Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Abi Muir Shows Her Dark Side With “Stockholm”

Cairns talent Abi Muir has entered 2022 with a brash and bold new sound. Her last single “Still the Same” was a sweet pop-folk ditty, but her latest offering “Stockholm” is an epic rock number. The juxtaposition of her angelic voice with the drums and distorted electric guitars is really something. Inspiration for the new single came from the most unlikely of places.

“I had just finished reading Harry Potter (for the 10th time!) and was kind of obsessed with Draco Malfoy, and wanted to write about the feeling of being trapped in love with someone you knew was a bad person and bad for you,” she explained. “I was inspired to try a different sound working with the guys in the band, who come from a heavy progressive rock background. It’s kind of a warped love song so having a rock vibe to it felt right.”

Like “Still the Same,” “Stockholm” comes from Abi’s highly anticipated debut EP which drops on March 4. If the diversity of these two tracks is any indication, it’s going to keep us guessing.

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Roady4Roadies Supports Music Crews

The arts industry has really taken a hit over the last couple of years. Our favourite performers are the public face of the struggle, but spare a thought for the more than 22,500 crew members who’ve also been stripped of their livelihood during the pandemic. Roady4Roadies is an annual event that puts them in the spotlight, and it’s happening this May.

Roady4Roadies, organised by CrewCare, raises awareness of the critical role that music crew play in the industry we all love. It’s also a whole lot of fun with a neighbourhood walk, family activities, and live entertainment. I know how much you’ve also missed that.

“The pandemic has seen the loss of at least eight stadium events in Adelaide. Each of these events has meant the loss of 450 production crew roles, 600 stadium staff roles and more than 250 subcontractor roles at a minimum of one week’s equivalent work. Multiply that by 5 major cities and that is 20500 crew who lost two month’s work each year since 2020 at minimum,” explained Peter Darwin, a freelance site manager. These are just the stadium events let alone the 52 plus entertainment centre shows … The industry is very, very damaged.”

Profits from Roady4Roadies go directly to Support Act’s “Crew” Fund. The tickets, available from Moshtix, are a steal at just $20. Get yours for a Roady4Roadies event near you and show your support.

1 May 2022 – Palais Theatre, St Kilda (Melbourne event 11 am start)
1 May 2022 – Lake Monger Recreation Club, Wembley (Perth event 11 am start)
1 May 2022 – Coopers Stadium, Hindmarsh (Adelaide event 11:30am start)
1 May 2022 – The Salty Dog, Kingston Beach (Hobart event 11:30 am start)
7 May 2022 – The Triffid, Fortitude Valley (Brisbane event 11am start)
7 May 2022 – Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin City (11am start)
7 May 2022 – Victoria Theatre, Newcastle (11:30 am start)
7 May 2022 – Hard Rock Cafe, Sydney (midday start)

Image used with permission from Ferris Davies PRM

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“angel in realtime.” – Gang of Youths

I consider Go Farther in Lightness one of the most important albums of the 21st century. I was instantly captivated by its poetry, its ambition, and heart. Since its release, Gang of Youths have quite rightly taken the world by storm. They’ve packed so much into the last five years that it was no surprise to me that it’s taken so long for the follow-up, angel in realtime. I haven’t anticipated an album’s release so much in years. But I couldn’t help wondering, how do you top an album that set the bar so high? Like this. Just like this.

The opening number “see you in everything” sets the scene, taking us to the funeral of frontman Dave Le’aupepe’s father. It’s confronting and powerful, setting the wheels in motion. This is an album about death and grief, and the way that we deal with it. It’s that messy difficult stuff that people and society don’t want to deal with, but Gang of Youths brings it out of the darkness and into the light. Dave lays his loss and the journey through it bare. In “brothers” we learn truths about his father and family that were only brought to light after his passing. In “the man himself” we’re taken into Dave’s psyche as he contemplates how to navigate the world without his father.

Every song on angel in realtime. is deeply personal and introspective. Yet while they address specific moments in his experience, they are so relatable. Death is the great unifier. If we haven’t yet lost our parents, we can already imagine the seemingly unbearable pain. This album doesn’t shy away from that, but it also celebrates the love, the connection to people and culture. Listening to angel in realtime. is a cathartic experience. It’s painful at times, but so uplifting. This album is bold and majestic and beautiful. It’s a triumph. And I can’t stop listening.

angel in realtime. is out now. Gang of Youths are playing almost everywhere this year. No matter where you are, make sure you see them.

