Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sunset Avenue Bring Back Summer Sounds With “Do You Feel The Same?”

The days might be getting colder, but it’s always a good time for a little surf rock from Sunset Avenue. Their sophomore single “Do You Feel The Same?” is a fitting follow-up to 2023’s “Change It Up”, a feel-good, high-energy number that brings all the positive vibes with its lyrics about falling in love and enjoying a few bevvies.

“We wrote this song as we thought it’ll relate to many people of all ages and genders as we do or have all once felt love in our lives, right?” explained the band’s lead guitarist Conor Phelan. “Sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes you’re unsure hoping the person feels the same about you as you do them.”

Sunset Avenue will play a big headlining show at the Caringbah Hotel in Dharawal Country/Caringbah on April 5. If you’re not down that way, don’t sweat it. I hear they’re looking forward to playing plenty of shows in the near future. Give them a follow on Instagram to learn all about those dates as soon as they drop.

Image used with permission from Sunset Avenue

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kaiyah Mercedes Comes of Age With “If We Never Speak Again”

Teen wunderkind Kaiyah Mercedes is back with a gorgeous new single “If We Never Speak Again.” Now 17, Kaiyah shows she’s going from strength to strength since releasing her first album last year.

“‘If We Never Speak Again’ was written as a voicemail to express all my unsaid feelings about another person,” she explained. “I wrote the lyrics about my experiences but couldn’t think of anything for the bridge except a voicemail. This evolved into the chaotic soundscape you hear in the track’s bridge today and symbolises that feeling of helplessness and not knowing if that person will respond or even hear the message at all.”

Kaiyah says that the queer community has “Been a huge part of my self-discovery and as an LGBTQIA+ artist, my songwriting is a pure expression of the growth and confidence in myself to be who I truly am. Although I write sad songs, my aim is to connect with others through my deep and emotional lyrics, with an intent to support others through life’s struggles. I often write about grief, mental health, heartbreak and longing, all very relatable experiences.”

You can see Kaiyah making music at Bonbeach Farmers Market at Bonbeach Primary School, Bunurong Country/Bonbeach, on April 14.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Shotgun Mistress Release Killer New Single, “Shot Down”

Shotgun Mistress may well be the last of a dying breed, a bunch of (mostly) long-haired rockers with big chords, big sing-along choruses, and big attitude. Their latest single “Shot Down” is a total throwback, but I for one thing this kind of music needs resurrecting.

Shotgun Mistress are red hot right now. They just played Glam Fest alongside absolute rock legends like Slaughter and Vixen frontwoman Janet Gardner and even appeared on The Project. Up next they’ll support Dirty Honey, Audio Reign, and The Poor, headline Wrestlerock, and release their album Kings of the Revolution on June 2. They’ll also head to Japan for a 10-date tour. Don’t worry local fans, they’ll be back before you know it to headline gigs all around the country. Until then, here are all the shows they’ve got locked in:

4 April 2024 – Stay Gold, Naarm/Melbourne (supporting Dirty Honey)
20 April 2024 – The Woodshed, Tarntanya/Royal Park (supporting Audio Reign)
24 April 2024 – Curtain Hotel, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country/Carlton (supporting The Poor)
27 April 2024 – Wrestlerock @ Corner Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from Australian Radio Promotion

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

ioakim Drops Latest Indie Pop Smash, “alltimefan”

Born from a one-minute voice note, ioakim’s latest single “alltimefan” is a total bop. I love its upbeat poppy feel and relatable lyrics about infatuation and that natural human tendency to project onto people that turn our heads.

“‘alltimefan’ was the first song I made in LA with Jackson Phillips (Day Wave) in 2022. It is about drawing up a preconceived idea of someone before you have met them,” ioakim explained. “There’s a lot you can know about someone before you meet them in real life so you have a pretty good idea if you’re going to get along. This song ended becoming reality a month or so later. Life is weird”.

When it results in music this good, I’m all for the weird! Something tells me we’ll be hearing a lot more from ioakim in the future.

Photo credit: ASHLIM

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Electric Fields Strong Eurovision Chance With “One Milkali (One Blood)”

I’ve held off for as long as I could. As a Eurovision tragic, I always try to wait for the competition to hear the songs. I want them all to be fresh for me. But I caved. I couldn’t help but listen to “One Milkali (One Blood)”, our entry this year from the one and only Electric Fields. I am properly on board. It’s a disco dance banger, but it’s also got a powerful message about connection with the world around us. And how exciting to hear a didge and some native language in our entry! Talk about representation.

