The Velvet Club offer the mid-week pick-me-up you’ve been searching for with their brand new single “Love Me The Same”. It’s a high-energy rock track with a raw, garage feel I can’t get enough of. It rocks hard, but its lyrics reveal the band’s softer side.
“Lyrically, the song is about the feeling of knowing you have people around you that support you and look after you, no matter what is going on in your life. It might not even be a person, it could be your dog!”, explained lead vocalist AJ Tilyard. “I guess it’s just about unconditional love and the feeling that comes with being loved unconditionally even if things aren’t going great at the time. It’s a comforting feeling to know you have support.”
The band recorded the song at Collingwood’s Sunset Pig Studios, determined to bring some of the spontaneity of their live shows to the track.
“Our main goal for this song was to encapsulate the live energy of it and I think with Sam [Swain] at the helm we were able to pull it off and make a really big, energetic live-sounding track!”, AJ explains.
Speaking of live energy, it’s not too long before you can soak it up for yourself. The Velvet Club will play shows in the East Coast capitals in June.
16 June 2022 – Frankies, Sydney
18 June 2022 – Leadbeater, Melbourne
24 June 2022 – Greaser, Brisbane
Image used with permission from Habit Music Co; credit: Ben Chung
You can always trust Matt Joe Gow for classic Americana tunes that just make you feel good. There’s a quiet confidence about what he does that puts you at ease. His latest track “Sweet Collapse” is no exception.
This track ticks all the boxes for me. I’m going nuts for the exquisite three-part harmonies and that piano solo. The track is a sequel to Matt’s song “Georgia Rose”, from his 2016 album Seven Years. How exciting to catch up with the story so many years later!
“Sweet Collapse” is the latest single lifted from Matt’s upcoming fourth album, Between Tonight & Tomorrow. Expect to hear a few more new tunes and all your old favourites at his upcoming New South Wales shows.
20 Apr 2022 – Peel Inn, Nundle
21 Apr 2022 – Outlaw Luncheon At The Dag, Nundle
23 Apr 2022 – MJG & TDL Showcase @ Tamworth Hotel, Tamworth
24 Apr 2022 – The Railway Hotel, Cowra
29 Apr 2022 – Occasional Wine Bar, Boorowa
30 Apr 2022 – Tomerong Hall, Tomerong
1 May 2022 – Golden Barley, Sydney
A friend introduced me to Perry Keyes’ “The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw” a few years back. My friends introduce me to a lot of songs, and most of them I probably forget before too long. But this song was different. It was so good that I wondered why we don’t all know it, the way we know “Khe Sanh” and “The Horses”. It’s so good that when you hear it, you wonder why it’s not more well-known. It feels familiar from the first play. Once you do hear it, it’s not easily forgotten. I’m hopeful that a few more people will fall in love with it now that The Whitlams have put their stamp on it.
It’s no accident that this cover has more of a country sound than we’re used to from The Whitlams. It came from an idea hatched by frontman Tim Freedman as he drove between regional stops on his 2021 solo tour. While travelling from Gunnedah to Mudgee, via Black Stump Way, he discovered country radio playing his band’s latest single, “Man About a Dog.”
“I must admit it was a surprise to be played on Kix Country and Triple A Murri Country, but it was very cool,” he said. And it got him thinking. In Mudgee, he called Matt Fell, who produced his solo effort Australian Idle, and said “Put together your dream band. I think I want to make a country album.”
And so, The Whitlams got together with the new Black Stump Band, featuring Rod McCormack (on banjo, papoose, and acoustic guitar), Ollie Thorpe (pedal steel and electric guitar), and Matt Fell on bass. And they made that country album, The Black Stump Sessions, featuring this song.
Sydney photojournalist and director Johnny Barker made the gorgeous black and white video. It features archival footage of Tim’s father, Barrie Freedman, tipping Souths to win that historic rugby league grand final, with captain John Sattler finishing the game despite breaking his jaw. Talk about grit and determination!
The Whitlams, Black Stump Band will play shows all around the eastern states to launch the single later this year.
22 April 2022 – Longyard Hotel, Tamworth
24 April 2022 – Victoria Hotel, Bathurst
28 July 2022 – The Metropolitan Hotel, Mackay
29 Jul 2022 – Mansfield Hotel, Townsville
30 Jul 2022 – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
3 August 2022 – Gunnedah Town Hall, Gunnedah
4 August 2022 – Orange Civic Theatre, Orange
5 August 2022 – Royal Hotel, Queanbeyan
6 August 2022 – Bowral Bowling Club, Bowral
7 August 2022 – Tallagandra Hill Winery, Gundaroo
12 August 2022 – Westernport Hotel, San Remo
13 August 2022 – Queenscliff Town Hall, Queenscliff
14 August 2022 – Burrinja Theatre, Upwey
Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity
Hurricane Fall are back with “This Night Forever”, their first single for 2022. It’s an epic slice of country-rock that should have you singing along by the chorus and feeling nostalgic about the best nights of your life.
Hurricane Fall want to share some memorable nights with their fans, so they’re heading on the road later this month. These guys have earned a reputation for their live shows. If you caught them supporting Billy Ray Cyrus or The Wolfe Brothers, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Find out for yourself when they stop at one of the following spots near you:
22 April 2022 – Blazes Showroom @ Wests, Tamworth
23 April 2022 – Stroud Rodeo @ Stroud Showground, Stroud
7 May 2022 – Scone Rodeo @ Scone Showground, Scone
13 May 2022 – Brookfield Show, Brookfield
14 May 2022 – Hard Rock Café, Brisbane
27 August 2022 – Gympie Music Muster, Gympie
24 September 2022 – CMC Rocks, Ipswich
1 October 2022 – Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin
Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity
Lyn Bowtell made a splash on The Voice in 2017, but she’s been far from idle since that show propelled her into the spotlight. While she plays to smaller crowds now, she’s been releasing some incredible music. Her latest single “Woman to Woman” is the perfect reintroduction to her talent.
When so many young starlets dominate the charts, it’s so exciting to hear music from a mature woman sharing her experiences. Diverse voices are so important. It’s a timely song which speaks of the importance of real human connection in the digital age.
“I hope listeners to ‘Woman To Woman’ might be a little less influenced by social media in their everyday life and consider going to the source of information before they cast judgment on people,” Lyn said. “It’s great to be able to reach out across boundaries and borders to talk to people, but social media does come with negative effects as well and we are understanding that more and more now. I’ve never had anything particularly damaging said to me on social media, although there were a few moments after The Voice, but I’m lucky in that respect. Country music people are usually friendly, supportive and good-natured. Words can be so hurtful, faceless lies are painful. Don’t fool yourself into think that it’s nothing when it might mean something to someone else.”
“Woman to Woman” comes from Lyn’s forthcoming album, appropriately titled Wiser. She’s touring all over the country at the moment to support its release. See her at one of the following gigs:
24 April 2022 – The Longyard, Tamworth
12 May 2022 – Lizotte’s, Lambton
14 May 2022 – Halekulani Bowling Club, Budgewoi
15 May 2022 –Leichhardt Bowling Club, Lilyfield
26 May 2022 –The Front Gallery & Café, Lyneham
27 May 2022 – Tumut River Brewing Co, Tumut
28 May 2022 –Bowral Bowling Club, Bowral
29 May 2022 – Joyce Wheatley Community Centre, Kiama
17 June 2022 – The Beer Shed Brewing Co, Leumeah
18 June 2022 – Muswellbrook RSL Club, Muswellbrook
19 June 2022 – Armidale City Bowling Club, Armidale
22 July 2022 – The Press, Tamworth
23 July 2022 – Glen Aplin Hall, Glen Aplin
24 July 2022 – Dalby Events Centre, Dalby
27 & 28 July 2022 – Oodies Café, Bundaberg North
29 July 2022 – Maleny Community Hall, Maleny
30 July 2022 – GTM Music Studios, Beaudesert
31 July 2022 – Cabarlah Hall, Cabarlah
4 September 2022 – Mantra, Yarraville
9 September 2022 – The Wesley Anne, Northcote
10 September 2022 – The Palais, Hepburn Springs
11 September 2022 – The Old Church On The Hill, Quarry Hill
15 September 2022 – Murray Delta Juke Joint, Goolwa
16 September 2022 – The Wheatsheaf, Thebarton
17 September 2022 – The Barn, Wombat Flat
14 October 2022 – Nethercote Hall, Nethercote
15 October 2022 – Murrah Hall, Murrah
Image used with permission from The Country Journo
On a grey and gloomy day, ILUKA’s long-awaited debut album Queen of Turbulent Hearts brings the sunshine. With irresistible pop melodies and danceable beats, this is the perfect album to take you into the weekend.
