Category Archives: News

Live Review: Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam

Marvel Stadium

 

In the mid- 90s there was a revolution in music, that saw the rise of grunge music and the sudden catapult into stardom for bands such as Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana and Soundgarden.

Probably one of the most influential bands of the era was undisputedly Pearl Jam, led by the charismatic Eddie Vedder.

Thirty plus years later and most of the grunge icons have disappeared either lost to drug addiction or faded into obscurity.

But the Kings of grunge remain and Eddie Vedder is back in Australia after a hiatus of several years.

Opening with ‘ Why Go’ Eddie and the band burst out onto the stage and its full tilt from the get go.

We see things slow down momentarily for ‘ Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town’ but then we are right back into the thick of things with ‘ Given To Fly’ which flashes aerial footage of iconic Victorian landscapes, such as Bells Beach and the Twelve Apostles on the screen behind the band.

The show is non- stop, and occasionally Eddie pauses to talk about the unbearable heat, or to bask in the atmosphere. He zooms in on a crowd member whose mother has brought her daughter to her first ever show. There is moment of pride for Eddie as the realisation that he has created a legacy that will be passed onto future generations sinks in.

The set list is an incredible walk through of the bands greatest hits, and each song more incredible than the last as the audience sing along to ‘ Dark Matter’ ‘ Garden’ and ‘ Even Flow’. A few phone lights go on for ‘ Better Man’ and Eddie pauses momentarily to tell the audience ‘ If we’re going to light this place up, let’s do it fucking properly and everyone get your torches on’ – lighting up the entire arena and turning into a sing- along.

Changing the set list to add in ‘ State of Love and Trust’ the lead single from the cult classic James Cameron movie ‘ Singles’ the crowd is relishing in every moment.

Music has the power to unite people, and tonight on stage Eddie Vedder is God, the audience his Church. He preaches his music to a legion of fans, that drink in every moment.

Closing out the set with the house lights on for ‘ Alive’, ‘ Rockin’ in the Free World’ and ‘ Yellow Leadbetter’, Pearl Jam have given an exceptional performance. Proving that sometimes you can take away all the props, fireworks, gimmicks and other tricks and just come out and play a really fucking good rock show.

Words by Amanda Lee Starkey

Live Review: Take That

Take That

Rod Laver Arena

Take That last graced Australian shores in 2017 for the ‘ Wonderland’ tour, their first shows in Australia in 22 years. Thankfully fans haven’t had to wait that long to see their favourite 90s Brit Pop sensations.

The gorgeous Sophie Ellis Bextor is all smiles as she warms up the crowd. Dressed in a lime green sequin dress, she high kicks her way through a number of hits, including ‘ Music Gets The Best Of Me’ and ‘ If this Ain’t Love ( Why does its feel so good). Throwing in a cover of Madonna’s ‘ Like a Prayer’ is a smart choice with the song having a recent resurgence thanks to the Deadpool & Wolverine movie.

Sophie is a delightful performer, she engages with the crowd, she is charming and charismatic and just a delight to watch.

Take That arrive on stage all smiles, opening the set with ‘ Greatest Day’ looking fantastic in matching black suits. The seating section of the GA area is on their feet in no time, dancing along.

The threesome perform perfectly together and the show is one big sing-a-long.  Hands raised to the sky, everyone is having the time of their lives.

Moving through the hits – ‘ A Million Love Songs’ and ‘ I Found Heaven’, they give the crowd a bit of a background on their success through the years and how they went from humble beginnings playing pubs all over the UK to breaking the charts with the smash singles ‘ Pray’.

Busting out the dance moves for ‘ Pray’ we are reminded of why the world fell in love with the lads from Manchester.

Changing outfits for the second half of the show, the hits keep coming with ‘ Relight My Fire’  ‘ These Days’ and ‘ Hold Up a Light’ .

As the evening comes to a close, the show has been a lot of fun, little nostalgia and a heck of a lot of dancing. Take That have always put on a great show and tonight’s performance was exceptional.

