i94bar1200x80

INDIE SOUNDS FROM THE HABOUR CITY

  •  Indie Sounds launch Vi Nil HQ 2025Mark Fraser (in cap) and soe of the Vi-Nil Records stable christening another INDIE SOUNDS compilation last year.

    If you’ve seen gigs by the cooler bands from Wollongong, Newcastle or the Central Coast over the last few years, you would have seen Mark Fraser at the merchandise stand.

    His record label Vi-Nil Records has been responsible for releasing some killer records, some of them in a compilation series called “Indie Sounds” showcasing various scenes from Sydney’s environs. Mark has been part of the street level scene now for almost 45 years, as a writer, venue owner, muso and head of his own label.

    The first Vi-Nil record I bought was  the “Surfing On My Face” single by the Hard-Ons. It dates from 1985, a time when there were 50-plus music venues across Sydney. Then-local radio station Triple-Jay played cool shit and thousands of like minded kids were packing rooms seeing original bands.

    After a long break, Mark revived the Vi-Nil imprint in 2022. I was curious what drew back him back and what changes he’d observed. So we sat down and had a yarn.

Send us stuff to review

PO Box 334
Oatley NSW
2223 Australia

Get in touch: barman@i94bar.com

The Living Eye


Right eye

Peter Black solo tour
FEB
5 - Society City - Wollongong, NSW
Details
7 - Velvet Fog Records - Katoomba, NSW
Details
13 - The Cave Inn, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets
14 - Vinnies Dive Bar, Gold Coast, QLD (Matinee Show)
Tickets
19 - Medusa Bar, Geelong, VIC
Tickets
20 - Town Hall Hotel, Melbourne (two sets) 
Details
21 - Shedshaker Brewing Company, Castlemaine, VIC
Details
27 - Hopsters Brewery - Sydney
Details
28 - Flow Bar - Old Bar, NSW  
Details
MAR
1 - Hiss and Crackle Records, Newcastle, NSW
Details 

Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes
Service Station Chcken Tour
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
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
+ Plastic Section + Burning Effigy +  Special Secret Guest
26 - Vineyard, St Kilda, VIC
(Door sales only)
27 – Mixtape Bar & Brewing, Marrickville,
Sydney, NSW
(moved from Marrickville Bowlo)
+ The Strike-Outs + pocketwatch
28 - The Bendi, Collingwood, VIC
MAR
1 -– Trash Cult, Bendigo, VIC (arvo show)
+ Grinding Eyes, + The Damos
2  – The Last Chance, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets

Cosmic Psychos
"I Really Like Beer Tour"
FEB
12  — Royal Oak, Launceston, TAS
13 — Forth Pub, Devonport, TAS
14  — Altar, Hobart, TAS

Bleak Squad
FEB
7 - Blue Mountains Theatre & Community Hub,
Springwood, NSW
8 - East Perth Power Station, WA
12 - .Her Majesty's Theatre, Ballarat, VIC
13 -  Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
14 – Riverboats Festival, Echuca, VIC
19 - Princess Theatre, Brisbane, QLD
20 – Imperial Hotel, Eumundi, QLD
21 - The Regent Cinema, Murwillumbah, NSW
MAR
4 - Canberra Theatre Playhouse, ACT
5 - The Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
8 - Golden Plains Festival, Meredith, VIC
Tickets

On The Loose Presents
Guitar Wolf Australian Tour
MAR
14 - Perth, Seasonal Brewing Co.
15 - Fremantle, The Buffalo Club
all WA shows with Aborted Tortoise
18 -  Gold Coast, Vinnie's Dive Bar
w/ supports TBC
19 - Nambour, The Ramp
w/ supports TBC
20 - Brisbane, Season Three
w/ Future Shocks & Evil Dick Industries
21 - Sydney, Factory Fusebox
w/ supports TBC
22 -  Wollongong, La La La's
w/ Itchy & the Nits
25 - Bendigo, Trash Cult
w/ supports TBC
26 - Castlemaine, Bridge Hotel
w/ The Freedom Wave
27 - Melbourne, The Tote
w/ Alien Nosejob & Cujo
28 - Frankston, Singing Bird
w/ Split System & DJ Centipede & The Worms
29 - Balnarring, Social Club
w/ Cry Cyclops
Tickets 

“Surreal Science”

Music of the Scientists & 
Kim Salmon
and The Surrealists

APR

10 – The Corner, Melbourne
Tickets
 11 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Tickets
 18 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA
Tickets

 

 

 

Fresh Reviews

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

Web development by TRO