I’m buzzing today with the news that Mayday Parade are celebrating 20 years in the business with an Aussie tour, and they’re bringing The Home Team and one of my favourite acts of all time – Jack’s Mannequin – along for the ride.
Just a couple of weeks ago I was cursing that Jack’s Mannequin were playing shows in Japan while I was cruising around the country, meaning I’d be stuck in the middle of ocean while they were entertaining the masses. Thankfully they’ve been considerate enough to schedule the Eora/Sydney show for the day after I return. Jetlag cannot get in the way of what promises to be a good time!
“Mayday Parade is so excited to return to Australia to headline in celebrating 20 years as a band and our current releases,” the band’s guitarist Alex Garcia said. “Throughout all this time some of our best shows have been in Australia and that’s because our fans there are so incredibly special. We can’t wait to celebrate this band with you guys!”
The Three Cheers for 20 Years tour travels to the major capitals this September. The early bird presale begins this Friday before the general sale on Tuesday February 25, so get on it!
Hailing from Washington, D.C., emo rock duo Origami Angel are making their way to Australia for the first time this April. I must admit, these guys weren’t on my radar, but after spending the afternoon with their music I understand why they’ve clocked up tens of millions of Spotify streams! They’re so good!
Emo rock doesn’t quite describe what they do. It’s definitely scene adjacent, but there’s also a little metalcore, electronic, and even jazz in their music. I appreciate that they do things differently and I have no doubt these shows will be amazing.
Origami Angel are currently headlining shows in Europe and the UK, so they should be in fine form when they arrive on our shores. If there’s any justice these guys will be much bigger when they visit Australia again so don’t miss your chance to see them in tiny local venues this April. Tickets are on sale now for the following shows:
After topping the Australian Album ARIA charts and nabbing a fourth place on the overall ARIA charts, Dear Seattle have announced they’re hitting the road to celebrate their latest album TOY. I’m still listening to this album regularly weeks after its release.
“We’ve been putting in the hard yards to ensure this tour is the absolute best you’ve ever seen [from] DS,” the band said. “We always put in everything, but this time we wanna push the boundaries of what we’ve done in the past and make this album tour the most memorable one yet. We can’t wait to see you there!”
I only wish the shows didn’t come during an already busy May, as I have a sneaky suspicion that these songs will sound ever better in a sweaty pub. They’re also bringing Cleveland punk rockers Heart Attack, Tarntanya/Adelaide pop-punk act TOWNS, and Naarm/Melbourne indie-rock act LUCKY along for the ride. If your schedule isn’t as hectic as mine, make sure you grab some tickets while you can!
Australia’s still basking in that Luke Combs’ tour glow, but many locals don’t realise our country talent is every bit as good as the American artists. Aussie singer-songwriter Brad Cox reminds me a lot of Luke with his authenticity and vulnerability. And he’s touring the Eastern states really soon.
If you’re sitting on the fence, take a listen to the Hot Lettuce Sessions recorded in Nipaluna/Hobart last year. When someone sounds this good on a live recording, you know they’re the real deal.
Brad Cox will play a few festivals before he kicks off his Coxy’s Regional Road Show. With the fabulous Piper Butcher warming up the crowds, country fans won’t want to miss these gigs.
After spending much of 2024 on the road here and abroad, Press Club are serving up more new music this year. They’ll independently release their fourth album, To All The Ones That I Love, on Friday May 2 featuring the songs from their new double A-side single, “Tightrope” and “Vacate.” These songs are everything I love about Press Club: killer rock music that perfectly backs up the force of nature that is frontwoman Natalie Foster.
She said “’Tightrope’ is about hitting that point where you’re done trying to fix things, becoming frustrated and numb taking on everybody else’s thoughts, worries and expectations. It’s that feeling of barely holding it together, like you’re walking a tightrope on the edge of a breakdown. Musically, it’s a bit of an ode to The Hives, written after meeting them at Hurricane festival in Germany.”
Meanwhile the band were inspired by classic acts like David Bowie, New Order, and Joy Division when writing “Vacate.” You can definitely hear their influence in those retro guitars.
