living gods of Punk Rock; and for the have assembled the absolute classic line-up of the band for their farewell Australian tour in 2024.

Drummer Rat Scabies has rebuilt bridges and will rejoin the ranks, which these days comprises vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Captain Sensible and bassist Paul Gray.

The word from the Rat: “It seemed like the right time. We wanted to do this while we are all still upright, breathing and capable of doing it at a high level and challenge ourselves and each other for the fans. 

“We will play the best of ‘Machine Gun Etiquette’, ‘The Black Album’ and ‘Strawberries’ albums and chuck in all the other classics. Paul’s playing great (just did the Professor and the Madmen album thing with him), as is Captain and Dave’s singing great too so it’s going to be amazing to be back."

You know the history: “New Rose” is recognised as the first single by a punk band, coming out five weeks before the Sex Pistols’“Anarchy In the UK”… the first British punk band to tour the United States…pathfinders for Goth Rock. 

The Damned havce been regular Australian tourists but the band is billing this as their last tour here. They'll be doing it on the back of a 2023 album, "Darkadelic" that comes 46 year after their debut LP.

Pre-sale tickets are on sale here at from December 5 

The Damned Australian Tour
2024
MAR
20 - The Tivoli, Brisbane
21 - Enmore Theatre, Sydney
22 - Northcote Theatre, Melbourne
24 - Hindley St Music Hall, Adelaide
26 - Astor Theatre, Perth

Australian crowds will have their first opportunity to experience Japan’s best, premium high-energy garage rock band when The Fadeaways make their debut on these shores in July 2024.

The Fadeaways have been wowing punters in their homeland since forming in Tokyo in 2005. Sharing a mutual love of ‘60s garage punk, ‘70s punk and trash, Toyozo (vocals and bass), Assman (guitar) and Ozzy (drummers) quickly established themselves on the tight-knit and fanatical Japanese underground music circuit.

This July 2024, prepare to be swept off your feet as Japan's high-octane garage rock sensation. Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s an eyewitness account:

Bob Short's incredibly accurate Top Ten predictions for 2025 (and beyond).

1. When Trump reduces military aid to the Ukraine, Putin will essentially be gifted the disputed Eastern territories. The three wise monkeys of Russia, North Korea and the USA will have a delightful tea party whilst watching the executions of their political enemies. Lewis Carroll will arise from the grave, vindicated by the realisation his major works were true and accurate.

2. Trump will deport so many agricultural workers that American supermarket shelves will empty and the United States economy will slump. No-one will be able to afford the tariffs on overseas food. The poor will look suspiciously towards their pets.

3. Across the pond, as the economy, good manners, social services and the art of staying calm collapse, the UK will quietly sink into the Atlantic and no-one will notice. It may have happened already. (Has anyone looked?). If anyone does notice, a variety of suckholes and knuckle draggers (particularly those who resemble potatoes) will petition to make Gina Reinhardt Queen of Australia. She will unilaterally declare it so and poison all the drinking holes.

1. THE MUNKS and THE STALLERS @THE MOSH PIT, SYDNEY
Opening act The Stallers pumped out a high-energy set , a mix of obscure garage covers and originals. Loved it , good guys , great players led by head gunslinger DARREN FALCONSTEIN who plays in many other bands like BAHNE SUPER-FLEX.  All the way from Ulladulla  THE MUNKS pumped out the Raw ROCKNROLL, a sense of humour , showmanship and quality playing. Probably my favourite Semi - local band I've seen in a long time. 

2. The JOHNNYS, @THE OLD BOATSHED, MANLY
I saw THE JOHNNYS  many times in the ‘80s, one time at Selinas supporting the HOODOO GURUS and THE JOHNNYS blew them away. It's  ow 2024 , 40 years later. SPENCER, unfortunately, isn't there but HOODY, SLIM and BILLY still blasting the stuff that hooked me as a teenager. 

3. The DAMNED @ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY
Some bands get old and bitter, these guys don't. The more I listen to THE DAMNED the more I appreciate and love them.  Punk, Goth, Pop - call them what you want, I call them  awesome. RAT SCABIES was a highlight,  I didn't realise how good a drummer he was.....possibly second only to CLEM BURKE.

_{Murray Bennett photo.}

Made it through an intense year of behind-the-scenes, hatchet job betrayal, on constant alert with old stuff anxiety kicking in and an ADHD burn-out that sent me to a dark and desperate place. 

But despite all the amputations, my life was saved by Rock ‘n’ Roll….

1. The Cruel Sea
Made a new album with The Cruel Sea. Recorded in three days in a tin shed during a brutal Melbourne heatwave. A bunch of songs we barely knew and nearly all first takes with minimal overdubs and quick mixes. Relied on our old wits and it sounds pretty damn good! 

2. Robyn Hitchcock
Spent time with my dear friend Robyn Hitchcock as we both navigated dark waters, then played a wonderful show at The Great Club in Sydney with Samand Davey and Katethat steered us straight, and we stayed up grooving on my back deck until the birds and the garbage trucks joined us. 

Marcus' Top Ten Albums for 2024 (with Spotify playlist after the fold)

1. Bad Nerves - Still Nervous:
I'm hooked on this album ! Full-throttle garage punk but with an ear for hooks and melodies. They're from Essex and have lately been opening for the likes of The Hives, Royal Bloodand The Darkness. Billie Joe Armstrong has labelled them “the best band in England right now." This album is so much fun !
Fav Track: You've Got The Nerve

2. The Lemon Twigs - A Dream Is All We Know:
These guys are absolutely brilliant ! With this album, they've really honed in on the 60's Pop/Baroque sound but also with elements of 70's power-pop. A couple of tracks on this sound like The Raspberries ! Amazing songwriting/performances and they look cool, what's not to like?
Fav Track: How Can I Love Her More?

 Ten musical things I dug in 2024.

• The Hard-Ons got to celebrate 40 years of ravaging the stage. Still as high-energy and still as true-to-form, brutally honest as ever. And a brand new doco to boot. Go see it. It’s great. Oh, and next year marks 40 years since the release of their debut EP, “Surfin’ On My Face” (ED: On Mark’s label Vi-Nil Records). Just sayin’!

• Middle Kids released an album that was completely hitsville from go to woah. Their previous releases all had a couple of great standout tracks, but “Faith Crisis Part 1” is their ultimate opus. Infectious indie pop that sits on the edge of mainstream and subsequently shits all over half of the commercial shit that has been released this year. 

• Elestial are a band that hails from Newcastle in Australia, and their nicely structured dream-pop is a beautiful shot of razored honey.  I was lucky enough to have them do a chunk of the INDIE SOUNDS launch tour throughout July, and they nailed every show. A nicer bunch you couldn’t meet. 

• Chamberlane are an indie pop punk band out of the Sunshine Coast. They jumped onto a last minute slot on the INDIE SOUNDS tour to help us out, and despite being hungover to the max from a festival the day before, they kicked the shit out of it. They’ve just finished a bit of an east coast tour and I was lucky to have them on board as part of the recent Vi-Nil Records showcase at The Recky Pacific Palms. Fun at a furious rate!