When MKTO last visited our shores in 2014, they were riding high on the success of “Classic.” Their debut single “Thank You” achieved chart success just two years before. They were hot property. Like most Aussies I’ll wager, I hadn’t thought of them in a decade, but they were put back on my radar with the announcement that they’re finally heading back Down Under.
“It’s been a minute since we’ve been back. We’ve always had a lot of love for Australia,” Malcolm Kelley said.
“We are so excited to get back down under and perform again!” added his bandmate Tony Oller.
This tour announcement has encouraged me to check out MKTO’s back catalogue and it’s pretty catchy. I didn’t realise that they’d collaborated with Simple Plan on 2013’s “Summer Paradise,” and there were a whole bunch of gems that had never hit my ears before.
MKTO will play just two intimate Aussie shows this October. Get on it fans, because they might leave you waiting for another decade to make their return!
The first thing I did on hearing that End of Fashion are celebrating 20 years since the release of their self-titled debut album was feel old. The second was to fire it up on Spotify. And I’ve got to say, it sounds even better than I remember it.
There’s the monster single “O Yeah” of course, but all the songs around it really stand up. It makes me wonder why they weren’t all over the charts.
The album sounds good on Spotify, but no doubt the special anniversary double vinyl will sound even better. The first record features the original album remastered while the second has rare demos, B-sides, and unheard gems. It also features artwork from the archives, a never-before-released lyric sheet, and a collage of photos submitted by fans. You can preorder yours now from Universal.
“When we made this album, we never dreamed it would still mean so much to people 20 years later. That’s a real gift for us and we wanted to give something back. We put this re-issue together with a lot of love — and a lot of memories…our own and most importantly, the fans. Which is why we got them involved. This is as much theirs as it is ours. To have this out in the world again, on vinyl, with all this amazing material from the archives that we never thought would see the light of day, feels really special,” said End of Fashion frontman Justin Burford.
To celebrate the milestone, End of Fashion will head out on their first national tour in almost a decade. They’re promising to play their debut album in full plus plenty of fan favourites. You know this is going to be big, so make sure you get your tickets before they sell out.
After wowing crowds in 2022 and 2023, British indie-folk band Palace are heading back to Australia later this month to support their new EP Greyhound.
I must admit, I wasn’t across Palace’s music until I received the press release, but I’ve had the Greyhound EP on repeat for a couple of days now. If you dig lush, honest folk music in the vein of Fleet Foxes and Bright Eyes, I know you’ll be into these guys too.
Tickets are selling fast, with some shows already sold out, so if you’re keen make sure you grab yours soon!
Texan alt-country-folk act Shane Smith & the Saints are heading to Australia for the first time to promote their latest album Norther. I’ve had this album on repeat today. It’s just so good. Shane Smith has got that sort of weathered, seasoned voice that demands you pay attention, and the musicality of his band is off the charts. If you love acts like Mumford & Sons and Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, I know these guys will be right up your alley.
While they haven’t been to Australia before, they’ve spent the last decade on the road building a passionate fanbase and refining their sound. They’re playing tiny venues here, and you can almost guarantee that won’t be the case next time they visit us. Back home they’ve played legendary venues like the Ryman Auditorium and Red Rocks Amphitheater (which they sold out in just 36 hours). But they haven’t forgotten their roots.
“If you spend 10 years playing dive bars and small clubs almost every single night, and you go to the merch booth after every show and hang out with the fans until the staff literally kicks you out, you get to turn those fans into friends,” Shane Smith said. “That’s how we built this thing. We’ve done as many as 240 shows in a single year. We’ve worked so hard to get there, and that hard work has created a beautiful, meaningful audience.”
Here are those Aussie dates. Don’t let yourself sleep on them.
When I heard Christopher Cross and Toto were heading to Australia, I was initially excited. But then my logical brain kicked in. It told me that I didn’t know enough songs to warrant spending the money, that I was too busy anyway to fit it in, that perhaps these acts would be showing their age, so I decided to pass. Then fate intervened and a friend gifted me his ticket when he couldn’t make the concert. I am so grateful that he did, because the show last night was absolutely brilliant.
When you have two massive acts on the bill, you get right to the good stuff. Christopher Cross opened with “All Right,” signalling that he wasn’t going to leave us wanting. He seemed genuinely touched by the enthusiastic reception we gave him, but how could we be anything but appreciative when he was treating us to ‘80s gems we remembered so fondly? His vocals were solid and his guitar skills so much better than I imagined. His stage presence is understated, without bells and whistles, but give me great music performed well and I’m a happy camper. The audience who rose to their feet for a standing ovation after he ended his set with “Ride Like the Wind” seemed to agree.