 

Words by Amanda Lee Starkey

Live Review: TISM

TISM

Sidney Myer Music Bowl

with The Mavis’s

Ben Lee

Eskimo Joe

Machine Gun Fellatio

 

Walking into the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, feels like being transported back to late 90s Homebake with the line up for this evening’s show.

First up on the agenda are 90s sensation The Mavis’s. The popular duo gives crowds a nostalgic feel as they power through their hits.  Performing favourites  “ Box” to open the set, they power through with tracks “ Moon Drone Gold” and “Thunder” before finishing with “Naughty Boy”. It’s over too quickly, but it certainly is a lot of fun.

Next up is Ben Lee, opening with “ Cigarettes Will Kill You”, Ben reflects on why he wasn’t on festival billings more, putting it down to the fact that his music just isn’t the type that people do drugs to. While he dons a TISM- style ski mask he gives the crowd a beautiful guitar riff for anyone that is interested in drug taking. Looking around though, most people are probably just glad that the weather is perfect and we’re all here seeing some amazing music.  Ending on a high note with crowd favourite “ Catch my Disease”, Ben Lee doesn’t disappoint.

Following Ben is Eskimo Joe. A very serious and sombre Kav Temperly leads the band through the set list, not stopping to engage the crowd. There is a feeling that the band just wants to get things over with. Guitarist Joel Quartermain at least seems to be having a good time.

Before the arrival of Machine Gun Fellatio, a warning flashes up on the big screen- warning the crowd that nudity, sexual references, strong course language and drug references are part of the show. A second disclaimer reads: You’ve Been Warned, It’s Machine Gun Kelly For Fuck’s Sake. What ensues is a hectic set of what can only be described as a circus. Swearing, dildos, nudity- it’s all there, and it’s all good fun.

Unfortunately it’s over too quickly, and the audience can only hope that Machine Gun Fellatio will return to stages to shock and enthral us once more.

Finally it’s time for the main act. This Is Serious Mum.  As the crowd ceremoniously BOO the band on stage ( a joke that the antsy security team doesn’t seem to be in on) TISM waste no time turning things into a shambles.  Band members running around on stage, body slamming each other, singers barely surviving as they throw themselves into the crowd. It’s bonkers, it’s high energy and it’s fun. TISM are a bunch of absolute nutters and the crowd absolutely love it. This is what people came for, and TISM sure knows how to deliver.

To be able to throw together a show like this and entertain a crowd for a solid five or so hours is no mean feat. We have been transported back in time, taken on a nostalgic journey and had a fucking good time doing so.  It’s been a night of raucous good fun, and as the crowd returns to the street, smiles are wide as we all have witnessed something incredible.

Words by Amanda Lee Starkey

 

Live Review: Haiku Hands, The Tivoli

Haiku Hands

The Tivoli, Brisbane

14/11/2024

 

If you look up the definition of the word charisma, you’ll find a picture of Haiku Hands rocking out on stage underneath it.

Haiku Hands are an Australian music and dance collective known for their high-energy, genre-blending sound and unique, playful visuals. They joined San Cisco and Touch Sensitive at The Tivoli in Brisbane on Thursday for a night of pop, dance fun. Their valiant style and genre-crossing sound is both incredibly brave and amazingly fun. A high-energy experience and spectacle of wicked dance routine and fierce fashion.

Walking on to the stage with pearl headdresses, they commanded the crowd’s attention from the start of their set. The synchronized trio moved to the beat amplified by their fierce dance moves and bold expressions. Known for their mix of electro hip-hop, catchy beats and clever lyrics, their music and stage presence are the perfect combination for an entertaining show.

After supporting San Cisco and The Presets on a run of dates around Australia, Haiku Hands are going to headline their own shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. I can’t recommend getting to one of these upcoming gigs – they won’t disappoint.

