Lady Gaga and Brad Cooper mesmerise in A Star is Born. Their tour de force performances bring a decidedly 21st century take to the highs and lows of fame. The picture is based on screenplays for the 1954 film of the same name featuring Judy Garland and James Mason and the 1976 version starring Barbra…
Melbourne’s answer to authentic Tennessee-style Americana, Georgia State Line have been building steam since the release of their debut EP Heaven Knows in July last year. The 2018 Out On The Weekend Festival added the alt-country act to its line-up. The band has just revealed their latest single “Dry My Tears” and have announced a…
“I had the greatest time!” said one young patron after seeing Age of Stephen. Hear, hear. What an entertainer. What a sense of comic timing. What a romp – a jam-packed, fun-filled hour of entertainment with big audience appeal as Stephen Valeri’s soaring vocals channel John Farnham. A large easel sits on the stage before…
Take 21 of Tom Lehrer’s most irreverent songs and put them into a one-hour revue and you have the makings of a delightful evening with Tomfoolery at Gasworks in Albert Park, part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. An American singer-songwriter and satirist, Lehrer’s turn of phrase is spectacular; his satire twisted. Cameron Mackintosh and Robin…
From the earliest days of rock & roll, there’s been a special place for power trios, like Cream, Rush, Nirvana, Husker Du, The Jam, King’s X, The Police, and plenty more. These are bands that relied on the essential less is more formula, often just guitar, bass & drums, and one or more sang, they…
Cinema and music have always had a symbiotic relationship. A soundtrack is often a highlight of a feature film, while musicians use visual media to promote their product and in their live shows. It’s hardly surprising then that filmmakers would be drawn to music as a subject. And while, say, Almost Famous examined music stardom;…
Brisbane Festival’s 2018 program brims with big-name acts, more world premieres than ever, and a new light-and-laser show on the river that will see Brisbane illuminated for 22 days of celebration. There will be almost 600 performances – 100 of them free – of close to 70 shows across 17 venues. More than 1,000 artists…
I think in today’s vast music scene, cover records are merely blown off as a novelty or simply overlooked. Even for established artists, a cover record is typically assumed to just be a money grab. Hopefully, this electrifying Johnny Cash cover record from soul singer Brian Owens will change that mindset for this go around….
With nine consecutive number 1 albums to his credit, Jimmy Barnes is one of Australia’s most popular recording artists. But there’s more to Barnes than merely being the front man of Cold Chisel, one of the country’s best rock bands, or a successful solo artist. Much of it may surprise even his fans. This painfully…
Damien Jurado has released 17 albums in 21 years – the man is prolific. With such a body of work to look back to, there are common sounds and themes that you notice throughout his work. That being said, it is impressive how the Seattle singer-songwriter goes in new directions with seeming effortlessness. His newest…
