- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 368
Guitar Wolf
+ Meow Meow and The Smack Outs
+ L.A.R.M.
The Factory Floor, Marickvile, NSW
Saturday, March 21, 2026
What was that? Twelve hours later after being swept out of The Factory Floor like post-gig detritus, it’s still sinking in. A couple of their albums grace the I-94 Bar’s shelves but accidents of timing somehow determined that this was my first in-the flesh Guitar Wolf experience.
So what was it like? Speak up, I can’t hear you. And watch where you’re walking, that’s my dropped jaw you’re about to step on.
- Details
- By Shaun C. Duncan with interjections from Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 330
Boris in full flight (with Merzbow lurking far left).
"The Molly Fet Circuit Catches Boris at the Adelaide Festival"
Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide
Thursday, February 26, 2026
By Shaun C. Duncan
(with photos and intrusions by Robert Brokenmouth)
It must have been satisfying to curate an arts festival back in the bad old days when luvvies held the whip hand, when they could simply TELL the great unwashed what was good - and damn them if they didn’t agree.
Indeed, the fact that no-one showed up to see your revisionist production of “A Doll’s House”, performed by an all-female troupe of Inuit puppeteers was proof of its worth because we all know the plebs are ignorant slobs anyway.
Better yet, if the proles complained that you’re wasting taxpayers money, then you could dine out for weeks on your coveted status of being “controversial” because we all know the point of ART is to offend the sensibilities of those footing the bill for it.
[Brokenmouth interjects: my understanding was that in the earlier years of the Festival (and Fringe) the events were usually packed ... but, by the mid-80s there was definitely a "here come the Festival 'controversies'" ritual - controversies over things which wouldn't be controversial without 'The Agoniser' telling us they were controversial.]
[Shaun continues]:
I’m sure it was a good grift while it lasted, but the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 and the era of austerity changed all that: bums on seats became the order of the day and the festivals have been forced to cast their nets a little wider – not TOO wide, mind you – in search of people who will actually PAY for culture, and in this day and age there’s virtually one demographic left: middle-aged record snobs.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 295
The Tiger Lillies
Adelaide Festival
Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Promoting their current album “Serenade from the Sewer”, British punk trio The Tiger Lillies come to Adelaide courtesy of the Adelaide Festival. It's a delight to see such a high quality act play in such a lovely setting (the revamped Maj is wonderful in the theatre part, but boy, is the downstairs section kinda shit and unwelcome-y or what?).
There is a lot of guff written about The Tiger Lillies, and since this is my first time seeing them, I'm going to add to it.
But first, if you've not seen them before, go. You simply must see them.
If you have seen them before, go again. Also, buy a handful of tickets, give them to friends, relatives, strangers. And go again and again.
Because: they're extremely good at what they do, they're involving, moving, entertaining, and super-real. Context: this talented mad bastard, Martyn Jacques, has been doing The Tiger Lillies with several equally talented mad bastards, So think - are you ready?
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 2774
“Black Milk 35th Anniversary”
The Beasts
with guests Rob Younger, Hellen Rose, Richie Weed & John Schofield
+ The Johnnys
+ Richie Weed and The Strays
+ Unsound
The Factory Theatre, Marrickvile, NSW
Friday, December 12, 2025
Words & Pictures: THE BARMAN
When the definitive mainstream version of the history of Australian rock and roll finally is penned, the Beasts of Bourbon are unlikely to get their dues. History is written by the victors and its telling needs to be simplistic if it’s to have the desired effect of "moving units".
I once shopped a manuscript of a Radio Birdman member (no, not Chris) to a bunch of publishers to be told by one of the biggies that they saw no market for it because the band’s fans couldn’t read.
Despite dancing with a broad audience in the early ‘90s, the Beasts of Bourbon narrative is just too convoluted, edgy and unconventional to suit straight publishers. Not that this need be a deterrent to enlightened ones.
First responders with a serve of old time Oz punk? Fuck The Neighbours finds its feet in The MoshPit
- Details
- By Geoffrey Datson
- Hits: 1367
Fuck The Neighbours leader Simon Chainsaw.
Fuck The Neighbours
+ The Molly Fet Circuit
MoshPit Bar, St Peters, NSW
WORDS: Geoffrey Datson
IMAGES: The Barman
There was some confusion, so I’m arriving at the bright Saturday afternoon gig late.
Into the long dark venue.
It seemed there’d been some mishap?
A first responder with a head torch on is stumbling through debris, where the stage used to be.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 2484
Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes
The Gov, Adelaide
Friday, November 21, 2025
Words: ROBERT BROKENMOUTH
Pictures: MANDY TZARAS
It was one of those “where to begin “kind of gigs. Long story short, I've been in a rather horrible tunnel for the last three or so years. Looks like I'm slowly re-emerging, though; but I'm not the only one - and they've been in the shit far deeper and uglier.
Saw The Animals and Friends at The Gov on Wednesday night. Top show, vivid, crisp and filled with bittersweet pills, grim memories and the kind of songs which cry out for audience engagement. Which we got in spades. Norm Helm's jazz-flecked bass is a joy to watch, as is Barney Williams' piano and synth work. Danny Handley's vocals and sweet blues guitar drag me in every time. And, propping the lot up at the back, 84-year old John Steel, one of the original Animals. Just about everyone in the crowd had a smile on their face.