           

THE AUDREYS RELEASE FIRST NEW MUSIC IN 10 YEARS UNVEILING THE PENSIVE COUNTRY GEM SECONDHAND BOOTS

Renowned for their glimmering pastiche of alternative country and beyond, today ARIA Award-winning act The Audreys return with a stunning slice of brooding country, releasing new single Secondhand Boots; the first new music from The Audreys in 10 years, alongside their 20th anniversary as a band in 2024.

 

Based around a real-life experience for vocalist Taasha Coates, Secondhand Boots lulls you with gentle yet driving rhythms, glistening instrumentals and the hauntingly intimate vocal stylings of Coates herself. A heart-rending and melancholic country delight, Secondhand Boots also arrives as The Audreys’ first new music in a decade, with the end result launching a sublime new era for the group, laden with tangible narratives. On our last tour we did a cover of Lonely Girls by Lucinda Williams,” shares Coates, “and we love the way the track locks into a gentle but driving two-feel and sticks to it throughout the whole song. Our drummer Beej would stand at the front and play shaker, something that is surprisingly difficult to do well. So that song became a reference track for us when we were recording Secondhand Boots because it was such a fave.”

 

“I’ve made a lot of bad decisions in my life, but a few years ago I made an absolute doozy,” Coates adds. “This song is about that, and that’s pretty much all I can say without getting sued. They are my boots in the cover art. I bought them in Texas nearly 20 years ago, so they’d have

some stories to tell. Sadly, they’re not actually the secondhand boots referred to in the song – those ones I threw away.

 

With Coates working alongside a talented array of musicians to create this new single, guitarist Tom Kneebone, bassist Felicity Freeman, and drummer Beej Barker, Secondhand Boots also added some extra sparkle courtesy of producer and engineer Ryan Martin John of Cactus Cactus Sound, and mastering by MaderVMusic’s Alex Mader. And as if the reality of a brand new The Audreys track wasn’t enough excitement for one day, Coates also showcases a brand new skillset brewed during the pandemic years on Secondhand Boots, adding yet another creative string to her bow, as she explains, “During Covid I learned to play the guitar (I’m a piano player) and I’m playing high-strung on this track. It’s pretty quiet in the mix, to be fair, but it’s in there. I’m super proud.”

 

Formed back in 2004 by Coates and guitarist Tristan Goodall, The Audreys have gone on to release four full-length albums, with 2006’s Between Last Night and Us, 2008’s When the Flood Comes and 2011’s Sometimes the Stars all taking home the ARIA Award for Best Blues & Roots Album, as well as their most recent album, 2014’s ‘Til My Tears Roll Away scoring an ARIA nomination itself. Renowned for their dynamic and silken sonic wiles, The Audreys became a beloved fixture on the Australian touring scene, with countless gigs in their wake, and have also ticked off club and festival shows in North America, the UK, and Europe. Hitting pause briefly in 2016, with Coates releasing her first solo album, Taasha Coates and Her Melancholy Sweethearts, The Audreys continued to share their musical magic and tour up until the COVID years hit; and, devastatingly, The Audreys journey changed irrevocably in 2022 with the untimely passing of Goodall. “Tristan and I started The Audreys in 2004, so this year marks our 20th anniversary,” shares Coates. “Sadly, we lost of beautiful Tristan in 2022, but before he passed he gave me his blessing to continue the band without him. I’ve been playing with my current band for about three years now and safe to say they’re the greatest group of musicians anyone could ever hope to work with.”

 

“Losing Tristan really devastated me, he’d been my dearest friend for 25 years, but we remember and honour his legacy all the time on stage and in the studio. I’ve been healing through music.”

 

A pensive yet charismatic return, and one that heralds an exciting new creative chapter for The Audreys closing out 2024 and looking ahead into the new year, Secondhand Boots is equally a heartbreaker and a crystalline triumph, channelling everything fans have known and loved The Audreys for over the past 20 years into something tantalising and new.

