Often referred to as ‘Radelaide’ and seen as the butt of a fair few national jokes the South Australian capital isn’t quite as renowned for its music scene as the East Coast cities of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
But there is more to Adelaide than just churches or a car race. We asked the locals for the lowdown on the best places to buy records, see live music and give us some recommendations on local bands we should check out.
Alice Haddy, Ciaram Granger and James Abberley are all Adelaide singer-songwriters worth recommending in their own right, but we combined the local expertise of the musicians for this guide.
Along with a few inclusions of our own we’ve found 13 of the best things every music fan should do in Adelaide. Have a read, you might just be surprised!
Experience The City’s Most Interesting and Eclectic Festival In WOMADelaide
“WOMADelaide is an annual festival, held in the beautiful Botanical Gardens,” says Haddy. “The four-day festival is usually hosted with hot balmy nights and puts world music right in the centre of the city with next level environmental awareness, food and visual art.”
Catch A Gig In Your Neighbours Backyard At The Porch Sessions
Granger sums up best when he describes it as “A travelling series across the coastal suburbs in Adelaide where The Porch Sessions transforms your garden into a musical oasis”. Haddy elaborates “You arrive on dusk and lounge around on a crocheted rug with your choice of beverage and friends and watch some beautiful music in a strangers backyard”.
Head To Wolfies For All Your Vinyl Needs
4 Mt Barker Rd
Located in the outer suburb of Stirling Wolfies specialises in “precious” vinyl and high quality Hi-Fi equipment. With range of vinyl, LPs, EPs, 45’s and CDs this record store has a wide array of genres covered. You can also get t-shirts and memorabilia.
Catch Bad//Dreems Live In Their Hometown
“Bad//Dreems are SA’s latest and greatest garage rock band who are absolutely killing it all over Australia,” says Haddy. “Their triple j favourite ‘Dumb Ideas’ and latest release ‘My Only Friend’ along with their logo, a slight edit of the SA beer logo West End, are more South Australian than most things in South Australia”.
See Local Bands At The City’s Newest Venue In Pirie and Co. Social Club
121 Pirie Street
“Get in there for some Argentinian BBQ meats, a burger, or some seafood and then wander downstairs to The Social Club for some Original live music!” Says Granger enthusiastically. Haddy is also fan, as she states, “The Pirie and Co. Social Club is our new, it-and-a-bit venue. It’s underground, literally, and heaps of the most exciting new Australian bands and artists are choosing it as their Adelaide venue of choice”.
Experience The Most Intimiate Gigs In Adelaide At The Jam Room
The most intimate, gorgeous and captivating music events you will find in Adelaide are from The Jam Room,” recommends Haddy. “Behind The Cafe Series and A Music Warehouse Project and a long list of other successful events, anything presented by the Jam Room is destined to be a matchless experience,” she says.
Listen To Folk Singer Tom West Live
Recommend by singer-songwriter Abberley Tom West is a singer-songwriter with songs inspired “by lost love and getting lost; they transverse from very simple folk tunes to grand and moody soundscapes”. Listen to ‘The Call’ below.
Experience The City’s Newest Festival Addition: Follow the Sun Festival
Haddy sums the appeal of FOS well with her description of the event. “Follow The Sun festival is Adelaide’s brand new festival hosted in Glenelg. With an exceptional line up for its debut, along with ‘backyard bbq’ vibes and a sunny, beachside location, what more could you possibly want?” Follow The Sun is set to be held on October 5th with the likes of Paul Dempsey, BONJAH and Dallas Frasca booked amongst a host of others.
Shop Up At The City’s Best Record Store: Clarity Records
60 Pulteney St
Operating in the CBD since 2010 this independent record store imports from countries around the world with a selection that covers a wide variety of genres. You won’t just get vinyl here either, Clarity stocks CDs, merchandise, books, zines, DVDs and even jewellery handcrafted by local artists.
Catch Village Echoes At Their Next Gig
Picked by Abberley this trio have been crafting alternative rock tunes that sits somewhere between Bloc Party, Biffy Clyro and we Are The Scientists. They released their debut EP, Evolve, in 2013.
Drink Local Brews and Catch Live Bands At The Grace Emily Hotel
232 Waymouth St
“On any other given night you can happen across the very best local, Australian, and international sounds, all lovingly unwrapped for your listening pleasure while you settle in at the front bar and indulge in some of South Australia’s finest brews,” says Granger.
Head To Mr.V and Rocktherapy For An Eclectic Range
115 Semaphore Road and 536 Greenwood Rd respectively
Full of old school vinyl and left of centre music both these stores cater for an older audience or perhaps just anyone looking for an eclectic mix of old school music from the weird to the wonderful.
Listen To Local Bands At The Gov
59 Port Rd, Hindmarsh
Between the regular local bands playing in the front bar and the world-class musicians featured in the Venue, The Gov really is Adelaide’s home of live, original music,” attests Granger.
