Gig Reviews
KARNIVOOL @ THE TIVOLI 24/11/09
It’s nine pm and the stage is set. Anticipation hangs heavy over the room as a sizable audience waits to be ravaged by Australia’s kings of riff-mania, Karnivool. As the cascading bass-line of “Simple Boy” fills the auditorium the crowd responds with frenzied howls of lust and joy. Click here to read more
THE SCARE @ THE SANDS TAVERN @ 18/11/09
With the laid back, surf rock band, Whitley playing in the larger front room, The Scare were able to secure the smaller and perhaps more intimate back room. The Scare quite predictably, had a younger, and to a small extent, trendier following than the generally older and slightly relaxed crowd that turned out for Whitley. Click here to read more.
MASC stage @ U Tribe 25/09/09 to 27/09/09
At the recent UTribe festival, the newly established Music Association of the Sunshine Coast (MASC) provided the venue for a parliament of especially home spun sound. Click here to read more.
Ratatat, Quan & Del Toro @ The Hi Fi 4/5/2009
My first venture into Brisbane’s newest venue was impressive to say the least. Aside from the disappointment of not being able to check out the upstairs level the rest of the facility is world-class. Click here to read more...
Zappa Plays Zappa @ The Tivoli 11/4/2009
Dweezil, son of notoriously quick-witted and cynical composer Francis Vincent Zappa, again brought his hardened troupe of music boffins to dazzle Australian crowds. Click here to read more...
Jason Mraz @ Brisbane Convention Centre 14/4/2009
The huge auditorium was packed with people sitting, slowly swaying about, and rows of people bopping enthusiastically along to the instantly infectious charm of Eric Hutchinson. Click here to read more...
Bluesfest @ Belongil Fields 9-13/4/2009
The word of the week at Bluesfest this year, the 20th anniversary of this globally renowned event, was ‘muddy’. Click here to read more...
The Fray @ The Tivoli 21/3/2009
For a band that disappeared from the music scene for quite a while, you would expect The Fray to draw just a small bunch to The Tivoli on a fine Saturday night. Click here to read more...
Crystal Castles, DZ @ The Met 6/2/2009
Unnatural is probably the most succinct way to describe the Met as a live venue, not helped by the apparent absence of a lighting operator. Click here to read more...
Juana Molina, McCisko @ The Powerhouse 29/1/2009
The Powerhouse in its theatre format is perfect for intimate shows, although at times the intimacy can be stifling, particularly for small shows. Click here to read more...
Laneway Festival 31/1/2009
A welcomingly mild day was the perfect welcome to Laneway’s new venue near the showgrounds – vindicating the choice to move the date right into summer festival season. Click here to read more...
Big Day Out 18/1/2009
Upon arrival at the Parkland gates, those wishing to park at the venue were informed, once past the point of no return, that there had been a parking price change. Click here to read more...
Fuck Buttons, Dead Meadow @ The Powerhouse 16/1/2009
Who would’ve thought that the punctuality of a venue and not the lack of it would prove to be a problem? Click here to read more...
Whitley, Lisa Mitchell @ The Zoo 10/1/2009
Glowing orbs of light stalked Washington as she faced the Zoo’s couple-y crowd. Click here to read more...
Falls Festival @ Marion Bay 29-31/12/2008
The Tasmanian leg of the Falls Festival has been blessed with beautiful summer weather ever since its birth in 2003. Click here to read more...
Falls Festival @ Lorne 29-31/12/2008
We had a sense of real excitement as we headed out from Melbourne for our first ever Lorne Falls Festival this year. Click here to read more...
Nevereverland @ Riverstage 20/12/2008
Twelve short months since Brisbane buzzed with anticipation for the first Daft Punk show to grace the city, Modular staged another knees up, this time to mark ten years of existence. Click here to read more...
The Bronx @ The Arena 14/12/2008
There’s a weird feeling that accompanies walking to a show with the sun still glaring down. Click here to read more...