 

“I have waited a long time for this, so I am relieved, excited and terrified in equal measure,” Coates concludes. “Putting out new music is always scary, but we have lovely fans who’ve been waiting patiently for something new from us for a while and I’m so thrilled that we can finally deliver for them. I hope they love it as much as we do.”

 

Secondhand Boots is out today, Friday November 15.

 

Listen: SECONDHAND BOOTS

News: The Killers announce Melbourne-based rockers Radio Free Alice as special guests for Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane shows

THE KILLERS ANNOUNCE MELBOURNE-BASED ROCKERS RADIO FREE ALICE AS SPECIAL GUESTS FOR MELBOURNE, SYDNEY & BRISBANE SHOWS

+ JET special guests for Townsville show | Tour kicks off this month

Frontier Touring is excited to announce Melbourne-based new-wave/pop-punk band Radio Free Alice as special guests at The KillersMelbourne, Sydney and Brisbane shows, kicking off this month.

“Melbourne rockers making the case for straight-up indie royalty… immediately throws listeners into the warm embrace of the ‘80s indie greats” – Max Pilley, NME

“Why the f*ck would you come to one of their shows? You come for the precise postpunk riffs. You come for the endless energy and enthusiastic lyrics. You stay to watch one of Australia’s most exciting guitar bands in years up” – Rolling Stone

Formed in Sydney in 2020 before making the move to Melbourne, Radio Free Alice – Noah Learmonth (he/him; vocals, guitar), Jules Paradiso (he/him; guitar), Michael Phillips (he/him; bass, saxophone), Lochie Dowd (he/him; drums) and Maayan Barnatan (he/him; synth) – are making their mark with their wildly consistent output and vital live performances.

Watch: Radio Free Alice – Look What You’ve Done (Live From the Living Room)

Their debut self-titled Radio Free Alice EP was nominated for Best Independent Punk Album at this year’s AIR Awards, with its singles ‘Paris Is Gone’and ‘Look What You’ve Done’ seeing widespread support from the likes of triple j, CLASH, So Young, PBS FM, Triple R, Unearthed, Rolling Stone and more.

With a sound that feels fresh and immediate Radio Free Alice have spent the last four years perfecting their unique sound. Featuring guitars with clean tones and clever notes, melodic bass lines, urgent drumbeats, the occasional sax and an operatic swagger that has left a string of sold out shows in their wake, the band are on a trajectory to being the pop-punk band who have to be on your radar.

After a huge few years touring extensively with The Snuts, Royel Otis, Django Django and Sorry, performing headline shows back home in Australia and across the UK & Europe for the first time, as well as playing Rock For People, The Great Escape, Dot To Dot and Live at Leeds festivals, the band recently released their highly anticipated second EP Polyester – bringing the EP to stages across Australia, supporting The Killers this month!

Watch: The Killers ‘Human’ (Official Video)

The Killers return to Australia playing seven dates across the country. Kicking off the tour with their Rebel Diamonds greatest hits show, playing in Townsville for the very first time with special guests JET. ​ This is now the only opportunity to see The Killers live in Queensland as the Brisbane Entertainment Centre Rebel Diamonds best of show on Monday 9 December is sold out.

The band will also play two concerts at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney with the Friday 6 December show being a Rebel Diamonds greatest hits show and the Saturday 7 December show being a dedicated performance of Hot Fuss – celebrating the 20thanniversary ARIA #1 album in its entirety – with a few extra surprises thrown in.

Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne will see the band play over three consecutive dates – Thursday 12 (Rebel Diamonds), 13 (Hot Fuss) & 14 December (Rebel Diamonds). ​

Final tickets on sale now frontiertouring.com/thekillers

Watch: JET ‘Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (Official Video)

​Don’t miss the The Killers explosive live show this November/December with special guests JET and Radio Free Alice.


