Loving live music isn’t just about attending music festivals and seeing an international artist’s massive arena show.
Even the biggest of big-name headliners started in the trenches, on the sticky carpets and bandrooms of your local bars and pubs – which is exactly where you should be if you want to discover your new favourite band or venue.
Here are our picks for this week’s best local gigs from Aussie talent – from Perth to the East Coast – and all for the price of a good meal.
Rainbow Chan
Where: Newtown Social Club, Sydney NSW
When: 8pm – 11:40pm, Friday Sep 16
Why: One of the foremost pop talents in Australia at the moment, Rainbow Chan heads to Sydney with her fantastic debut album Spacings, as well as excellent supports in Moon Holiday and Kimchi Princi. If you haven’t seen her yet – do.
Tickets & Info: $12 + bf, more info here.
Mall Grab
Where: Ferdydurke, Melbourne VIC
When: 8pm – 1am, Sunday Sep 18
Why: Melbourne institution Ferdydurke will be celebrating its fourth birthday in style, bringing the big guns down from Sydney for a ripper of a free show. House maestro Mall grab will be joined by others like SHOUSE and S.Vibrato for a damn solid night of grooves. Free, get on it.
Tickets & Info: Free, more info here.
Holy Balm & More
When: 8pm, Thursday Sep 15
Why: Sydney party legends Holy Balm are launching their impressive new album Activity in Brisbane this Thursday, joined by Brissy faves S>c>r>a>p>s and 100%, who are finishing off a solid run of shows themselves.
Tickets & Info: $12+bf, more info here.
PLTS
Where: Elsewhere Bar, Surfers Paradise QLD
When: 8pm – 12am, Friday Sep 13
Why: Fresh off a set at this year’s Splendour In The Grass, Byron indie rock outfit PLTS are hitting up Elsewhere to launch their new single ‘Astoria’ with support from a talented roster of locals in Lotus Ship and Peach Fur. A very solid night of choons for the Surfers crowd this week.
Tickets & Info: $15, More info here.
The Shabbab w/ Nicholas Allbrook
Where: The John Curtin, Melbourne VIC
When: 8pm – 12am, Friday Sep 16
Why: The Shabbab are a band of Melbourne roustabouts making what they call “Middle Eastern garage”, and they come highly recommended – not just by us, but also the one and only Nick Allbrook, who’ll be supporting them alongside Shiny Coin as The Shabbab launch their new EP, Garlic.
Tickets & Info: $10, more more info here.
The Sugarcanes
Why: It’s soul time at Cherry this Thursday, as Melbourne rock n soul champs The Sugarcanes head to Cherry Bar for an exuberant evening. The only requirement, straight from the band themselves, is “dance like you mean it”.
HABITS
When: 11:55pm – 3am, Friday August 26
Why: Electronic goth pop duo HABITS pretty much set the world on fire every time they take to the stage, and after a brilliant showing at BIGSOUND last week, we can’t recommend them enough – especially at 2am in the morning on a Friday night.
Tickets & Info: more info here.
BUOY
Tickets & Info: $10 + bf, more info here.
POWER
Where: The Tote, Melbourne VIC
When: 8pm Thursday Aug 25
Why: Melbourne cult rockers POWER are heading off to the US, but before then they’ll be joined by a killer one-two punch of Miss Destiny and the long-awaited live return of Cuntz. Join them all for a night of new and old choons before they say hasta la vista, for just a tenner on the door.
Tickets & Info: $10, more info here.
High Violet, Billy Fox & More
Where: Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSW
When: 8pm – 3am, Saturday Aug 17
Why: Rare Finds are putting on one hell of a bargain party this weekend, with a fiver getting you in to see a great selection of acts including indie-pop group High Violet launching their new single, the aforementioned champs PLTS, and one of the brightest new live talents we’ve seen in Billy Fox. Kato and Dappled Cities DJs join the fray as well for a great night.
Tickets & Info: $5, more info here.