MGMT @ The Tivoli 10/12/2008
It was that concert, the one that so many wanted tickets to but just missed out. Click here to read more...
Stereosonic 30/11/2008
With some bad-arse storms leading up to the first instalment of Stereosonic, no one expected the day to be as beautiful as it turned out. Click here to read more...
Bloc Party @ Riverstage 28/11/2008
Despite threatening storms the gods shone on the Riverstage, although the outlook was pretty bleak while Van She were onstage. Click here to read more...
Lior @ Brisbane Powerhouse 19/11/08
There wasn’t a spare seat at the Powerhouse as the soulful Georgia Potter wooed audiences with her captivating folk and reggae. Click here to read more...
The Birthday Massacre @ The Zoo 19/11/08
Storms, lighting, flash floods…. Mother Nature gave birth to The Birthday Massacre. Loyal fans sheltered from the rain in The Zoo for the Canadian band’s Australian debut. Click here to read more...
Psycroptic @ The Sands Tavern 1/11/2008
Ahoy me hearties! Your favourite swashbuckling reviewer Captain Feathersword is back. Click here to read more...
Jeff Martin & The Armada @ QUT Guild Bar 15/11/2008
The anticipation to get a taste of Jeff Martin’s latest heavy-rock assault was mounting as the eastern intro rang out of the speakers for Brisbane’s debut of The Armada. Click here to read more...
Steve Earle @ The Tivoli 10/11/2008
I’m used to reviewing punk and metal shows, so you can imagine my shock when I entered The Tivoli to see full seating in place for this show. Click here to read more...
Xavier Rudd @ The Tivoli 16/11/2008
The afternoon thunderstorm and continuing rain didn’t keep anyone from attending this Sunday night concert, with the almost sold-out Tivoli buzzing for Xavier Rudd’s second consecutive Brisbane show. Click here to read more...
The Haunted @ The Arena 8/11/2008
By all reasonable logic, The Haunted should be the sort of band that sells out The Arena every time they play. Click here to read more...
Lagwagon @ The Sands Tavern 16/11/2008
When part of your job description is reviewing live music, gigs can get a bit predictable after a while. Click here to read more...
Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube @ BEC 29/10/2008
What a line-up. Kicking off the night was Cleveland-based Bone Thugs-n-Harmony; the group that changed the way hip-hop sounded during the early nineties and formed a mass following along the way. Click here to read more...
Slipknot, Machine Head @ Riverstage 24/10/2008
As the harsh assault that is Machine Head blasted out of the speakers with surprising - although somewhat muddy – volume, it was clear that these metal pioneers were the true heavyweights of the evening. Click here to read more...
Caloundra Music Festival @ Kings Beach, Caloundra
Sun, surf and soul baby! That’s what was promised and that, plus a great deal more, was delivered on this weekend of superb music and family fun. Click here to read more...
Joan As Police Woman @ The Globe 11/10/2008
A surprisingly packed house awaited the eclectic bunch of New York luminaries that comprise Joan As Police Woman. Click here to read more...
Sounds of Spring @ RNA Showgrounds 11/10/2008
It looked like a dismal day ahead as the clouds covered the RNA showgrounds and settled in to stay. Click here to read more...
Meshuggah @ The Arena 12/10/2008
Brisbane had been waiting a long time for this. One of the largest and most excited crowds I have ever seen at The Arena. Click here to read more...
Down @ The Arena 10/10/2008
In 2001, Pantera and Corrosion of Conformity (with Jimmy Bower filling in on drums) played a smashing double bill at Festival Hall (RIP) that would go down as one of the most magical moments in Brisbane's metal history. Click here to read more...
Parklife 2008 4/10/2008
Well true to form, it was hot as shit for Parklife – but fittingly, the lineup was an absolute scorcher too. Click here to read more...
Ash Grunwald @ The Sands Tavern 27/9/2008
Despite being a Sunday night, a strong crowd turned out to hear a relaxed Ash Grunwald and Aussie roots pioneer Mick Hart do their stuff recently at Maroochydore’s Sands Tavern. Click here to read more...
Carcass @ The Arena 11/10/2008
I never thought I’d get the chance to see Carcass in a live setting after their breakup in the mid-‘90s. But lo and behold, a reunion happened, an Australian tour was booked. Click here to read more...
Conor Oberst @ The Tivoli 3/10/2008
There was a surprisingly large crowd when I Heart Hiroshima took the stage. But despite the fact that the floor was full of indie kids, the band proved to be a poor choice of support act. Click here to read more...
Mary Trembles, The Butcher Birds @ The Troubadour 19/9/08
As usual it was hard to gauge just how many punters had settled into the Troubadour for the support acts, but the walls appeared to be well stacked. Click here to read more...
The Matches, The Kidney Thieves @ The Coolie 18/9/08
Gold Coast screamo rockers Sleepers opened up to a virtually empty room, and while they had an extremely small crowd, they can now add a support slot for an international act to their ever-growing resume. Click here to read more...
Judas Priest @ BEC 10/9/08
Put it down to bad promotion, expensive tickets, or the late withdrawal of the mighty Cavalera Conspiracy – whatever the case, it was an awkward feeling walking into an eerily quiet BEC to see half the stadium curtained off. Click here to read more...
Opeth @ The Arena 7/9/08
Despite the change from an all ages to an 18+ event, the room was fairly packed by the time Opeth took to the stage to open with the heavyweight duo of ‘Heir Apparent’ and ‘Master’s Apprentices’. Click here to read more...
Thrice @ The Arena 3/9/08
When I arrived at The Arena a good half-hour after doors, I was surprised at how few people were inside awaiting the festivities. Click here to read more...
Birds of Tokyo, The Blackwater Fever @ The Sands 5/9/08
Dirty blues band The Blackwater Fever opened the night with moody instrumental ‘Night Creeper’ followed by the roaring riff and thumping drum combination of ‘Blackwater’. Click here to read more...
Disturbed, P.O.D @ BEC 2/9/2008
Having become stricken with the flu a week ago, it’s a surprise I was able to escape Death’s bony hand of doom incessantly hanging over my brow and see this show. Click here to read more...
The Herd @ The Sands Tavern 31/8/2008
The energy is always positive at a Herd show. The opening act was the Grassroots Street Orchestra. This large and diverse band punch out a unique blend of gypsy folk and hip-hop. Click here to read more...
Panic At The Disco, The Academy Is @ BEC 20/8/2008
One thing was certain right from The Academy Is’ first song: these guys certainly know how to sell records to 15-year-olds. Click here to read more...
Death Cab for Cutie @ The Tivoli 22/8/2008
My seeming inability to remember that The Tivoli starts its gigs earlier than any other venue in Brisbane had me clean miss the support An Horse. For God’s sake. Click here to read more...
Unwritten Law, Sprung Monkey @ Coolie Hotel 14/8/08
With six or seven years passing since their last visit to our shores, San Diego’s Sprung Monkey were perhaps a little unsure what to expect from the Gold Coast crowd. Click here to read more...
Gyroscope, Shihad & Sugar Army @ The Arena 12/8/08
Perth’s Sugar Army were first to take The Arena stage with their raw yet tight rock sound. The punters who turned up early were quite supportive of the entertaining set, which included the catchy single ‘Now You’re Old Enough I Think That You Should Know’. Click here to read more...
Loefah @ The Step Inn 2/8/2008
Outside of the realms of Brisbane's bigger club nights sits a sub-culture that leaves everything in its wake for dead: dubstep. Click here to read more...
Pnau @ The Tivoli 7/8/2008
I don’t mean to start off on a negative note, but the most disappointing part of the night was the Operator Please set. Click here to read more...
Splendour 2008 @ Belongil Fields, Byron Bay 2-3/8/2008
What Splendour 2008 lacked in the line-up department was more than made up for with perfect weather, better organisation and a more positive vibe. Click here to read more...
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