THE KILLERS
​SPECIAL GUEST JET (TOWNSVILLE) + RADIO FREE ALICE (MELB, SYD, BRIS)
​AUSTRALIAN TOUR
​November/December 2024
Presented by Frontier Touring


TICKETS ON SALE
via frontiertouring.com/thekillers


ALL SHOWS LIC ALL AGES


Saturday 30 November Rebel Diamonds
Queensland Country Bank Stadium | Townsville, QLD
With special guest JET
​Licensed All Ages
axs.com.au

Friday 6 December Rebel Diamonds
Qudos Bank Arena | Sydney, NSW
With special guest Radio Free Alice
FINAL TIX
​Licensed All Ages
ticketek.com.au

Saturday 7 DecemberHot Fuss
Qudos Bank Arena | Sydney, NSW
With special guest Radio Free Alice
FINAL TIX
​Licensed All Ages
ticketek.com.au

Monday 9 December Rebel Diamonds
Brisbane Entertainment Centre | Brisbane, QLD
With special guest Radio Free Alice
SOLD OUT
​Licensed All Ages
Waitlist Available

Thursday 12 December Rebel Diamonds
Rod Laver Arena | Melbourne, VIC
With special guest Radio Free Alice
FINAL TIX
Licensed All Ages
ticketek.com.au

Friday 13 December Hot Fuss
Rod Laver Arena | Melbourne, VIC
With special guest Radio Free Alice
FINAL TIX
​Licensed All Ages
ticketek.com.au

Saturday 14 December Rebel Diamonds
Rod Laver Arena | Melbourne, VIC
With special guest Radio Free Alice
FINAL TIX
​Licensed All Ages
ticketek.com.au


Patrons are advised to purchase tickets only through authorised ticket sellers.

We cannot guarantee any ticket purchase made through any means other than the official ticketing agents listed on the Frontier website.


My Dream Rider: All Regards

Melbourne pop punk rockers All Regards have unveiled their debut EP ‘ALL OUR DREAMS TURN TO NIGHTMARES’, the product of passionate creation, nurtured chemistry and the pop punk drive to write honest, vulnerable music and have a bit of fun with it.

 

Produced by Jack Newlyn (Between You & Me, Eat Your Heart Out) the EP wears its heart on its sleeve, dealing with themes of grief, loss and addiction, channeled into four tracks that tackle self-reflection and offer listeners a space to relate and find their own journey with it. All Regards will celebrate the new release live in Melbourne on November 22 at Bergy Bandroom – tickets on sale now!

 

All Regards dream rider: these things would never happen but a band can dream……

 

  • Transportation to the venue via limousine of course.

 

  • Framed photos of our pets (shoutout to Stefan’s pug Pickles, he’s a cutie)

 

  • A note from the staff at the venue suggesting the best places to kick on after the show, hospo people always know the best late night spots

 

  • A bottle of the finest Chilean red wine and some hazy pale ale

 

  • A goblet filled with Sour Patch kids and skittles on stage (imagine how cool that would be)

 

  • Fireball (it’s a tradition)

 

  • Pub feed/burgers

 

  • Gaming console (Maybe a Nintendo) for in between soundcheck and doors, there’s always too much time to kill

 

  • Individual dressing rooms that fit each of our vibes then in the middle common area a full Zen space with vibey mood lighting, candles, peppermint tea and a spot to practice – this would definitely never happen, we’re lucky if we get a green room usually.

 

  • Good old chips and dip would be elite. I think we’re actually going to start asking for this haha.

All Regards ‘ALL OUR DREAMS TURN TO NIGHTMARES’ EP LAUNCH.

BenchCup, Offset Vision, This Space is Ours
Bergy Bandroom (Brunswick, VIC)
Friday, 22 November 2024 8:00 pm

News: SHORT STACK ANNOUNCE 15 YEARS OF STACK IS THE NEW BLACK AUSTRALIAN HEADLINE TOUR IN JUNE 2025

SHORT STACK
ANNOUNCE 15 YEARS OF STACK IS THE NEW BLACK
AUSTRALIAN HEADLINE TOUR IN JUNE 2025

PERFORMING STACK IS THE NEW BLACK IN FULL

 

Ladies & Gentlemen…prepare yourselves for a pop punk celebration for the ages in 2025! Today, beloved Budgewoi trio SHORT STACK are pleased to announce a huge headline run celebrating their debut 2009 album Stack Is The New Black, with the 15 Years Of Stack Is The New Black tour set to sway across the country next June.