“We are buzzed with euphoria at our chance to share this music with the world,” the duo said. “Our music comes from the deepest place in both of us and Eurovision is the most exciting opportunity to bring together our cultures and share the joy of our global connection.”

Make sure you don’t miss Electric Fields doing our country proud when SBS airs the Eurovision Song Contest from May 8 to 12.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Angus & Julia Stone Release Beautiful New Single, “Cape Forestier”

As they prepare to release their sixth album, Angus & Julia Stone might just be making some of the best music of their careers. Their music has always been chilled, but sometimes it veered too close to sleepy territory for my taste. With their new music, they’ve definitely got the balance right. Their latest single “Cape Forestier” comes hot on the heels of “The Wedding Song,” and it’s every bit as good.

“‘Cape Forestier’ is about a boat on a journey. I suppose it speaks to the journey we’re all on in our lives—the comings and goings of love, loss, pain, and moving towards new horizons,” they explained. “We spent a lot of our childhood on and in the water. Elements of nature are lyrically and mythically important in our writing. The ebb and flow of tides, the changing cycles—nature so often helps us to understand our inner world. This is a very personal song to us, so we’ve chosen to share some unseen footage in the music video from the start of our time together making music in the living room at home to where we are now.”

“Cape Forestier” is the title track of Angus & Julia Stone’s new album, which drops on May 10. Remember they’re also playing intimate shows around the world to support its release, so if you haven’t already got your tickets, what are you waiting for?

23 May 2024 – Cite des Congres, Nantes
26 May 2024 – Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin
27 May 2024 – Beacon, Bristol
28 May 2024 – Royal Albert Hall, London
31 May 2024 – Spardawelt Freilichtbuhne, Stuttgart
1 June 2024 – Laeiszhalle, Hamburg
3 June 2024 – Cirque Royal, Brussels (SOLD OUT)
4 June 2024 – Cirque Royal, Brussels
6 June 2024 – Le CEPAC Silo, Marseille
9 June 2024 – Admiralspalast, Berlin (SOLD OUT)
10 June 2024 – Admiralspalast, Berlin
11 June 2024 – Carre, Amsterdam (SOLD OUT)
12 June 2024 – Carre, Amsterdam
14 June 2024 – L’Olympia, Paris (SOLD OUT)
15 June 2024 – Grand Rex, Paris
21 June 2024 – Place des Arts – Theatre Maisonneuve, Montreal
22 June 2024 – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
23 June 2024 – The Town Hall, New York
26 June 2024 – The Centre, Vancouver
27 June 2024 – Fox Theatre, Oakland
29 June 2024 – Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles
3 August 2024 – Kiri Te Kanawa, Auckland
6 August 2024 – QPAC, Meeanjin/Brisbane
8 August 2024 – State Theatre, Eora/Sydney
9 August 2024 – State Theatre, Eora/Sydney (SOLD OUT)
15 August 2024 – Palais Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Makin’ Me Wild” – The Bad Dad Orchestra

I’m pretty late to The Bad Dad Orchestra party. They’ve been dropping EPs since 2016, but they’d slipped underneath my radar until late last year when they released the fabulous single “Birds of Prey.” “Makin’ Me Wild” came next, and my enthusiasm for the band was in full force. With expectations sky high, I pressed play on their long-awaited debut album, also called Makin’ Me Wild. So often when a band’s set the bar so high with stellar singles, an album falls a little short. Not here. It’s every bit as good as I hoped for.

I shouldn’t have worried though. These guys have been honing their craft for years. They know each other and what they can do together, and they do it so well. Every song sounds like a classic from the first listen. Soul oozes out of every note. Frontman Jimi Steele has one of the best voices I’ve ever heard. Period. The horns section is so tight and punchy. They make me wonder why more bands don’t use one. Every member of the orchestra plays a vital part though. Together they are magic.

A lot of this EP is party music. I found myself grooving in my chair to new favourites like “Soul Survivor” and “Trauma”. Just see if you can resist clapping along to “Callin’ Me Now”. Bad Dad Orchestra excels at this kind of music, but they’re equally capable of slowing things down and delivering heartfelt ballads like the gospel-inspired “Rockin’ My Heart” and the moving closer “Sapphire Sky.” Honestly, it’s all so brilliant.

