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’s 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.

The Big Blue Room Fundraiser

Where? The Grace Darling Hotel, 114 Smith St, Collingwood, Melbourne
When? 7:30pm, Friday 14th August
Why? Organised by local musos, this ‘Big Blue Room’ gig is an acoustic benefit show to help rasise money for Beyond Blue Australia. Featuring the stripped back talents of legends Lincoln le Fevre & the Insiders, Tom Lanyon (Ceres), Ben Stewart (Slowly Slowly), Georgia Maq (CAMP COPE), Bec Stevens and Keith Johnny Dimech this is a fantastic opportunity to catch your favourite musos in an intimate setting and all for a good cause- we’re in.
Tickets & Info: $10, Facebook event

Bad Noose Fridays Launch

Where? Flyrite, 110 Aberdeen St, Perth
When? 8:30pm, Friday 14th August
Why? Hey west side brothers and sisters, Perth is getting a new regular indie/ rock night and it’s called- yeah you guessed it ‘Bad Noose Fridays’. Launching with a killer local line up including garage rockers Flowermouth, alongside Braves and Black Stone From The Sun it’s set to be a ripper. If your vibe is cheap drinks, indie, punk, post punk, new wave and everything in-between pop in for a visit.
Tickets & Info: $10, Facebook event

GLÖSS

Where? The Malbourgh Hotel, 145 King St, Newtown, Sydney
When? 8:30pm, Thursday 13th August
Why? Long time friends and collaborators Jack Mannix (Drown Under) and Angie Bermuda (Straight Arrows/ Southern Comfort) finally combined their undeniable talents to form GLÖSS swapping  fuzzy guitar and sunny garage drums for grubby synths and moody pulsating drum machines creating some of the most exciting underground pop we’ve heard in a while. They’ve recently announced a national tour with French duo BCBG is Mariette Auvray (Pussy Patrol, Eyes Behind, Water Sark) and Samuel Trifot (Feu Machin, Dorcelsius) which they’ll be kicking off this Thursday with a free show in Newtown. trust us this is a must-not miss.
Tickets & Info: FREE, Facebook event

Vernas Keep

Where? Black Bear Lodge, Level 1/322 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
When? 5pm, Saturday 15th August
Why? Byron Bay indie rock band Vernas Keep have had a busy year so far and listening to their brand new debut EP Bones and Arrows it’s clear why. The band’s ability to create delicate ethereal songs and enveloping sonic soundscapes are captivated audiences when they opened Falls Festival in Byron Bay on New Year’s Day and they’re been kicking goals ever since. Brissy mates catch them when they launch the EP at Black Bear.
Tickets & Info: FREE, www.blackbearlodge.com.au

The Dead Heir + White Bleaches

Where? The Gasometer, 484 Smith St, Collingwood, Melbourne
When? 8pm, Thursday 13th August
Why? Local garage heroes The Dead Heir and White Bleaches are headlining ‘Garage at the Gas’ a night celebrating some of the best garage rock bands Melbourne has to offer. Including on the line up alongside the headliners are talents Tiny Giants and Horace Bones. Local visual artist, Haley V Ball will be providing some mind blowing video projections and all proceeds will be donated to The Song Room, dedicated to helping Australia’s disadvantaged youth through quality music and arts programs – ‘garage for a good cause’.
Tickets & Info: $12+b/f, Facebook event

Thorax

Where? Crown and Anchor, 196 Grenfell Street, Adelaide 
When? 7pm, Thursday 13th August
Why? One thing we’ve learnt doing this regular column is that Adeladians love to rock! And this week is no exception. Sydney’s heavy rockers Thorax will be popping into town for a brutal mid-week LP launch party. They’ve enlisted the talent from some of SA’s best heavy rock bands Animal Traps, Melchior and Race Machine to help tear the ‘Cranker’s roof off. Be there.
Tickets & Info: FREE, Facebook event

Psychic Ric Records Party

Where? Bar Open, 317 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Melbourne
When? 8:30pm, Friday 14th August
Why? Psychic Ric is a brand new local Melbourne collective who are gearing up to be your new ‘go to’ guys for all the best local psych and garage rock coming out of this great land. To celebrate their bird, the team behind Psychic Ric are throwing a launch party this Friday at Bar Open. Featuring a stellar local line up including The Citradels, BREVE, Luna Ghost and a band so nice they’ve been featured rice this week – The Dead Heir. All the bands listed have exciting releases slated for this year for head along to this show to witness all the sonic treats you’re in for.
Tickets & Info: price TBC, Facebook event