The tour will commence at The Tivoli in Brisbane on Friday 6 June, before heading to Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, and finishing off at Perth’s Astor Theatre on Friday 20 June, with SHORT STACK primed to celebrate their monumental milestone by playing Stack Is The New Black in full at all five shows.

Since first forming in the early 2000s, SHORT STACK have amassed a dizzying array of accolades, including being dubbed Channel V Oz Artist of the Year twice (in 2008 and 2010), scoring the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Fave Aussie Band in 2010, four #1 albums on the ARIA Australian Albums charts, with the most recent one being Maybe There’s No Heaven in 2022, and plenty of gold and platinum-selling singles (and iconic hairstyles) along the way.

Released in 2009, Stack Is The New Black was an instant viral sensation, boasting wall-to-wall pop punk charmers, including singles Sway Sway Baby!, Shimmy A Go Go and Princess, going on become certified gold. And in 2023 alongside a massive regional headline run, SHORT STACK released the Stack Is The New Black on vinyl for the first time ever

Following a break-up in 2012, a jubilant SHORT STACK reunion in 2020 ultimately led to the band’s 2022 studio album Maybe There’s No Heaven. Amalgamating the trio’s colourful career with a renewed creative lease on life, SHORT STACKtruly soared to sensational heights with their latest material, blending hooky bangers, sharp execution and searing authenticity into an 11 track masterpiece – and all entirely on their own terms.

Since the release of Maybe There’s No Heaven, SHORT STACK have also unleashed two standalone singles, Shotgun Wedding and IDGAF, and closed out 2023 with show-stopping performances at Good Things Festival, alongside Fall Out Boy, Limp Bizkit, Devo, I Prevail and many more.

Come and join SHORT STACK in 2025 taking things back to where it all began, celebrating the 15th anniversary of Stack Is The New Black and proving that after all this time: it’s definitely not just a phase!

Spotify Presale: Tuesday 12 November @ 10am local time

Early bird pre-sale tickets on sale: Wednesday 13 November @ 10am local time

To Gain Early Ticket Access Register Here ->https://daltours.cc/shortstack

General tickets on sale: Friday 15 November @ 10am local time
Tickets from 
destroyalllines.com

Destroy All Lines Presents

SHORT STACK
15 YEARS OF STACK IS THE NEW BLACK
AUSTRALIAN HEADLINE TOUR 2025

TOUR DATES:

FRIDAY 6 JUNE – THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE
SATURDAY 7 JUNE – LIBERTY HALL, SYDNEY
FRIDAY 13 JUNE – THE GOV, ADELAIDE
SATURDAY 14 JUNE – FORUM, MELBOURNE
FRIDAY 20 JUNE – ASTOR THEATRE, PERTH

General tickets on sale: Friday 15 November @ 10am local time
Tickets from destroyalllines.com

News: NEW BLOOM FEST 2025 Featuring BASEMENT BALANCE AND COMPOSURE + DRAIN ONE STEP CLOSER + SWEET PILL + GLITTERER

NEW BLOOM FEST 2025
Featuring
BASEMENT
BALANCE AND COMPOSURE + DRAIN
ONE STEP CLOSER + SWEET PILL + GLITTERER
 

Bringing the golden age of DIY hardcore shows and all things alternative into a modern setting, in 2025 Australia will play home once again to the freshest up-and-coming artists in the scene with the return of NEW BLOOM FEST, a curated touring festival showcasing all things alt rock, post-hardcore, grunge, punk, and everything in between.