You could feel the energy crank up a few notches when Toto took the stage with their incredible instrumental, “Child’s Anthem.” Just like Christopher Cross, they didn’t leave us waiting too long for a sing-along. They had us all up on our feet for “Rosanna.” You know that feeling you get when a band plays an encore and you just feel that peak musicality and passion? That’s the feeling I got during “Rosanna,” three songs into the set! Usually if a band stays past that point the energy naturally wanes, because where do you go once you’ve peaked? Somehow though, Toto managed to keep us all at that point of exultation.
Toto is one of the tightest bands I’ve ever seen. I guess this is what happens when you’ve honed your craft as session musicians. If you’re even a casual guitar fan, you know Steve Lukather is one of the best in the business. I marvelled at his prowess. He shared his vocal duties with Joseph Williams, who backs up his incredible voice with oodles of charisma. These guys might be out front, but the rest of the band are no slouches.
Most members have industry resumes as long as your arm. Keyboardist Greg Phillinganes was Michael Jackson’s musical director and he’s toured with Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, the Bee Gees, and John Mayer. Warren Ham on sax, percussion, and flute played with Kansas, Donna Summer, and Ringo Starr. Drummer Shannon Forrest has played on albums by Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, Kenny Rogers, and Taylor Swift. Bassist John Pierce has played with Huey Lewis and the News since the mid ‘90s and recorded albums with Alice Cooper, Cher, and The Pointer Sisters. That’s just a snippet of the people they’ve worked with too. To say they’re good is an understatement.
The exception is Dennis Atlas, on synthesizer and vocals. His resume is less impressive, but he is the member of the band I recognised. Because Dennis auditioned with American Idol last year and got three nos. I remember his audition vividly. I howled at the TV, certain that Lionel Ritchie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan had made a mistake. Watching him every bit the equal of these musicians who’ve been in the business for decades warmed my heart. Remember the name Dennis Atlas; he’s a superstar in the making.
When talents like this come together? Oh boy. And separately in extended solos? Mind-blowing. When you have such incredible musicians in front of you who genuinely enjoy playing together, it doesn’t matter how many songs are familiar. You can just appreciate what they do.
Even casual fans like me got their sing-along moments with the final two numbers, “Hold the Line” and “Africa.” No encore, no bullshit, just giving the people what they want. I feel so lucky that fate intervened and put me at that show last night. It was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. If you missed them on this Australian tour, you missed out.
Tom Petty is one of my all-time favourite artists, so when I heard Kingswood had covered his 1994 hit “You Wreck Me,” I knew I had to get my ears around it. While I often appreciate people reinventing songs, I kind of love that Kingswood have stayed so true to the original. They’ve brought their own voice to it, but they also seem to understand that this one of those classics that doesn’t need to be messed with.
“It’s love, chaos, and obsession colliding at full speed,” the band said about this song. “The feeling of being completely wrecked by someone, it’s something we’ve all lived through. Surrendering to a force greater than you’re able to control. The reckless pursuit of something you can’t quite hold onto. When we play it, we’re tapping into that raw, untamed emotion—like going into a boxing ring.”
Kingswood always seem to be on the road, so it’s probably not surprising that this new release also comes with a tour announcement. And it’s a doozy. They’re playing in so many places that there’s bound to be a Midnight Mavericks show near you.
After delighting fans across the ditch with a summer tour, Kiwi band PARK RD are keeping the party going with some Australian shows. I must admit these guys weren’t on my radar, but after hitting them up on Spotify I’m an instant fan of their brand of indie rock.
You may have seen PARK RD supporting The Rions here last June, but this will be their first time headlining Aussie shows. They’re promising to treat music lovers to some new music and the tracks fans know and love from their debut album The Novel. Tickets are on sale now for PARK RD’s East Coast shows:
Fans are in for a serious treat as Alexander plays songs from this album and some old favourites at cozy venues in Eora/Sydney and Naarm/Melbourne. He’s also enlisted some choice support acts who will make sure this intimate run of shows is truly special. Tickets for all shows are on sale now.