No moment is wasted here. As the old adage goes, it’s all killer, no filler. I was instantly hooked from the opening notes of girl power anthem “The Limit.” As ILUKA namechecks history’s most iconic female trailblazers, you get the sense that this Blue Mountains singer-songwriter is proudly following in their footsteps. She may not be as well known yet, but she’s got such a powerful, distinctive voice. Not just sonically, although that’s undeniable. But ILUKA really has something to say. I’m listening.
The songs that come next bring the picture of ILUKA into focus. “Higher Love” is pure and optimistic. There’s a fierce determination in “Get Free”. She reveals her wild side in “Mess”, a brilliant collaboration with Lime Cordiale. This upbeat song hints at a vulnerability that tracks like “Hercules” and “Willing to Break” explore more deeply. The title track “Queen of Turbulent Hearts” is achingly nostalgic. These songs reveal so many facets of ILUKA’s personality, the positive and the flawed. While the music is eclectic, the honesty with which ILUKA shares herself ties this collection together beautifully.
I’ve been following ILUKA’s career since 2016. I’ve loved listening to her evolve from sweet folk-pop songstress to a bold indie-pop act. Queen of Turbulent Hearts shows how fearless she’s become. She knows who she is and she’s not afraid to share it. You don’t have to like it, but it’s much more fun if you get on board.
Queen of Turbulent Hearts is out today. ILUKA is currently touring the country with Lime Cordiale. Limited tickets are still available for some of the following shows:
Don’t mistake Motor Ace’s return to the music scene as one resting on nostalgia. The release of their new single “Knock Knock” proves these guys have got more hits left in them. With hard-rocking riffs and solid vocals from Patrick Robertson, this track might just be worth the 17-year wait.
“It’s an idea that was kicking around back in the day, but we never got around to finishing it,” Pat admitted. “We’d always loved the sound, but it was written between the first and second records and didn’t really fit with what we were aiming for on the second. Probably should have finished it then!”
Motor Ace are gearing up to tour the country to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Five Star Laundry. Tickets are selling fast, so get them while you can!
10 June 2022 – Freo Social, Fremantle
11 June 2022 – Badlands, Perth
16 June 2022 – The Triffid, Brisbane
17 June 2022 – The Factory Theatre, Sydney
18 June 2022 – The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
23 June 2022 – The Gov, Adelaide
24 June 2022 – 170 Russell, Melbourne
Image used with permission from One the Map PR; credit: Rhys Graham
Alt-rock group Platonic Sex have just released a bold new single “Disappoint Another.” It’s raw and rebellious, with a garage rock quality that really brings out the angst in its lyrics. The track is bound to strike a chord with the queer community and anyone who’s ever felt their happiness wasn’t a partner’s priority.
“When I wrote the song, I needed to release insecurities that stemmed from my relationship with somebody who wasn’t entirely ‘out’,” explained Platonic Sex’s lead singer, Bridget Brandolini. “My ex-girlfriend wanted to show her love for me in a different way than I wanted, and writing the song helped me separate my feelings for her from the way it felt to be kept a secret.”
“Choosing to come out can feel like dealing out a lot of disappointment – whether it’s to your parents, the parents of the kid you babysit, or other loved ones – and it’s hard to cope with, as a young person trying to present themself authentically,” they added. “As somebody who is openly queer, the song feels really liberating. It’s up-tempo, joyous, fun,” they say. “I’m so grateful that I have the privilege to exist as my true self in the world safely and without shame. At the end of the day, the joy that comes with discovering an accepting community gives you strength to reach the end of the tunnel and dust yourself off after you’ve disappointed the people whose boxes you can’t fit into.”
Platonic Sex are about to tour the country with Hope D and Noah Dillon. Catch them at the following venues:
8 April 2022 – The Factory Theatre, Sydney
9 April 2022 – Lion Art Centre, Adelaide
29 April 2022 – Altar, Hobart
6 May 2022 – The Northern, Byron Bay
7 May 2022 – The Princess Theatre, Brisbane
13 May 2022 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
27 May 2022 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
Image used with permission from Aleisha McLaren; credit: James Caswell
It’s an exciting time for musicians and their fans. After COVID-19 brought the world to a screeching halt, we’re all starting to reconnect with one another and live music. In that spirit of connection, Western Australia’s Last Quokka and Victoria’s Plaster of Paris have joined forces for a “full-tilt punk rock extravaganza” travelling the country this April and May. Before it kicks off, I caught up with the bands to chat about the tour, how the pandemic hit them, and what comes next.