Following its hugely successful inaugural year in 2024, including a sold out Melbourne event, NEW BLOOM FEST is back with a sweltering round two for 2025 in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, headlined by British brooding rock heroes BASEMENT, and joined by hypnotic American icons BALANCE AND COMPOSURE, California hardcore punks DRAIN, melodic indie heavy hitters ONE STEP CLOSER and the debut Australian performances for innovative emo mavericks SWEET PILL, and Washington post-hardcore bohemians GLITTERER.

With NEW BLOOM FEST once again set to flaunt the incredible next generation of stars in the scene under one roof. Stay tuned for a second announcement where they’ll reveal a bunch of Australian artists that will join the festivities for each respective city.

With a seamless symmetry between 90s emo and grunge, channeled through a contemporary lens, Suffolk five-piece BASEMENT have journeyed through four studio albums, multiple periods of hiatus, headlining Outbreak Fest 2024 upon their return, a recent appearance at the iconic When We Were Young Festival + selling out the iconic Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles (3,000 tickets) within minutes of going on-sale and cultivating millions of streams, views and worldwide fans since forming back in 2009. Evolving from serpentine pop punk leanings on their debut album, 2011’s I Wish I Could Stay Here, BASEMENT have gone on to knit beauty and brooding into honest, raw lyricism, big-room guitar soundscapes, and narcotic melodics, witnessed most ardently on their breakout singles including Covet, generating over 140 million streams of Spotify alone and counting, as well as Are You The One, Whole, Pine and Oversized.
Watch Basement’s Covet visualizer:

Pennsylvania rockers BALANCE AND COMPOSURE are most likely one of your favourite band’s favourite band; a unique Venn diagram between the sprawling rawness of Citizen, the urgency of Senses Fail, and the grittiness of Fiddlehead. Effortlessly blending the calm and chaos of a thunderstorm in their ever-emboldened trademark sound, BALANCE AND COMPOSURE most recently released their fourth studio album, with you in spirit, following a four year hiatus, teaming up with industry legend Will Yip producing and co-writing, with Yip also declaring the band to be “one of the most important bands to my career, my life, my production development”. Over the years, BALANCE AND COMPOSURE have toured alongside Thrice, Circa Survive and Taking Back Sunday while cultivating a cult-like legion of fans.
Watch Balance and Composure’s any means video:

Emerging in 2014, Santa Cruz-hailing hardcore firebrands DRAIN are eternally here for a good time, resulting in them also being in the scene for a long time. Gleeful purveyors of sonic chaos and good vibes, DRAIN have been praised for helping to spearhead the recent renaissance of American hardcore music, with their studio albums, 2020’s California Cursed and 2023’s Living Proof, both heavily praised by critics and fans for their flawless injection of thrash, frantic energy, and perfectly petulant hardcore. Bringing some California vibes to the hardcore punk realms, DRAIN most recently supported Knocked Loose on an extensive North American run, with their own global headline shows, peppered with boogie boards, pool noodles, and fans encouraged to dress up like sharks, the stuff of hedonistic yet wholesome legend.
Watch DRAIN’s good good things video:

A band built on the foundational belief that hardcore is limitless, Pennsylvania natives ONE STEP CLOSER have catapulted into scene-stealers of the alternative multiverse, armed with what Pitchfork describes as “singalong accessibility, purgative heaviness, and thoughtful craft”. Cementing their place at the hardcore forefront with their sophomore album, All You Embrace, earlier this year, ONE STEP CLOSER also wowed Australian audiences back in 2023 for their debut down under performances alongside their unique and insatiable concoction of indie rock, post hardcore and shoegaze that has also seen them dazzle alongside Four Year Strong, Koyo, Real Friends and Knuckle Puck.

Forming in college in New Jersey before establishing themselves in Philadelphia, emerging alt idols SWEET PILL satiate with their infectious, innovative and incessantly charming take on emo laced with pop and hardcore. Brandishing crisp guitars, occasional math-rock hues, bouncy melodics and poignant vocals, SWEET PILL penned their debut album, 2022’s Where the Heart Is in the early pandemic stages, going on to support La Dispute and Origami Angel, and earning a spin from Paramore’s Hayley Williams, with the lush track High Hopes featured on Williams’ BBS Radio podcast Everything Is Emo. The band most recently released a brand new EP Starchild, their debut Hopeless Records outing.

