Backseat DownunderGalleryLive ReviewMusicNews

You could tell before the doors even opened that it was going to be a tight squeeze. Both Lansdowne shows had sold out, the first so quickly that a second was added, only for that one to disappear too. Aotearoa’s No Cigar have been quietly gathering word-of-mouth momentum that’s now anything but quiet. Inside, it …

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Backseat DownunderGalleryLive ReviewMusic

The Sydney Opera House welcomed one of jazz’s most distinctive voices this week as Gregory Porter took to the stage, delivering a performance that showcased exactly why he is one of the genre’s most beloved contemporary artists. Porter’s signature baritone filled the Concert Hall with that rich, velvety tone that has made him a multiple …

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Backseat DownunderGalleryLive ReviewMusic

Before Connan Mockasin took the stage, the crowd was greeted with a bizarre opening: a homemade parody of a disturbing after-school special, starring the musician himself. It was the first of many pranks to come. A blonde-haired figure appeared on stage and settled behind the drum kit, making themselves comfortable. Another layer of misdirection in …

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Backseat DownunderGalleryLive ReviewMusic

By day four, we’ve stopped checking schedules. You just followed the noise and hoped you ended up somewhere good (it’s all fantastic). I caught locals Sweetie at the Heaps Normal pop-up as the sun was going down, walking from Redfern Station into Chippendale. You could hear them before you saw them, echoing down the city …

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Music

By afternoon Day 3 at SXSW Sydney the schedule didn’t matter anymore, it was just venue to venue, whoever was playing next, whatever was happening and where is that sound coming from? I spent the whole night running. Chippo basement, then The Commons, back to Lansdowne, Lord Gladstone, up and down stairs and through alleys. …

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Backseat DownunderGalleryLive ReviewMusic

We start the afternoon catching the afternoon sun fall behind Tumbalong Park, where Irish-American duo Dug and Taiwan’s Managona play to a mix of conference dwellers, passers-by and early-arriving festivalgoers. The space itself is open to the public, a highly underrated place to wander through, grab a bite, lounge in the sun for a few …

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Backseat DownunderGalleryLive ReviewMusic

SXSW Sydney officially began today, easing into the week with a performance from local Haley Holgate at the Tumbalong Park stage. Her set brought a warm breath to an otherwise hectic first day, giving the crowd an early glimpse of the immense talent still to come. While the panels, tech talks and film screenings have …

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Backseat DownunderMusicNews

Belarusian post-punk outfit Molchat Doma are returning to Australia this December, bringing their uniquely brooding sound to the East Coast for three shows only. The trio will play Naarm/Melbourne’s Forum on December 17, Gadigal/Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on December 18, and Meanjin/Brisbane’s Tivoli on December 20. It’s their first visit since their meteoric rise from underground …

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Backseat DownunderGalleryLive ReviewMusic

The Dead Kennedys filled the Metro Theatre with a noise and sense of conviction that hasn’t aged out. Original members, guitarist ‘East Bay’ Ray Pepperell and bassist ‘Klaus Flouride’ (Geoffrey Lyall), casually walked on stage to do their own soundchecks, met with cheers from the crowd. Ron ‘Skip’ Greer drove the vocals, and Steve Wilson …

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Backseat DownunderGalleryLive ReviewMusic

At 85, George Clinton has earned the right to take things easy, but clearly no one told him that. Clad in gold, he launched the Enmore Theatre straight into the cosmic depths of funk. The stage was packed with musicians, which is exactly how P-Funk should be experienced. Horns blared, guitars criss-crossed, and voices piled …

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