28 February 2022 – HMV, Manchester (signing)
28 February 2022 – Crash Records, Leeds (signing and acoustic performance 5pm and 6:30pm)
1 March 2022 – Rough Trade East, London (signing and acoustic performance)
3 March 2022 – Button Factory, Dublin
5 March 2022 – Riverside, Newcastle
6 March 2022 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
8 March 2022 – Beckett, Leeds
9 March 2022 – O2 Academy, Bristol
12 March 2022 – O2 Institute2, Birmingham
13 March 2022 – Albert Hall, Manchester
15 March 2022 – O2 Academy, Brixton
21 April 2022 – Majestic Theatre, Madison
22 April 2022 – The Vogue, Indianapolis
24 April 2022 – Newport Music Hall, Columbus
25 April 2022 – Mercury Ballroom, Louisville
27 April 2022 – Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro
28 April 2022 – The Underground, Charlotte
1 May 2022 – The Basement, Nashville
3 May 2022 – Metro, Chicago
4 May 2022 – The Shelter, Detroit
6 May 2022 – The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
7 May 2022 – L’Astral, Montreal
9 May 2022 – Paradise Rock Club, Boston
10 May 2022 – Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn
12 May 2022 – Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia
13 May 2022 – Union Stage, Washington, DC
16 May 2022 – The Fillmore, San Francisco
18 May 2022 – Belasco Theater, Los Angeles
20 May 2022 – 24 Oxford, Las Vegas
21 May 2022 – Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix
23 May 2022 – Scoot Inn, Austin
24 May 2022 – The Echo Lunge and Music Hall, Dallas
26 May 2022 – Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa
3-5 June 2022 – Rock im Park @ Zeppelinfeld, Nuremberg
3-5 June 2022 – Rock am Ring @ Nürburgring, Nürburg
2 July 2022 – Down The Rabbit Hole, Ewijk
10 July 2022 – TRNSMT Festival, Glasgow
30 July 2022 – RAC Arena, Perth
3 August 2022 – Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
6 August 2022 – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
12 August 2022 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
14 August 2022 – A More Perfect Union Festival @ Regatta Grounds, Hobart
16 August 2022 – Hunter Lounge, Wellington
17 August 2022 – Powerstation, Auckland
20 August 2022 – A More Perfect Union Festival @ Sandstone Point Hotel, Sandstone Point
13 September 2022 – The Rave II, Milwaukee
14 September 2022 – First Avenue, Minneapolis
16 September 2022 – Delmar Hall, Saint Louis
17 September 2022 – The Bottleneck, Lawrence
19 September 2022 – Gothic Theatre, Englewood
20 September 2022 – Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City
22 September 2022 – Revolution Hall, Portland
23 September 2022 – Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver
25 September 2022 – Neumos, Seattle
27 September 2022 – Ace Of Spades, Sacramento
25 October 2022 – Paradiso, Amsterdam
26 October 2022 – Gloria Theater, Cologne
2 November 2022 – Gruenspan, Hamburg
3 November 2022 – Kesselhaus, Berlin
6 November 2022 – AB Box, Brussels
7 November 2022 – Nouveau Casino, Paris

Main photo credit: kingArthur_aus @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Profanity Fair Release Pop-Punk Banger, “Strawberry Jellyfish”

Brisbane band Profanity Fair may have one of the best names I’ve come across recently. They’ve also just dropped one of the most fun singles. “Strawberry Jellyfish” is built around just two chords, but it packs a real punch.

While I love listening to this song at home, something tells me these guys are even better in a packed pub with the amps cranked up to 11. If you’re in their hometown, you can catch them at the Fireball Hospo Party at Greaser on March 1. Hopefully it’s not too long before they’re crossing state borders and entertaining the rest of us!

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Viral Hitmaker Sarah Saint James Captures My Heart With “fake ass friends”

Sarah Saint James has made a splash on TikTok, amassing 2.4 million streams and more than 1.5 million views for user-generated content using her 2021 track “mad at god.” With her latest track “fake ass friends,” she might just make the transition from viral musician to mainstream star.

This single is heartbreakingly beautiful. I feel the loneliness in her vocals and the powerful lyrics, the result of a collaboration with former X Factor winner Cyrus. The understated production lets those two elements shine, drawing you into her world and daring you to listen to her story. I wish I’d heard this song as a teenager. It resonates with me now, but it definitely would have made me feel less isolated then.

