On Friday night in the basement venue of The Chippo in Chippendale, NSW, three of Stanley Records‘ artists officially launched their new releases on the label. Stanley Records has been around for a number of years building up its catalogue and chronicling the Australian alt-country scene with numerous quality releases. So in many ways it … Continue reading
The Felice Brothers, Caitlin Harnett & The Pony Boys The Lansdowne 14 October For over a decade, The Felice Brothers have been one of the most consistently fascinating acts on the Americana music scene. Each album they release seems to inhabit it’s own small world, built on the kaleidoscopic beat poetry of Ian Felice and … Continue reading
Justin Townes Earle + The Morrisons @ The Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney 04/09/19 He’s been a regular visitor to these shores since 2008 and even though each tour has shown a new stage in the evolution of Justin Townes Earle as a songwriter, it was that first show at the Annandale Hotel that, for me, remains the most vital … Continue reading
Jeff Tweedy with Jen Cloher Metro Theatre, Sydney May 20th, 2019 By Chris Familton In 20 years of attending gigs at the Metro, this was the first time I’d seen seats in the venue. There were mixed comments from the audience but it worked well, creating a more intimate atmosphere in the room, which in … Continue reading
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real + William Crighton Factory Theatre, Marrickville NSW April 18th, 2019 Bluesfest is nearly upon us for another year and so are the associated sideshows that roll through Sydney. If you’re a fan of Americana and country rock then Lukas Nelson and band Promise Of The Real should have … Continue reading
Alejandro Escovedo Camelot Lounge, Marrickville NSW March 4th 2019 When a songwriter performs, you hear their stories through song and all its associated elements of poetry, melody, cadence, tone and tempo. Often the essence of the song is shrouded in imagery and lyrical abstraction and some digging is required on behalf of the listener. Alejandro … Continue reading
Margo Price, Courtney Marie Andrews Factory Theatre, Marrickville NSW 16th October 2018 Thanks to the good taste of tour promoters Love Police, October is the time of year when Sydney gets a handful of sideshows in the wake of the Out On The Weekend festival in Melbourne. This year the pick of the crop was … Continue reading
Dashville Skyline, held on the same picturesque family property as The Gum Ball, Pigsty In July and Thrashville, returned for its 4th year with its largest festival line-up to date, comprised of 100% Australian acts, spread over three days. The weather gods had threatened through the week but blue skies prevailed for yet another superb … Continue reading
Halfway, The Aerial Maps, Hoolahan @ Sly Fox, Sydney 17th August 2018 Halfway are hometown heroes in Brisbane but that success hasn’t always translated to other cities such as Sydney when it has come to live shows. Thankfully the occasion of the launch of their new album Rain Lover and the chance to see them at … Continue reading
Bob Dylan @ ICC Theatre, Sydney 18th August 2018 There’s a dire warning before Bob Dylan takes the stage at the ICC Theatre – “filming and photography will not be tolerated, please turn off your electronic devices”. It’s a sign that Dylan is either still extremely protective of his image and his art or those newfangled contraptions (phones) … Continue reading
Marlon Williams, The Weather Station @ Metro Theatre, May 17th 2018 Five years of hard work, countless hours in airport lounges, nights on friends’ couches and in bars and clubs is paying off big time with Marlon Williams’ current Australian tour sold out in the largest venues he’s headlined to date. This time around he he’s brought … Continue reading
Deer Tick, The Smoking Flowers, Justin & The Cosmics @ The Lansdowne, March 27th 2018 The swagger and rock hit early with Nashville’s Justin & The Cosmics laying down some primal leather and denim-clad rock ’n’ roll. The brothers Collins led the charge on guitar and vocals, the latter showing a fine line in deadpan banter, middle … Continue reading
Hurray For The Riff Raff, Slow Dancer @ Factory Theatre, March 26th 2018 Back for the first time since their Newtown Social Club show in 2014, Hurray For The Riff Raff were upsized to the much larger Factory Theatre, an overly ambitious punt by the promoter given that their profile hasn’t risen greatly in the intervening years. … Continue reading
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit + Deer Tick @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney 25/03/18 Sitting right at the nexus of Americana and southern rock is Jason Isbell. Since his tour of duty in Drive By-Truckers and through his subsequent breakthrough solo career, he’s found that sweet spot between the heartbreaking balladeer and the guitar shreddin’ … Continue reading
Marlon Williams + Archer @ Oxford Art Factory, Nov 15th 2017 With a career that continues to go from strength to strength, this was a key and fascinating moment to hear and see Marlon Williams perform songs from his forthcoming second album Make Way For Love, ahead of its February release. Archer opened the evening with a … Continue reading
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