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.
Ainslie Wills
Where? The Toff In Town, 2/252 Swanston Street, Melbourne
When? 8:00pm, Thursday 26th February
Why? Boy oh boy, we’ve been hanging out for this show. Alt-pop priestess Ainslie Wills has penned quite possibly her finest track to date, ‘Drive‘, and as such, will be giving the tune one hell of a party to release the wall-of-sound meets pop piece of brilliance. Joining Wills warming the stage is Richard In Your Mind and Jamil Zacharia. If you’re in Melbourne this week – this is a show you simply cannot afford to miss.
Tickets & Info: $15.00 www.facebook.com & https://tickets.thetoffintown.com
Jesse Davidson
Where? Goodgod Small Club, 53-55 Liverpool Street, Sydney
When? 8:00pm, Thursday 26th February
Why? Attention Sydneysiders, you’ve got one of Australia’s finest emerging talents coming your way this week. Adelaide’s Jesse Davidson, the singer-songwriter responsible for the soothing ‘Laika‘, has hit the open road with a three-piece band to promote the killer new single. Supports include Tom Lark and Low Lux.
Entry & Info: $10.00, www.facebook.com & www.goodgodgoodgod.com
How Ya Garn? Yeah Not Bad! Ft. Gay Paris, Sun God Replica, Child, Willow Darling & More!
Where? John Curtin Hotel, 29 Lygon Street, Carlton
When? 12:00pm, Saturday 28th February
Why? Okay, we’ll make this quick. This weekend in Melbourne will see an insane list of Aussie bands absolutely smash it in the ultimate of day festivities for $15.00. The extensive lineup includes: Gay Paris, Colonel Vipers Whipstick Band, Sheriff, Sun God Replica, The Stiffys, Grindhouse, Island Duckeye (I am Duckeye acoustic), Skyscraper Stan, Made for Chickens by Robots, My Left Boot, Child, Goatpiss Gasoline, The Berkshire Hunting Club, BJ Morriszonkle, The Gatwick Highlife, Dane Certificate’s Magic Show, The Drunken Poachers, The Sugarcanes, Mightiest Of Guns, Willow Darling, Tom Dockray Music and Green Tin.
Entry & Info: $15.00, www.facebook.com & www.johncurtinhotel.com
Timberwolf
Where? The Odd Fellow, 9 Norfolk Street, Fremantle
When? 8:00pm, Friday 27th February
Why? Australia’s most promising troubadour Chris Panousakis aka Timberwolf is an artist on the rise. The Adelaide folkster recently dropped the shimmering ‘Fallen Sun‘ and has embarked on a national tour, charming hearts in his wake. Timberwolf will be taking on Perth this weekend, and will land his feet in major cities in Australia in the coming months – you’d be mad to miss his stunning live show.
Tickets & Info: www.facebook.com
The Keepaways
Where? The Zoo, 711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
When? 7:30pm, Thursday 26th February
Why? Calling all noise punk and wah-wah pedal fans, we’ve got a gig of epic proportions for you. Brisbane local outfit The Keepaways are stoked to announce the release of their debut LP KA QLD, so much so that they’re throwing a party and banging some tunes like ‘The Voight Glitch‘ from the 11-track release. It doesn’t end there, with Release the Hounds, Ape Farm and BARGE with an antenna on it supporting.
Tickets & Info: $12.25, www.facebook.com & http://zoo.oztix.com.au
Lime Cordiale
Where? Black Bear Lodge, Level 1/322 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
When? 8:00pm, Thursday 26th February
Why? The Sydney five-piece are smashing it at the moment, having toured with the likes of The Delta Riggs, performing to sold-out venues across the country. The band have embarked on their national tour which will see their feet in Brizzy this Thursday night, the guys celebrating the release of the slow-burning groover, ‘Hanging Upside Down‘.
Entry & Info: $15.30, http://tickets.oztix.com.au
Uncle Bobby
Where? The Public Bar, 238 Victoria St, North Melbourne
When? 7:00pm, Tuesday 24th February
Why? Everyone always complains about how hard Mondays are, but the truth is that Tuesdays are the biggest stinger, well, that’s if you don’t have a killer gig to go to that night – and for the folk in Melbourne, Tuesday just got a whole lot sweeter. Tonight rising youngster Uncle Bobby will be performing his psychedelic jams like ‘Extrasolar Sunflower Constellations‘ and will be joined by Louise Love and Karli White.
Entry & Info: $5.00, www.facebook.com & http://thepublicbar.com.au
LUCIANBLOMKAMP
Where? Shebeen Bandroom, 36 Manchester Lane, Melbourne
When? 8:00pm, Friday 27th February
Why? Following on from a huge 2014, Melbourne’s favourite multi-instrumentalist is performing a one-off intimate show to kickstart your weekend in the finest of ways. Fresh from his remix of Seekae’s ‘The Stars Below‘ the artist will have you movin’ and groovin’. If that’s not enough, Martin King and Good Manners DJs will be supporting.
Entry & Info: $12.00, www.facebook.com & https://shebeenbandroom.ticketscout.com.au
Fishing
Where? Rocket Bar, 142 Hindley Street, Adelaide
When? 8:00pm, Friday 27th February
Why? One of our dancefloor favourites, Fishing, are headed to Adelaide this weekend, and the duo will be dropping what promises to be an epic DJ set at Rocket Bar. The pair have pieced together tracks like ‘Nineteen / Boy Wunder (feat. Alister Wright‘ and will be supported by
Tickets & Info: $10.00, www.facebook.com & http://crippenplace.com