Starting life as a solo project for creative cauldron Ned Russin, GLITTERER has since transformed into a solidified quartet, carrying the offbeat charm that permeated Russin’s one-man-show era into a union of earworm melodics, lashings of grunge, smatterings of synths, and woozy vocals. Whether flexing fuzz on fan-favourite singles like Are You Sure? and The Race, both of which are in command of millions of individual Spotify streams, or performing at Furnace Fest and their own headline shows, there’s a modern vintage appeal to GLITTERER that transcends time and space; a fact solidified via their latest 2024 album Rationale via ANTI- Records, perfectly marrying bedroom pop with post punk.

With a torrent of talent locked in for 2025, get set to once again experience the latest and greatest talent from the alternative and punk scene – be sure to secure your spot for NEW BLOOM FEST and we’ll see you in the pit!

Early Bird Pre-Sale Tickets On Sale: Monday 11 November @ 5pm AEDT time

To Gain Early Ticket Access Register Here -> www.newbloomfest.com

General Tickets On Sale: Wednesday 13 November @ 12pm local time
Tickets from www.newbloomfest.com
Destroy All Lines Present

NEW BLOOM FEST 2025
Featuring
BASEMENT
BALANCE AND COMPOSURE + DRAIN
ONE STEP CLOSER + SWEET PILL + GLITTERER

SATURDAY 8 MARCH – FORTITUDE MUSIC HALL, BRISBANE 18+

SUNDAY 9 MARCH – ROUNDHOUSE, SYDNEY 18+

MONDAY 10 MARCH (PUBLIC HOLIDAY) – THE TIMBERYARD, MELBOURNE 18+

Tickets on sale Wednesday 13 November @ 12pm local time
Tickets from www.newbloomfest.com

My Dream Rider Series – Alex Elbery

Perth-born, Melbourne-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Alex Elbery takes an exuberant leap via his brand new single Ripcord. Releasing today with an accompanying whimsical music video, Ripcord is a warm and dynamic ode to falling in love, coated with billowing pop hues, driving alt rock undertones and an endearing Aussie tinge alongside heartfelt lyricism.

We caught up with him to ask him what his Dream Rider would be:

  1. Some Boursin and a crispy baguette – Boursin is a delicious garlic cream cheese. I feel like that’s perfect for vocal warm ups. 
  2. An indoor aviary full of cockatiels and exotic parrots that all want to hang out with me.
  3. A wrestling ring – I don’t think I’d want to wrestle anyone per se, but I do think it would be fun to run around in it, do some flips and tumbles. Might be a good way to get the nervous energy out.
  4. A massage. – I’d probably pull a muscle running around the wrestling ring, so might be good to get that sorted.
  5. Some sort of VR gaming set up.
  6. An older, parental figure to constantly tell me I’m doing a good job.
  7. Some board games – something like wingspan, nice, relaxing and fairly non-competitive. 
  8. A push bike for each band member – I think it’d be fun to do a lap around the block before we play, really get in the zone, y’know?
  9. Winona Ryder – she’s one of the best Ryders and I reckon she’d be a great hang.
  10. I put this to my band to see what they would want, and all they came up with was ‘a small bag of shredded cheese.’ I’m delighted by how easy they are to please so I feel like I really should Include their ‘small bag of shredded cheese.’

Alex Elbery’s new single and video RIPCORD is out now.

ALEX ELBERY – UPCOMING SHOWS:

SAT 14 DEC | LAST CHANCE ROCK & ROLL BAR, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+

TICVKETS HERE: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/bd2588ed-e8ab-4e54-a169-e74ea8f53c36

Listen: RIPCORD

Watch: RIPCORD