This year marks the 50th birthday of Brisbane’s community radio station 4ZZZ and a series of huge musical events will be held over October and November.

The 4ZZZ Joint Effort concerts played an integral part of the station’sstory in the 70’s and 80’s, providing live music fans in Brisbane with the best value for money events in town and  bringing together local and interstate original artists. Traditionally held at the University of Queensland campus refectory, these events set the tone for the healthy live music scene Brisbane enjoys today.

Original joint effort promoter, David Darling, is curating a special 4ZZZ joint effort event at the Hamilton Hotel on Saturday, 8 November. Tickets are on sale here and here’s the line-up:

Dave Warner’s from the Suburbs
A participant in  in the original 4ZZZ UQ concert events in the 70’s and 80’s sharing joint effort bills with the likes of Mental as Anything and Razar, Perth’s suburban boy Dave Warner and will be performing with the original “Mugs Game”-era band, From the Suburbs. 

X
One of the most influential bands to emerge from the late 1970s Sydney underground rock/punk explosion, the music of X has well and truly stood the test of time. Frontman Steve Lucas has put on many memorable shows in Brisbane and with his band will be performing the seminal 1985 album “At Home with You” plus other classics from the back catalogue.     

The Survivors
Formed in 1977 in the first wave of Brisbane punk bands, The Survivors played a part in many of the original 4ZZZ joint effort events before disbanding in late 78’

He original trio of Jim Dickson (Radio Birdman and the New Christs), Greg Williamson and Bruce Anthon will stage a very special reunion to help wish 4ZZZ a happy 50th.

He’s currently on the road in Japan and it’s Australia’s turn in June when boogie woogie and blues pianist extraordinaire Henri Herbert returns for live shows.

He's best known in Australian rock and roll circles for playing with The Jim Jones Revue, on their 2011 shows but on the global stage, the French-born and UK-raised Herbert is recognised for chalking up more than 100 million views on YouTube.

Herbert is now based in Nashville, Tennessee, and is constantly in demand in the USA. He'll mark his Australian shows with a formidable video single, a cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic “Fire”, which you can view after the MORE link

After a 20-year hiatus, Melbourne slackabilly surf trio The Tommys are back on the live circuit and launching a new singe. 

Well pedigreed veterans Ollie Laurie (Exotics), Jonathan Lickliter (Died Pretty) and Rob Lastdrager (T Bones) are unveiling their red vinyl 45 single, “Born to Follow” b/w “Window Pane”, at the Old Bar in Fitzroy from 4pm on Saturday. June 7.

They'll also play a live-to-air on Melbourne community radio station 3CR's Burning Vinyl Radio show radio on the Friday between 2-4pm. 

The Tommys released their debut album, “Grow Fins”, way back in 2000 and the follow up single, “Chastity Melts”, recorded live and dirty at the Old Bar in Melbourne, four years later.

Reforming for Garage Fest 2024 they toured of duty in Cambodia and now they’re thrilling audiences in Melbourne and Sydney once more with their tsunami of lo-fi garage surf grooves.

Special guests The Kreep 500 are supporting with their own brand of savage howls with garage nous. A duo far beyond the sum of its parts (think Cramps, Scientists, Reigning Sound), their debut album sold out in months and its follow-up is due in late 2025 on the Groovie (Europe) and Off The Hip (Australia) labels.

Physical stock of the new Chris Masuak single (and the swansong for his killer Spanish band The Viveiro Wave Riders) has landed in Australia and is now shipping.

“The Kiss Off” b/w “Carny Marriage” is on US label Savage Magic Records, and we’re selling a limited number via the I-94 Bar Bandcamp site. If you're overseas, the Savage Magic Records Bandcamp may be your most economical choice or drop us a line This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we'll quote on postage. 
 
A reminder that the global premiere of the film clip for "The Kiss Off" is imminent and the Facebook event will give you a reminder.

The clip goes live on YouTube at  at 4pm US Pacific Time on Friday, May 16 or 9am Australian Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, May 17 

Masuak has new studio material underway with both his other Spanish band The Revelators and the Australian line-up of Chris Masuak's Dog Soldier. Stay tuned for details of Australian dates for Chris Masuak's Dog Soldier later this year. 

_{The Strike-Outs' Simon and Adam Vines will headine Saturday night's gig.}

Sydney’s favourite dive bar, The MoshPit, is marking its eighth birthday with two nights and a day of wall-to-wall rock and roll – and it’s free.

It kicks off on Friday, May 16 at 7:30pm with Newcastle’s Jacques Levy's Desire. The first band to play the venue, Blurter, is back at 8:20.

Young guns Pocketwatch plan to get the joint jumping at 9:10 and will show off tunes they recorded with multi-ARIA award winning producer Wayne Connolly, plus a few others. Veterans Jupiter 5 bring the Sabbath-meets-The Sonics riffarama-lama at 10pm. The indie sleaze of Aria Nova is on at 11pm and plays out until close.

Australia’s pioneering and hard partying cowpunks, The Johnnys, are re-emerging from a round of studio tinkerin’ and drinkin’ for a run of gigs in May, brandishing a live CD and a refreshed set.

“Live In Lyon” is the album, and it captures a rollicking 1990 French gig by the classic line-up of Hoody, Billy, Slim and Spencer P Jones on their only European tour. Restored from the original tape at Turtlerock Studios in Sydney by Rick O’Neill, it’s brimming with Saucisson, Vin Rouge and bawdy cowpunk rock and roll.