“I only got invited to a few parties when I was younger. My small group of friends and I always wanted to go out, but we were so unpopular that we had nowhere to go,” Sarah recalls. “When I was at a party in Year 11, I overheard those so-called friends calling me a loser on the other side of a bathroom door, and that experience inspired this song. I thought about how I’d rather be surrounded by fake friends at parties looking cool, than be at home on a Saturday night watching their stories alone. When I look back, I feel really sad that I compromised myself to be surrounded by fake people – but everyone feels that way at some point, regardless of where you sat in the high school hierarchy.”

Sarah Saint James has more new music coming, with her debut EP Home Is Where The Hell Is scheduled for a March 18 release.

Image used with permission from Bianca Blancato; credit: Jess Gleeson

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Your Groove On With New Cosmo’s Midnight, “Can’t Do Without (My Baby)”

Saturdays call for tunes that make you want to groove. Whether you’re heading out to one of the country’s many venues that have recently opened their doors or you’re enjoying a party at home, “Can’t Do Without (My Baby)”, the latest release from Cosmo’s Midnight, is your perfect soundtrack.

The track samples a long-forgotten gem from the ’70s, “I Can’t Do Enough For You Baby” by Tommy Tate. With those silky soulful vocals, I have no clue why Tommy wasn’t bigger, but maybe this track will be enough to put him back in the spotlight. Cosmo’s Midnight have worked real magic here, incorporating irresistible elements of electronic and funk production into the track. Listening just makes you feel good!

“It’s strange how people can be nostalgic for eras they’ve never experienced,” Cosmo’s Midnight mused. “For ‘Can’t Do Without (My Baby)’ we wanted to capture the feel of coming of age at the turn of the millennium (even though we were just lil babies at the time) when house music was in its golden age. It was celebratory and ecstatic, which is something we really try to bring out in our tunes. This song is really a celebration of that, which feels especially poignant to us, as we all emerge from 24 months of self-reflection, isolation, and anxiety.”

Cosmo’s Midnight wowed crowds in the back-end of last year with sets at Wildlands Festival, Beyond the City, Lost Disco, and even South Korea’s virtual Busan International Rock Festival. They’re not slowing down either, with plenty of shows supporting Flight Facilities before they jet off to Portugal. If you don’t already have your tickets for one of these gigs, you know what to do!

13 March 2022 – The Cunningham Pier, Geelong
19 March 2022 – Victoria Park, Sydney (supporting Flight Facilities)
26 March 2022 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne (supporting Flight Facilities)
2 April 2022 – Riverstage, Brisbane (supporting Flight Facilities)
9 April 2022 – Bonython Park, Adelaide (supporting Flight Facilities)
23 April 2022 – Darwin Amphitheatre, Darwin (supporting Flight Facilities)
15 July 2022 – Super Bock Super Rock 2022, Sesimbra

Image used with permission from Neighbourhood PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Christine Tarquinio Releases Beautiful New Single, “Falling Free”

Sometimes you just hear a voice that cuts through. Melbourne singer-songwriter Christine Tarquinio has one of those voices. Her new single “Falling Free” doesn’t have the slick production of a mainstream pop hit, but the quality of that angelic voice really cuts through. The song is also first class. It’s pop music with real substance. There are notes of Natalie Imbruglia, Jewel, and Sarah McLachlan in there, but Christine is no imitator.

“I wrote this song just with an acoustic guitar and it was very introspective as we were in one of our many lockdowns,” Christine recalled. “I wanted to express how I was feeling at the time. The song was very easy to write and came together over a number of weeks.”

“There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a little seed of an idea I have for a song and seeing it bloom into its full potential along with my creative team, the magic just happens,” she added.

Give Christine Tarquinio a follow on Facebook to learn more about her new music and places you can see her play.

Image used with permission from Rise Indie

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Your Groove On With The Vultures’ Stellar New Single, “Conversations”

Gold Coast indie rockers The Vultures have blown me away with their awesome new single “Conversations.” This track has such a cool indie rock vibe with just a hint of disco sparkle. It’s fresh and fun, with such a great laidback groove. It might just be the last great summer anthem to drop this year. Can’t you just imagine sitting poolside, sipping cocktails, while this bad boy plays? While it reminds me of good times with friends, the lads from The Vultures actually penned this song in response to the isolation they felt during the 2020 Melbourne lockdowns.

“‘Conversations’ is about turning to dreams as a mode of communication at the emergence of a newly chaotic world, separated from our family, friends, and the outside,” they explained. The song is complemented by a dreamy new video clip which the band describes as “a sleek retro green screen throwback of trippy visuals, mirroring the concepts and vibe of the music.”

