If you remember that the principals of Evan’s Dilemma first played together in the early 1990’s, it’ll explain the band’s love for those great crunchy, processed guitar sounds first popularized by U2, Radiohead and the like. Of course, during one of the band’s longish breaks, drummer Kevin Heuer and guitarist Joel McCreight played in the…
Guitarist/vocalist Steve Gunn is a name that probably is still unknown by many but over the last ten years he has released several highly praised solo records and collaborated with artists like Mike Cooper, Kurt Vile, and Michael Chapman (whose most recent studio album he produced). The Unseen In Between is his sophomore release with…
With music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, book by Neil Simon and choreography from Bob Fosse, Sweet Charity is understandably one of the greatest of Broadway musicals. Yet, far from being a big, razzmatazz affair, it is essentially a simple and tender story, which makes it an ideal fit for Brisbane Powerhouse’s intimate…
Deerhunter saves the world! Wouldn’t that be nice? All the ragged dreams of a future in which guitar-driven rock music rules the airwaves rest on the shoulders of just a few daring artists. Bradford Cox and his gang are among them. They may have toned down the guitars a bit versus past recordings but unlike…
New Zealand four-piece The Beths channel their longtime friendship into high-energy guitar indie pop on their debut record, Future Me Hates Me. The Beths play all the right chords as they come at you with plenty of vocal harmonies and amped up guitars. Future Me Hates Me walks the perfect line with The Beth’s note…
She’s intelligent, outspoken and attractive. She also happens to be a songstress with a large and loyal following; and an immigrant with a fascinating history. Against the odds, she’s made it to the top, but still she never fails to court controversy. Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. paints a picture of the artist known as M.I.A.; who shook the…
The latest songbook musical to revisit Australia is Jersey Boys, featuring the hits of Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio and Nicky Massi, more commonly known as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (among other early pseudonyms). The show is a biopic-style story punctuated by chart-toppers that made these boys from Jersey household names –…
One of the best bits of news early in 2017, was that Midnight Oil had reformed, and was planning a global tour, including 13 dates in the U.S. Although Midnight Oil had made a strong impression on alternative music fans internationally in the early 80’s with albums like 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,…
The original Mary Poppins, which came out in 1964, was a near-perfect blend of fantasy and music. Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke tripped the light fantastic and showed us how a family film should be. Fifty-five years on the world is a vastly different place. Expectations have changed. Technology has morphed. Children expect sophistication….
In her version of a “getting dumped” song, Amanda Shires’s heroine realizes that she’s “rock ‘n’ roll, and you’re… golf.” She’s not going to be the one getting dumped in “Break Out the Champagne,” so she sings, “Let’s get on with the shit show/Here’s a toast… Adios!” Shires may have picked up the Emerging Artist…