Last Quokka, we’re chatting because you’re about to kick off a national tour, which must be so exciting for you as a Western Australian band. How are you feeling about it?
LQ: Honestly it feels like a bit of dream right now, so until we’re there it’s hard to know how to feel! But we’re incredibly excited. This has been such a long time coming and obviously like every band not having the opportunity to tour these last two years has been a struggle. We’ve also had a bit of a line-up change so it’s going to be rad to get to travel together as a new five-piece. And of course we’re super pumped to be able to hang with Plaster of Paris.
What have you missed most about touring the country?
LQ: Last Quokka is really all about the live energy and the community connection we make through playing so we’ve missed that a lot. It’s also just such a rad thing to be able to travel with your mates and play shows.
Plaster of Paris, you’re joining Last Quokka on this tour. How did that come about?
POP: We just kept talking after our Sonic Masala shows together got cancelled in Brisbane last year and we all just seem connected. Both bands are running DIY gigs and self-releasing and working in these scenes that centralise politics and feminism and community so it just feels symbiotic to come together. And so fun!
After all the lockdowns in Victoria, it must be pretty exciting to simply get back to playing for audiences. How did the pandemic treat you?
POP: We had an album to mix and release during the pandemic so Melbourne’s crazy long lockdown gave us time, if nothing else, to focus on what we wanted to achieve. We drove Paul Maybury a little mad I’m sure with remixes and redos, but by the end we got something we are incredibly proud of and I’m not sure we would have made the same album pre-pandemic. A silver lining perhaps?
Last Quokka, as a Western Australian band you’ve probably had a really different experience of the pandemic than a lot of East Coast acts. I saw photos from gigs that looked almost normal while we were in lockdown, yet you were cut off from the rest of the country for so long. What was that experience like for you?
LQ: It was exactly as you’ve said really. It felt super weird and privileged to be playing shows like RTRFMs In The Pines or Yardstock to thousands of people while our mates over east were in lockdown, but that said the isolation has definitely been pretty intense. While it feels dumb to complain about it, we’re already so very isolated over here and that was just hugely reinforced, especially with East Coast bands not being able to come over. Also, Perth is an odd place. While there is a great DIY and lefty community in general, it’s a very conservative place and can feel very suffocating at times. So it is great to get out.
Plaster of Paris, during the pandemic you released your album, Lost Familiar. What was it like to put that out in the world at a time when you couldn’t tour the country?
POP: Hitting ‘Public’ on Bandcamp and collectively opening beers in our lounge rooms. Doing a band Zoom when we were nominated for Best Rock Punk Act in the Music Victoria Awards and clinking virtual champagne flutes. Connecting with online fans and making email buddies across the globe in places like Estonia and Portugal. Doing interviews on Instagram Live with Spanish blogs at 3 am (and getting the day wrong and having to do it all over again). Making the “Danceflaw” filmclip in the exercise hour we had each day (literally Nicola and Zec exercise/dancing in empty streets of Thornbury with a camera). These are the weird things you do for album releases in a pandemic!
Why did you release the album during the pandemic? Was there ever a time that you considering holding it back?
POP: We started recording this album in 2015/2016 and had a lot of setbacks. By the time the pandemic hit we just went along and kept pushing and took it as another challenge. A big scary one! But being with our creative family was all we wanted to do. The album is so much about the family you create, particularly as queer-identifying humans. You build this new family that let you be yourself and we wanted to celebrate that because lockdowns often separated us from safe spaces and chosen families. Our lost familia.
The music you make is so ballsy and bold, I’m sure it takes a lot of people by surprise. The post-punk genre is so dominated by men. What’s it like for Plaster of Paris playing in that space?
POP: Ha! Ballsy! Imagine if we described music as Breasty! I’m not having a crack … I just wonder if we’ll ever ungender strength and anger and loudness. Even now it scares people when female-identifying people are loud. All you have to do is cross the river in Melbourne and play a crowd that has never seen a punk band and watch them squirm and get confused in 2022! Their idea of loud women is Miley Cyrus covering Metallica. (Hashtag I love Miley FYI). We’re all fans of hard rock, the riot grrrl movement was instrumental to me understanding I was allowed to be in the band not just hang out with them. I used to sit on the floor of my male friends’ rehearsals watching them. All of a sudden I started seeing women playing instruments and I picked up a guitar. We still need representation, especially as instrumentalists. As older women we need to see ourselves too, ageism is real in the music industry. As Zec sings in “State of Emergency” – we “want Social Currency” and “a community to speak to me”.