- Details
- By Ed Garland
- Hits: 8519
Belle Phoenix with Jeffery Wegener and Ken Gormly
+ Fabels
Thursday, 4 September 2025
Lazy Thinking, Dulwich Hill, NSW
WORDS: Ed Garland
PICTURES: Keith Claringbold
With her elfin appearance and cat’s eyes, Belle Phoenix, is part musical performer and part Factory girl, and surely would fitted into Andy Warhol’s Bohemian scene of 1966. Her sweet vocal has held her in good stead as a backing singer on other people’s albums, but she’s steadily built an impressive body of work with her own material.
Belle Phoenix’s music would work as a soundtracks to European movies (indeed, she did live in Europe for a time with Finland a home base.) It has hints of the spoken word spirit that pervaded the San Francisco of 1958 when alcohol-fuelled beat poetry nights were all the rage, long before anyone had an inkling of the Summer of Love that was lay ahead. Yet, Belle can also sing like the angels and produce pure soprano bliss amidst her swamp darkness.
- Details
- By John Ventoura
- Hits: 12004
Happy Hour at The Gin Palace.
The Gin Palace
+ Swaggerland
Factory Floor, Marrickville
Saturday 9 August 2025
On a wet and miserable Sydney winter night, a cosy Factory Floor welcomed around 50 punters to share an intimate musical experience. It was the long awaited gig to launch The Gin Palace’s online single “Petrichor” and album material from Bronwyn Eather’s latest project Swaggerland 24.
First up The Gin Palace: A super group of players, with a pedigree drawn from, among others, Crow, Glide, and Copperline, they are a six-piece band and welcomed us with a short set of songs from upcoming album, “The Year of the Dog”. As it turns out, it was a set that was almost too big for this little stage, as The Gin Palace powered through an effortless and positive set of numbers with their unique, euphoric sound.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 6187
The Hives
+ Clamm
Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Wednesday, 23 July 2025
In these austere times, a full Enmore Theatre midweek sounds as unlikely as an affordable round of drinks in a Justin Hemmes-owned pub, but there you go: If the joint is full to the gills by 8pm on a Wednesday, it must be a Hives show.
Dunno about you but I’ve been following The Hives since they formed in Sweden in that eruption of Scandi Rock at the start of the ‘90s. The six albums are all top-shelf fun but the live experience had somehow evaded me. So, it’s off to the Enmore on a school night that I must go.
The urgings from people like The Celebrity Roadie not to miss this were still echoing in my tinnitus-scarred ears as I sipped my first beer. The Barmaid had even feigned interest by asking if the band would sing in English (not that she was going) but, really? It’s a self-evident truth that The Hives speak fluent Rock and Roll. Their dialect is universal.
- A night with a legend and an emergent star
- John Cale remains very much in the present
- Going over the top with Australia's last Real Rock and Roll band
- The Johnnys and friends make the rock and roll road trip worth it
- After 50 years, it's the way he makes us feel
- The Lemonheads weave a satisfying, sometimes sloppy spell over Sydney
Send us stuff to review
PO Box 334
Oatley NSW
2223 Australia
Get in touch: barman@i94bar.com
The Living Eye
Budd
"Ovit" 30th Anniversary Shows
+ Falconwulf
MoshPit, St Peters NSW
- Mar 26
+ Astrodeath
La La La's, Wollongong
- Mar 27
+ The Warts
Link & Pin, Woy Woy
- Mar 28
I-94 Bar presents
Sacred Cowboys
"In The Manifesto" Album Launches
+ ZZG
Smiths Alternative, Canberra, ACT
- Apr 17
Tickets
+ Belle Phoenix
+ Peter Ross & The Sapphire
Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
- Apr 18
Tickets
I-94 Bar presents
The Girlies
+ Dr Bombay
+ The Spivs
PFR Lounge, Brisbane
- Apr 24
Tickets
I-94 Bar presents
Fuck The Neighbours
+ Jupiter 5
+ Kung Fu Grip
MoshPit Bar, St Peters, NSW
- Apr 25 (2.30pm)
Tickets
On The Loose Presents
Guitar Wolf Australian Tour
MAR
25 - Bendigo, Trash Cult
w/ supports TBC
26 - Castlemaine, Bridge Hotel
w/ The Freedom Wave
27 - Melbourne, The Tote
w/ Alien Nosejob & Cujo
28 - Frankston, Singing Bird
w/ Split System & DJ Centipede & The Worms
29 - Balnarring, Social Club
w/ Cry Cyclops
Tickets
“Surreal Science”
Music of the Scientists
&
Kim Salmon
and The Surrealists
APR
10 – The Corner, Melbourne
Tickets
11 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Tickets
18 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA
Tickets
FEAR
Australian tour
JUNE
26 - Marrickville Bowlo - Sydney
27 - Thrashville Festival - Hunter Valley
28 - La La Las - Wollongong
JULY
3 - The Tote - Melbourne
4 - Vinnies Dive Bar - Gold Coast
5 - The Brightside - Brisbane
Tickets
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03 March 2026
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Harem Scarem founder Charlie Marshall (and Louie's) Family Affair
01 March 2026
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They're still Not Like Everybody Else
28 February 2026