In the 1980s, they were at the forefront of Australia’s own version of the Paisley Underground. Now, jangle-pop veterans Ups and Downs are celebrating the 40th anniversary live shows with The Crystal Set that we told you about with a vinyl anthology, “Stained Glass Memories”,  in March 2025.
 
The album is available for pre-order in coloured wax and can be had here.

The Sydney show is sold-out (you can be on a waitlist via the link below) and Brisbane and Melbourne are going the same way.

Ups and Downs and special guest
The Crystal Set
MAR 
8 - Marrickville Bowling Club, Sydney - waitlist
14 -  Brightside, Brisbane - tix   
22 - Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne - tix

Formed in Brisbane in the early 1980s, Ups and Downs quickly became known for their jangly guitars, melodic hooks, soaring harmonies and introspective lyrics, cementing their place in the hearts of indie music fans. 

Screaming Tribesmen leader Mick Medew and musical and life partner Ursula are touring their second album, “In The Zone”, and will play with their band, The Mick Medew and Ursula 4, in Newcastle and Sydney in February, presented by The I-94 Bar.

The Mick Medew and Ursula 4 plays the Stag and Hunter with East Coast Low and Jupiter 5 on Friday, February 14 and Sydney’s Marrickville Bowling Club with The Dark Clouds and Jupiter 5 on Saturday, February 15. Tickets for Sydney are here and you can pre-book for Newcastle here.

He has a rock and roll pedigree that’s the envy of any guitarist and it’s Brisbane’s turn to see his talents close-up when Ash Naylor and his band play two select shows in February.

“Soundtracks Vol 2” is Naylor’s second solo long-player and he’s bringing his band Ashley Naylor Spaceship to Junk Bar in New Farm on February 15 and Banshees Bar and Artspace in Ipswich from 2pm on February 16.

Naylor’s cv includes The Stems, The Church, Paul Kelly, Even and the RocKwiz Orkestra and he’s one of the country’s most in-demand rock guitarists. 

He also carries a torch for the jangle-pop and  psychedelic sounds of the 1960s and '70s. “Soundtracks Vol 2” reflects a host of influences ranging from Jim Hendrix to Peter Frampton and Spiritualised. It’s been foreshadowed by singles “A Blue Sky” and “Donovan Dreams”.

Tickets for Junk Bar are here while Ipswich punters can pre-book a Banshees spot here.

A rocking Sydney country band with a serious underground heritage, Broham, is back on the boards after a year’s break and will launch their debut album, “Buckle Rash”, with a free show at  The Golden Barley in Enmore on Saturday, February 22. 

The no-support-three-sets show runs from 8-11pm.

“Buckle Rash” is 15 tracs on CD and was produced by Golden Guitar nominee Michael Carpenter at The House Studio, and mastered by Rick O’Neill at Turtle Rock.

Broham is the country vehicle for former Vanilla Chainsaws frontman Simon Chainsaw aka Krysler Broham.

Krysler and his band used the lay-off to good effect, finishing the long-player, working in new drummer Frank Rosetti and pumping out four video singles in 2024, all of which are viewable here.

“Buckle Rash” might have a country heart but its soul belongs to the sounds of inner-city Sydney circa the 1980s, and  one of its prime cuts is a rolled gold cover of the X classic “Don’t Cry No Tears” which you view after the READ MORE fold.

Members went on to Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls, the Lime Spiders, Hell To Pay, the Screaming Tribesmen and The Bambalams, but The Grooveyard was the one that got away in the febrile Sydney inner city scene of the 1980s. Next weekend's I-94 Bar presented reformation shows in Canberra and Sydney are some of the most keenly anticiopated of the year so far and supports have been announced.

Local heroes Il Bruto are on the undercard at Smiths Alternative in Canberra on Friday, February 7 and are an obvious choice with a set list reprising many of the songs that influenced Australia's underground scene, while at Sydney's Marrickville Bowling Club on Saturday, February 8 supports will be powerpop supremos The On and Ons and Van Ruin.

Kiwi powerhouses The D4 have announced locasl supports for the hit-and-run Australian leg of their reunion tour and with one member living ont he other side of the globe, it might be your last chance to catch them on this side of The Ditch.

There are just three dates in Australia with most of their shows not unexpectedly in their home country.

In Brisbane they'll be joined by Tape/Off and Gentle Ben and His Shimmering Hands (The Brightside, February 13). Mary's Underground is the Sydney venue with Hard-Ons and Finnocuns opening preceedings on February 14. For the February 15 gig at Melbourne's esteemed The Tote, Mach Pelican, Raging Hormones and The Stripp fill out the undercard.