I was reminded of a lot of female punk pioneers as I listened to your album. Who are some of your influences?
POP: My heart will always be with the ’90s ladies like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile and other affiliated acts like Helium and Sleater Kinney and the ’70s UK punks: The Slits, Raincoats, XRay Spex. Zec loves Siouxsie Sioux, Nina Hagan, Wayne County and her love of Kate Bush and Bowie is clear in her phrasing. As a guitarist, I also love bands like Gossip and Yeah Yeah Yeahs because Plaster is a two-piece band mostly: guitar and drums. Three people just locking in. Having said that, we are touring as a five-piece!
How about you Last Quokka? What artists have made a big impression on you?
LQ: We did a whip around the band: Kirill – Michael Jackson, Carlota – Tool, Justin – IDLES, Ray – Fugazi, Trent – Phoebe Bridges.
What can music lovers expect from these shows?
LQ: Drunken shenanigans, conversations about Geoff Gallop, some booty shaking, and maybe some good music.
After the tour wraps up, what’s next for you?
LQ: We’re working on our fifth LP so that’s exciting and trying to eventually get over to the EU! A few of us are also thinking about getting more pets, maybe learning to play tennis. That kind of thing.
POP: Extend the tour with more dates!! Let’s do Tassie and Darwin and then Europe. Quokkas watch out!
If you’re ready to rock (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), you can catch Last Quokka and Plaster of Paris at the venues below. Check out the Last Quokka and Plaster of Paris socials for tickets and more details about the shows:
1 April 2022 – The Outpost, Brisbane (with Tape Off)
2 April 2022 – Eleven Dive Bar in Maroochydore (with Tape Off)
3 April 2022 – Sonic Sherpa, Brisbane (instore)
7 April 2022 – The Servo, Port Kembla (with The Elastic Waste Band)
8 April 2022 – Graveyard Shift @ The Lansdowne, Chippendale (with Yes I’m Leaving)
9 April 2022 – The Old Bar, Fitzroy (with Zig Zag)
10 April 2022 – Arvo show at the Barwon Club, Geelong (with Zig Zag)
6 May 2022 – The Bird, Northbridge (with Dead Tooth Hottie)
7 May 2022 – Yardstock! Fremantle
8 May 2022 – The Shed, Albany (with Pack Hoarse)
Images used with permission from Last Quokka and Plaster of Paris; photo credit for Plaster of Paris photo: Kalindy Williams
On a gloomy day in a week that seems far too long, Driving in the Dark, the new EP from East Coast act Columbus is the perfect punky pick-me-up. This three-piece band has punk-pop down to a fine art. Combining a nostalgia for the genre’s glory days of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s with a fresh perspective, I can’t get enough.
The five-track EP starts with recent singles “Temporary Summer”, “Full Heart”, and “Pain is a Mirror” bringing new fans up to speed and reminding those of us who’ve been on the bandwagon for months just how good this music is. Things take a little left turn with “The Holiday,” with the band trading in the electric guitars for acoustic ones. It’s still got the band’s trademark energy, but it’s delivered with more sweetness. I love when the band is full throttle, but it’s exciting to hear them working with a different gear. Columbus cranks it up for the EP’s closer “Care About You”. It’s anthemic and glorious, the perfect final impression.
“I wrote the Driving in the Dark EP about learning how to love – my life, others, and myself,” frontman Alex Moses explained. “With each release we’re adding to the fire what Columbus means to us. This EP represents where we’re at right now. It’s been a wild time driving in the dark, but I think we’ve finally arrived.”
Driving in the Dark is out now. Columbus will play the following shows next month to support its release.
9 April 2022 – Crowbar, Sydney
14 April 2022 – The Brightside, Brisbane
17 April 2022 – North Gong, Wollongong
29 April 2022 – Fat Controller, Adelaide
30 April 2022 – Stay Gold, Melbourne
On a grey and gloomy day, 
On a gloomy day in a week that seems far too long, Driving in the Dark, the new EP from East Coast act