As we inch closer to the release of his New Love album, Ziggy Alberts has dropped another romantic folk ditty for your listening pleasure. His new single “I’m With You” is another beautiful song that celebrates being with the right person.
“Love in its purest form, has a way of bringing us back to ourselves. This song is about embracing that with open arms,” Ziggy said. “Sometimes we are blinded by desire when some things are right in front of us. It’s a really, truly happy song; it’s not even sentimental; it’s simply happy-go-lucky, which I love.”
You can hear more from Ziggy when he releases New Love on February 21. He’ll hit the ground running playing some local shows from release day through to early April before heading to North America, Europe, and the UK. They’re all selling out left and right, so if you want to get along make sure you grab some tickets soon.
Canadian indie folk duo The East Pointers are heading to Australia on the back of their recently released single “Anniversary.” This beautiful song honours their late bandmate Koady Chaisson, who died suddenly in January 2022.
“When Jake [Charron, keys, guitar, and vocals] and I sat down to write, ‘Anniversary’ was the first song that came out—it was as if Koady was in the room with us, it flowed so fast,” said Koady’s cousin and East Pointers vocalist, fiddler, and guitar player Tim Chaisson. “We want this song to give anybody permission to give themselves a pat on the back, for any of the wins or positive changes in their life. A celebration you continue to honour, especially when times get tough.”
“‘Anniversary’ is a song about how making one positive decision can change the rest of your life,” Jake added. “11 years ago today (on his birthday) our late band member Koady made some major changes to his life to improve his mental health, one of which was becoming sober. This is a song to celebrate fresh starts, milestones, and the wins that we have along the way, big or small.”
The East Pointers will play some of the country’s leading folk festivals and headlining shows in the coming months. Tickets are on sale now for all the following shows.
Music lovers are in for a real treat when Andrew Blanch, Vladimir Gorbach, and Slava and Leonard Grigoryan take their Bach, Bossa and Beyond show to the major capitals next month. These guys are all exceptional individually, but when they join forces as the Australian Guitar Quartet magic happens. Check out this video for just a taste of what you’re in for.
The quartet promises to play music spanning almost 300 years in these not-to-be-missed shows. They’ll take you on a journey through genres including classical music, opera, Latin, and modern jazz, so there’s bound to be something for everyone. Tickets are on sale now for the following shows:
With Forgiving Spree, Slowly Slowly proves the old adage that quality is always better than quantity. Its nine tracks spanning will take you just a little over half an hour to listen to, but I guarantee you’ll be thinking about them long after the final note.
It’s no coincidence that Slowly Slowly released five singles from this album before its launch. It opens with the title track before moving on to “Gimme the Wrench” and “How Are You Mine?”, all so catchy and crowd-pleasing. You might expect a dip in energy as Slowly Slowly move on to those album tracks, but in all honesty, any song on this album might have served as a single. This is an album that sees Slowly Slowly leaning into their pop sensibilities, unafraid to take inspiration from more commercial influences like John Farnham and Bruce Springsteen. There are more love songs than gritty anthems here. Most songs encourage listeners to sing along, but with the closer “Born Free,” Slowly Slowly shows they have what it takes to silence you. It’s such an epic ballad, stripped back and vulnerable until its dramatic musical and emotional crescendo.
Forgiving Spree is Slowly Slowly’s fifth album and their most accomplished. It sees them taking well-educated musical risks that always land, yet still surprise listeners. They’re stretching themselves musically and proving that just maybe, they can do it all.
Forgiving Spree is out now. Slowly Slowly will celebrate their new release with shows in Europe, the United Kingdom, and here at home over the coming months. Get your tickets now because they’re bound to sell out.
Naarm/Melbourne rockers Among the Restless have really impressed me with their latest single “Running Away.” The band is a three-piece, but they’ve got such an epic sound that wouldn’t be out of place in any stadium. If you love acts like The 1975 and Nothing But Thieves, I know you’re going to crank the volume on this one.
“The lyrics are vulnerable and honest, recounting the emotions felt during parting ways with someone close to you, whilst regrettably feeling happy about the outcome,” Among the Restless explained. “Running Away has a sense of tragic hope that almost all of us have felt at some point in our lives.”
Among the Restless will close out the summer with shows all along the East Coast. Catch them at the following venues:
