John Cale remains very much in the present
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- By Bob Short
- Hits: 329
John Cale
City Recital Hall, Sydney
Thursday 10 July 2025
John Cale is 83 with a career as wide as it is long. Obscure nooks and crannies abound. You don't know what you're likely to get when you put your money down. If you have favourite songs, they're not guaranteed. Look, if "Waiting for my Man" ain't in the set, it will probably be the encore but that's the exception that proves the rule.
However, in a world of product, such uncertain content is rare and welcomed. Advertising for the show has certainly pointed to a career spanning retrospective performance and it kind of delivers but mostly doesn't. Cale's priority here is to promote his latest album, "Poptical Illusion". Given his age, it might very well be his last. (Though evidence suggests he's determined to keep busy.)
Punk survivor Kevin K keeps working in the shadows
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 523
Shadow Work 38 – Kevin K and The Bowery Kats (Vicious Kitten)
Simple songs rendered with heart: Lower East Side punk rock survivor Kevin K has adhered to that formula over four decades and “Shadow Work 38” doesn’t make any case for change.
If you’re not familiar with Kevin K, “Shadow Work 38” is a good place to start. Despite his longevity, he’s still a well-kept secret. The man’s understated YouTube bio sums him up:
Opened for Johnny Thunders , Dead Boys , Ramones . I have seen it all. Was part of the CBGB club from 1980- 2000. I have 30 CDs available and a book, ‘The Successful Loser’.
Race and Russo announce "100 Years" Australian dates
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 859
Hugo Race, founding member of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and The Wreckery, is bringing his recent European touring partner Michelangelo Russo home to Australia for select Victorian, New South Wales and Canberra dates.
The duo have a spectacular European run under their belts and will be supporting their well-received album, “100 Years” out now on Gusstaff/MGM.
Blending experimental blues, ambient soundscapes, and electronica, “100 Years” is a bold, immersive record born from a two-day live session at Soundpark Studios in Melbourne. Layered with echoing guitars, smoky vocals, and primal percussion, it’s been hailed as “a hauntingly raw and transcendent listen”.
Race is known for his signature haunting vocals and evocative guitar work, while Russo, a solo artist who was also a member of Race's The True Spirit, adds hypnotic layers of electric harp and psychedelic textures.
Their live performances are highly improvisational, emotionally resonant and each show is reputed to be a one-of-a-kind sonic experience that redefines the boundaries of blues. The shows are presented by Luna Live with tickets here.
Hugo Race and Michaelangelo Russo
100 Years Tour
JUL
31 – Camelot Lounge, Sydney
AUG
1 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra
2 – Qirkz in the Hunter, Abermain, NSW
3 – Franks Wild Years, Thirroul, NSW
8 – Tanswell’s, Beechworth, VIC
23 – Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne
SEP
12 – Odessa, Creswick, VIC
Tickets
Good day, (Mr) Sunshine
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 964
Mr Sunshine – The Autumn Hearts (self released)
It’s brash, bracing psychedelic pop from a Newcastle band that deserves to be known outside their hometown.
You won’t find a big digital footprint when you go looking for their backstory, but don’t let that stop you. The Autumn Hearts formed in 2016 and are seasoned players with songwriters Ed Peters (bass, guitar, vocals) and Dave Robson (guitar, vocals) at their core.
Members were in a Newcastle band The Longknives who were active in the 1980s, and The Autumn Hearts have a solitary eponymous 2018 EP in their back catalogue.
Let's Get Funky, shall we? The Beasts celebrate "Black Milk"
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1719
You can't keep them down: The Beasts are back for one special show in September, celebrating the memory of departed members and the 35th anniversary of celebrated Beasts of Bourbon album "Black Milk".
It's a one-off show at The Forum in Melbourne on Friday, September 12, with support from Cash Savage, The Johnnys and Ezra Lee, and tickets are on sale here at 0900 tomorrow.
The $64,000 quesiton has been answered. The drum stool that belonged to the recently departed James Baker will be inherited by Evan "Rock" Richards, stage roaide and an adept player in his own right whoi shadowed The Late Great Man on recent tours.
This Woy Woy line-up is Outtaspace
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1161
Prepare for a massive weekend in Woy Woy, the former New South Wales hometown of Spike Millgan.
Much-loved venue The Link and Pin Cafe and its in-house record label Outtspace, are hosting "The Outtspace Weekender" from September 5-7. And it's free to catch Warts, Antibodies, Cannanes, Wraylettes, The Sugar Beats, The Strike Outs, The Siiver Dragons, The Dunhill Blues, The Cannanes, Leftards, Love Me, The FNCs, Punktiious and Chris Walsh & The Gibberish Collective.
There will be more names to come but that's already a formidable slab of Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne, Central Coast and Far Northern NSW garage rock, surf and punk talent. Keep an eye on the label website or Link and Pin's Facebook.
You'll be Spitting Chips if you miss this
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 447
Craic is a cracking good read
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1492
Craic As It Happened
By John Foy
(Past Present Future/Skull Printworks)
Tis the season for confessional show-and-tell Australian music books. Journalist Stuart Coupe had a shot with the entertaining “Shake Some Action”, and then underground label head-turned- mainstream industry publishing chief, Roger Grierson, gave us the rollicking “Lowbrow”. Now it’s John Foy’s turn.
Foy spent many years as a behind-the-scenes operative in the febrile underbelly of the Australian underground music scene. He kicked off in retail, made a mark as a poster designer and then became the driving force behind the Redeye and Blackeye record labels.
Like his mate Roger Grierson, he’s never been a household name, but if you bought or heard a record by Beasts of Bourbon, The Clouds, Deniz Tek, The Crystal Set, The Cruel Sea, Kim Salmon and The Surrealists and even Radio Birdman in the mid ‘80s or early ‘90s, you entered his orbit. Redeye gave the bands wide distribution via a hook-up with the multi-national Polygram/Phonogram major label operation.
- The Blues had a baby
- Charlie Owen brings his Search to NSW and Canberra
- The sun still shines on The Breadmakers
- "Roads, Stars" makes a fitting addition to the Asteroid-B612 catalogue
- Nursery Crimes return to Adelaide after 35 years
- After 40 years, X's Steve Lucas wants to be At Home With You again, Sydney
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