- Details
- Written by: Matt Ryan
- Hits: 546
1 Scott Boland’s Hat Trick
We’ll get to music in a minute, but we have to start off with the greatest moment in the history of sport. Such a legend he even opened the batting on Boxing Day. Just name the Junction Ovel after him now.
2 Phil MacDougall’s 45th Anniversary Bash
A wonderful day at the Tote to celebrate Melbourne’s greatest rock n roll soldier. Phil’s PBS program, “Sunglasses After Dark”, is still essential listening every week and I still love that after all this time ,his passion for music, new and old, has never changed.
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- Written by: Ross Nelson
- Hits: 673
I hate it when I hear people bemoan the current state of Rock ‘n’ Roll – “there’s no good bands anymore”…”there’s no venues hosting bands”…. These people aren’t trying hard enough. There’s so many great bands, artists and records out there and it’s really not too difficult to find them.
In 2025 I found plenty to love and there’s way too many records that have eluded me. But of the stuff that I spent quality time with these are my picks.
- Details
- Written by: Murray Bennett
- Hits: 722
Top 12 Gigs
The Cruel Sea - City Recital Hall, Sydney. 31/05/2025.
Set list full of older songs and deep cuts.
- Details
- Written by: Deb Nankervis
- Hits: 841
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: Milly Dalton & Adam Brzozowski
- Hits: 1185
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: Chris Virtue
- Hits: 585
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.
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- Written by: Graham Steel
- Hits: 1028
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: 793
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.
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- Written by: Joanne Bennett
- Hits: 942
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).
More Articles …
- 2025 Top Tens: Mark Fraser of Vi-Nil Records, redbackrock.com and Coastal T-Shirt Printing
- 2025 Top Tens: MIck Medew and Ursula 4 leader and ex-Screaming Tribesman Mick Medew from Brisbane
- Top Tens for 2025: Ex-Waxworks and Dwarf Thrower guitarist and I-94 Bar writer Ed Garland
- 2025 Top Tens: Ex-New Christ Big Al Creed from East Coast Low, Van Ruin and Crankinhaus Records
- 2025 Top Tens: Compulsive Sydney gig goer and Fowl Weather Vein bassist Keith Claringbold
- 2025 Top Tens: The Neptune Power Federation, Sick Fizz member, ex-Nancy Vandal member and visual artist Mike Foxall
Page 1 of 35
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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
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
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
+ 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
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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