ed kuepper

1- Ed Kuepper at the National, world class all the way.

2- Handgrenade Hearts at the Town Hall Hotel. Punk/powerpop teenagers, and my new favourite band.

3- Munster Zine, approaching issue 40, keep it up young man.

4- The Victims + Chimers at the Brunswick Ballroom, Chimers BOG, great to see the legendary James Baker on the tubs one last time.

5- Civic “Brute Force”, hints of Birdman and Eddy Current Suppression Ring.

6- Those Pretty Wrongs + Alexander Harvey at the Brunswick Ballroom, heartfelt, sublime, AH I need to revisit.

7- The Prize “Wrong Side Of Town”,  If Amyl and The Sniffers had a song this good they’d be as big as Blondie, if……..

8- Civic live at 3RRR.

9- The Fiction at the Northcote Social Club supporting Chris Masuak and Dog Soldier. Best I’ve seen them play.

10- Ballarat Gallery: Walker, Luke, Counihan, more; love the revamp, can’t wait to return over the summer.

I thought this was quiet year but, looking back at It, there were many more than 10 gems that stand out for me. So it’s a round-up - with only a slight concession to numbers.

I do see myself as a hermit compared to most people who go to gigs every week and constantly buy albums. But 2025 was a bustling and explosive year for me with some real highlights.  

“South by South West” in Sydney was chaotic, a lottery dip and well worth a look for some superb bands. From Chinese metal art house to the best indie pop this side of Half a Cow Records, I recommend checking it out next year.

For personal musical highlights,  I was honoured to be part of Ernie Oppenheimer’s post- punk album, “The Institutionalist”.  Playing a gig at Geoff Datson’s hootenanny with someone I believe in one is one of the best blues-swamp guitar players, Bones of The Deadly Hume, was a hoot. There will eventually be a YouTube clip.  

Finally, there was a little doco that I was involved with about the photography of Bryan Cook. There will a book out early next year, “Spirits of the Hopetoun” will feature his photos with some magnificent research and interviews by Dr Greg Ferris and Dr Liz Giuffre.