The Vultures will launch the single officially at hometown venue Mo’s Desert Clubhouse on March 17. It’ll be their first live show in more than six years, so you don’t want to miss it. Listen out for their debut album ESCOBAR dropping later this year.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Eliza & The Delusionals Get Me Nostalgic With “Give You Everything”

Eliza & The Delusionals are kicking off an action-packed 2022 with a brand new single, “Give You Everything.” This song is everything I love about the band, earnest and emotive with a floaty, fresh feel that encourages you to press play time and time again. It hearkens back to music from so many female singer-songwriters I loved in the ‘90s. If you had Lisa Loeb and Michelle Branch on regular rotation back then, I think you’re going to love this.

Guitarist Kurt Skuse and frontwoman Eliza Klatt started writing the song in Los Angeles with acclaimed US songwriters Sarah Aarons (Zedd, The Rubens, Childish Gambino) and John Hill (Cage The Elephant, Lykke Li, Charli XCX). Some refinements at home make “Give You Everything” the incredible track you hear today.

“We were sitting around John’s studio talking with Sarah about how we both have had similar bitter experiences within the music industry with certain people taking advantage of our benevolence,” Kurt recalled. “It was nice to be able to open up to someone who could also relate to that situation which made the whole writing process feel really natural and organic. It’s a collective favourite for us on the album and it really shaped the rest of the record thematically and sonically.”

As I hinted to earlier, Eliza & The Delusionals are preparing for a busy few months. They’ll support The Vanns on their national tour before taking their own lap of the country as headliners. Then they’re off to the United States to play Bottlerock alongside artists like P!nk, Twenty One Pilots, and Metallica. Their highly anticipated debut album Now and Then also drops on May 20. Here are all the dates you need:

5 March 2022 – Forum, Melbourne (supporting The Vanns)
6 March 2022 – Torquay, Hotel Torquay (supporting The Vanns)
12 March 2022 – Altar, Hobart (supporting The Vanns early show SOLD OUT)
12 March 2022 – Altar, Hobart (supporting The Vanns late show SOLD OUT)
13 March 2022 – Forth Pub, Forth (supporting The Vanns)
18 March 2022 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle (supporting The Vanns)
19 March 2022 – Manning Bar, Sydney (supporting The Vanns)
25 March 2022 – Wollongong Uni, Wollongong (supporting The Vanns)
1 April 2022 – Kambri @ ANU, Canberra (supporting The Vanns)
9 April 2022 – The Leadbeater, Melbourne
17 April 2022 – The Brightside, Brisbane
22 April 2022 – OAF Gallery, Sydney (early show)
22 April 2022 – OAF Gallery, Sydney (late show SOLD OUT)
23 April 2022 – La La La’s, Wollongong
24 April 2022 – Huxley’s, Caringbah
29 May 2022 – Bottlerock Festival, Napa Valley

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Luke Henery

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Listen to FANGZ’s “Falling is Pretty Normal” Loud

If Hump Day is hitting you hard, press play and crank up the volume on “Falling is Pretty Normal.” I can’t promise that FANGZ’s latest single will take away any of the frustrations of your workday, but this aggressive and ultra-catchy track might just make you forget about them for a little while. It’s bold and ballsy with stellar vocals from frontman Joshua Cottreau.

“‘Falling Is Pretty Normal’ was written just after I lost someone close to me,” Joshua explained. “I wasn’t coping at all, and I found myself spiralling without even realising. I would have these vivid dreams in which the departed would be there and it’d feel so real. In that moment I’d be happy. Then my alarm would sound, and the reality would hit me like a tonne of bricks. It’s about learning to deal with loss and knowing that the person maybe gone but the lessons they taught you still live on as long as you remember.”

The song comes from a dark place, but the music video, which pays homage to blink-182’s iconic clip for “What’s My Age Again?”, is pure joy. Keep your eyes peeled for the cameos!

FANGZ is celebrating the release of “Falling is Pretty Normal” with a 10-date tour of the Eastern states kicking off next month. Check them out at the following venues:

5 March 2022 – 4 On the 4loor, Orange
12 March 2022 – Hamilton Station, Newcastle
25 March 2022 – Crowbar, Sydney
26 March 2022 – The Basement, Canberra
1 April 2022 – The Baroque Room, Katoomba
2 April 2022 – Halloween Hysteria, Mansfield
22 April 2022 – Pelly Bar, Frankston
23 April 2022 – The Evelyn, Fitzroy
24 April 2022 – The Eastern, Ballarat
28 May 2022 – La La La’s, Wollongong

Image used with permission from Good Intent; credit: Rhys Bennett – @highvoltagephotography