After more than four decades touring the world, Cyndi Lauper’s made the decision to step away from the stage. Thankfully not before bidding fans around the world a fond farewell. It’s been 14 years since I saw this icon live. I resisted a few double bills and had a few clashes, so I was thrilled that the stars aligned for me to see her one last time.
The Veronicas didn’t just warm up the stage; they made it red hot. They delivered a smart set made up of their many bangers and some choice covers. “Edge of Seventeen” was an electric opening number that played perfectly to the crowd of ‘80s music fans. “Love is a Battlefield” and an incredible cover of “Simply the Best” also made their way into the set. These songs sat easily amongst the Veronicas originals. I’m not sure I realised how many chart toppers they’d released, but I knew and loved everything they performed. Some of those songs are heavily produced on the record, so it’s easy to forget just how good their voices are. Whether singing independently or harmonising in the way only siblings can, they sounded sublime. They also had such energy; I couldn’t look away. Note to self: make a point to see more Veronicas shows.
This was a very different Cyndi show than the last one I attended; I feel so blessed that I got to see both. Last time she was promoting her Memphis Blues album, and with a crack team of blues musicians around her focusing on that album felt right. The biggest hits came out near the end, giving fans an opportunity to sing along before the end of the night. This time around the hits came out early after a rainbow explosion of confetti. Talk about starting the night with a bang! I sang along heartily with tracks like “She Bop,” “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough,” and her iconic cover of Prince’s “When You Were Mine.” I marvelled at the sight of this ‘80s icon with her bold outfits and colourful wigs bopping around the stage.
This show wasn’t just about the hits and Cyndi’s bubbly persona though. Without a new album to promote, Cyndi could use her time playing songs that moved her in the moment. I was thrilled to hear many of the softer, more personal songs that didn’t make the set list last time like “Sally’s Pigeons” and “Who Let in the Rain.” One of my very favourite moments was watching Cyndi standing in place, without a trademark wig in place, wearing all black, delivering the most incredible version of Frankie Laine’s “I’m Gonna Be Strong.”
This show wasn’t just about the songs either. Cyndi told us several times she didn’t just want to sing at us. She shared stories freely, about her working-class upbringing, her career, and her beliefs. I hung on her every word. She’s such an incredible storyteller and I loved getting to know her heart a little more.
For the encore, Cyndi moved to a smaller stage in the centre of the floor. Watching the fans circling her, gazing on adoringly as she performed the powerful “Shine,” I thought this is probably as close as I come to church. It was that powerful. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Cyndi delivered “True Colours.” I’ve heard this song so many times, but I’ve never been as moved as I was last night watching Cyndi deliver it as she waved a beautiful rainbow scarf. It was such a powerful symbol of allyship delivered at a time when the political war against the LGBTQIA+ community is raging. I don’t mind admitting that I was moved to tears. As I wiped them away, Cyndi lifted us up one more time with her girl power anthem, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” She told us she wanted us to sing loudly and joyfully, and we all did. I experienced pure, unfettered happiness. How special is that?
It must be a difficult decision for artists to step away from the stage. Cut it too short and you miss that connection with fans that Cyndi clearly enjoys. But overstay your welcome and you might tarnish your legacy. It’s very rare that you see an artist time it as beautifully as Cyndi. While she wasn’t quite as energetic as the last time I saw her, she still had plenty in the tank and she gave me everything that mattered. Her vocals were incredible. Her artistic vision was still so fresh. And she still had a few moves up her sleeve. Saying goodbye is so bittersweet, but if we had to do it, I’m so glad we did it this way.
Cyndi has just a few shows left on the Australian leg of her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour. If you are on the fence, trust me, buy the tickets. You will not regret it.
Have you ever heard a new song that you swear you’ve heard before? I got that beautiful sense of déjà vu listening to Mel Parsons’ latest single, “Post High Slide.” It feels like a throwback to the glory days of folk music, which talented female singer-songwriters like Carole King and Joni Mitchell ruled the airwaves. On the back of its release, the Kiwi artist is heading to Australia for a string of shows this June.
“I used to get post tour blues pretty bad,” she said. “I’d come home and thump back down to earth after a sustained period of excitement and adventure. Touring is the daily adrenaline shot of performing live, then the contrast of coming back to the reality of domestic life and the never-ending admin of being an indie artist.”
If you’ve seen Mel play leading folk festivals like Woodford, Port Fairy, or Bluesfest, you know how good she is. Don’t miss this opportunity to see her headlining the following shows.