If there was any doubt, Makin’ Me Wild cements The Bad Dad Orchestra’s reputation as one of the best bands in Australia. This album is brilliant, but something tells me these guys take the energy up a notch when they’re in front of a crowd. Find out for yourself when Bad Dad Orchestra visits your hometown on their album launch tour.

22 March 2024 – Valentino Safe Co, Woiwurrung Country/Lilydale (SOLD OUT)
5 April 2024 – Stay Gold, Naarm/Melbourne
6 April 2024 – Little Lucy’s, Koorakoorakup/Sunbury
19 April 2024 – Stag & Hunter, Mulubinba/Newcastle
20 April 2024 – The Vanguard, Eora/Sydney
3 May 2024 – Republic Bar, Nipaluna/Hobart
4 May 2024 – Paragon Theatre, Timkarik/Queenstown
10 May 2024 – The Royal Oak Hotel, Kanamaluka Country/Launceston
16-19 May 2024 – Blues on Broadbeach, Yugambeh Country/Broadbeach (FREE)
17 May 2024 – The Zoo, Meeanjin/Brisbane (supporting Cheap Fakes)
1 June 2024 – The Pier/Island State Brewing, Mumirimina Country/Ulverstone
24 and 25 August 2024 – Gympie Muster, Kabi Kabi Country/Gympie

Images used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Arabella and the Heist Rock Hard With “1769”

Hit that volume button and give yourself over to the frenetic energy of “1769”, the bold new single from Naarm/Melbourne punk outfit Arabella and the Heist. If there was any doubt, this band proves that acts with femme energy can do punk just as well as the boys, if not better.

“We wanted to write a track that felt like a night out in Melbourne, and we wanted to build that energy and tension,” frontwoman Arabella explained.

They’re bringing those vibes to Eora/Sydney next week for a free show at the Duke of Enmore on March 28. You won’t receive a better offer on a Thursday night!

Photo credit: Marcus Coblyn

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Petersham Bowling Club Announces Sham Fest to Raise Funds for Accessibility Upgrade

I’m a big believer in any measures that help more people enjoy live music. So I’m thrilled to see Petersham Bowling Club announce accessibility upgrade plans for the near future. They’ll form the largest and most important upgrades the venue’s seen in 1972. Of course that doesn’t come cheaply, so the not-for-profit venue will start rattling the tins to make it happen.

The club’s fundraising drive kicks off with Sham Fest, an accessible two-day music festival on April 6 and 7. Local acts including Crocodylus, Good Pash, The Crooked Fiddle Band, and The Morrisons will keep the crowds entertained. There’ll also be line dancing, sea shanty singalongs, lawn bowls, and finska games. In line with PBC’s commitment to accessibility, there’ll be Auslan interpretation for the main acts on both days. It’s free to attend, but make sure you dig deep to support those accessibility upgrades.

PBC is a club with a difference. There are no pokies and it’s run with a focus on sustainability and community. It’s thrived against the odds, and continues to be one of the most important live music venues in Sydney. If you’re local, make sure you attend Sham Fest to show your support. And if you’re not, you can still support the club’s fundraising efforts by clicking this link.

Photo credit: Yeah Rad

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“from my bedroom floor” – Kate Gill

The very best music makes you feel something. As the artist shares their stories and bears their soul, it triggers your memories and brings your emotions to the surface. Mine are sitting raw now as I spend time with Kate Gill’s EP from my bedroom floor.

The five songs on this EP feel like diary pages sharing secrets with the listener. They’re confessional, vulnerable, powerful. The title track opens the EP, drawing us in with its simple melody and Kate’s incredible lyrics about figuring her life out as she transitions to adulthood. It’s bittersweet, beautiful, and so relatable. From this introspective number, Kate takes us on a journey through key relationships. They’re messy, as relationships can often be in our early years. “toothbrush” introduces us to the one she can’t get over, “september” tells us about the one marred by infidelity. “friends” reminds us that platonic relationships can be every bit as complicated. The final song, fittingly called “the end,” actually gives us hope of a new beginning. A relationship that might be good, if only Kate can get out of her own head and stop comparing herself to the new partner’s ex. Full of self-doubt and self-loathing, it draws this EP to a powerful close.

With her debut EP from my bedroom floor, Kate Gill shows she’s more than ready to make the leap from TikTok phenom to mainstream success. These songs are some of the best I’ve heard. They encourage you to sit on that bedroom floor with Kate, empathise with her stories, and recognise parts of yourself in them. It’s only March, but I expect this will be one of my favourite releases of the year.

Main photo credit: Gabi Rankine