Ceremony

A week ago I blogged about the best hardcore music festival in Australia. Without a doubt, the band I was most excited for was Ceremony. I was considering going down there just to see them play the two days.

But now, we get two of our own shows!

July 5 - Between the Walls (all-ages)
July 6 - Basement 243 (18+)

Two small and great venues for seeing a hardcore band like this. I am excited.

Excellent gigs that got announced in the last 2 weeks since I last blogged.

So I'm putting them in a big blog post all together. Most of it's heavy, but I'll start with the quiet one:

Ben Kweller
No idea how this slipped by me, but Ben Kweller is touring here. In less than 3 weeks. I've seen him 2 times now and he's always enjoyable, especially with his band in tow.

March 4, The HiFi (18+)

August Burns Red
When I was young and impressionable (and worshipped I Killed the Prom Queen) I loved the genre "metalcore". And one of the few bands that I still occasionally listen to is August Burns Red. Not sure why, but I think it may because the vocals are understandable and more hardcore punk style.

April 18, the HiFi (18+)

Supported by Blessthefall and Northlane, who are both "buzz" bands that I know nothing about at all. Not one thing. I should probably be a good music blogger and research it one day.

Amon Amarth
Hands up who doesn't like some fantasy themed viking metal? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? That's right. It's fucking awesome. The music isn't always the best metal you've heard, but the show more than makes up for it.

They're also Swedish, which is home to the best bands ever. Including Abba.

April 13, the HiFi (18+)

Anchor

While on the subject of Sweden, suss out Anchor. They're Swedish hardcore, singing English. Which in my mind, is the best kind of hardcore.

Feb 29, YAC, Byron Bay (all-ages)

Mar 1, Basement 243 (18+)

Mar 2, Between the Walls (all-ages)

Mar 3, Miami Shark Bar, Gold Coast (18+)

Mar 4, Buderim CWA Hall, Sunshine Coast (all-ages)

Evanescence\Blaqk Audio

One of my best friends was in love with Evanescence. Whenever I'd pass out on his couch it would be to him looping one of their albums (and I'd wake up to the same songs). He also made his own giant posters of Amy Lee and put them up all over. Heck, he even had their song played at his funeral.

The female-fronted nu-metal band obviously now holds a very special place in my heart. Even if I wasn't a big fan of theirs to start with. I was surprised to hear they were touring, as I had not heard anything from them for about 5 years!

Announced as their supports is Blaqk Audio. I know a lot of people that are more excited by this than Evanescence. In fact, these people are just going for the opening act. Who is Blaqk Audio? Well, it's an electronic act fronted by Davey Havok, the lead singer of AFI. Scene girls everywhere will be weeping for him before Evanescence even gets anywhere near the stage.

March 26, Convention Centre (all-ages)

Dead to Me/Cobra Skulls

I love how each year we tend to get a double-header punk tour, both Fat Wreck Chords bands. This year the tradition continues with Dead to Me and Cobra Skulls. These two punk bands will be playing a Brisbane show with some great local punk including Army of Champions and Headaches.

April 8, Basement 243 (18+)

Adam Ant

A lot of the fans of the other bands on this page will not know this last gig at all, but people like me rooted in the 80's will recognize the drum sticks at the start of this song:

Apparently Adam dropped the ants and became an actor but now he's reformed with a different band, writing new music and touring big shows in the UK! And here.

April 8, Tivoli

Great Australian tours

As a country, isolation is a great thing, especially when you produce as many kick-ass bands that we do, that also like to tour. A lot. So you should go to these shows with me.

DZ Deathrays

This two piece from Brisbane channel DFA 1979. No doubts about it. Just two guys making some noisy-ass garage rock with excellent hooks that get your toes tapping. I was lucky enough to see them on their first Australian show in over a year at Fucked Up last year. These guys have blown up incredibly in the few years since I first saw them (as the DZ). They're touring for the new album, which you can get with your concert ticket in a cheap package that includes a t-shirt.

Touring with them are another Brisbane garage rock band, but on the other end of the stage-size spectrum. Velociraptor are a 12 piece (on a good day when everyone turns up) garage rock noise juggernaut.

April 12 - Elsewhere, Gold Coast

April 13 - The Zoo

April 14 - Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay

As far as I can tell, all shows are 18+. And loud.

The Go Set

The Go Set are a celtic punk band from down south, who I saw play a punkfest a few years ago. Featuring all of the essentials of the genre: tin whistle, bagpipes, tartan. They also make some very good punk music to go along with it.

April 12 - Surfers Beer Garden, Gold Coast

April 13 - Kings Beach Tavern, Caloundra

April 14 - Prince of Wales Hotel

Given the type of venue, they are probably all 18+.

Jamie Hay/Jen Buxton

Do you like your punk to be acoustic with excellent sing alongs you can do with one arm around a friend and one holding your beer in the sky? Then get along to this song. It's so folk-punk acoustic that Frank Turner wrote a song about Jen.

March 22 - Snitch (X and Y), 18+

March 23 - Between the Walls, all-ages (BYO)

Bomb the Music Industry

I've harped on and on about this band before and not just because of this awesome fan-made music video:

Or because every release they've ever done is available for free download on their website.

Or because they follow the Fugazi DIY method, cheap all-ages shows.

That all adds up, but I love them because of their goddamn fun punk and ska. Just listening to them makes you think a show would be ridiculous amounts of fun.

But that DIY methodology meant that there was probably no chance of them coming over. And then today I heard some news that made me go straight out and change my underpants twice over, because I was just that goddamn excited. Heck, as I type this now I'm smiling like a fool. 

Yes, they are coming down under. And playing with the Smith St Band. In what basically amounts to a small room. Between the Walls. On the 1st of March. I'm so goddamn excited about this. I've got goosebumps right now. I went to buy tickets the second this got announced, but they're not out yet. But never fear, I've been checking every 30 minutes or so.

I can't wait. I'll be there, probably camera in hand and still skanking like an idiot.

Small news

This is a collection of music news that isn't large enough to warrant a whole dedicated post to itself.

Death Grips
The Death Grips show at the Zoo, one week from today, has been cancelled. Not sure why.

La Dispute
I'm not the only one in Brisbane that likes this band I guess, they've added a third Brisbane show to their tour, which is a second AA show. February 21 at Between the Walls.

Trapped Under Ice
I haven't listened to them much, hence no big blog post, but the 90's hardcore-sounding Americans, Trapped Under Ice, are coming to start mosh pits through out Australia. March 1, Snitch (X and Y) 18+, March 2, Between the Walls AA. 

Good Australian folk music
I've talked about the Beards before, a folk comedy (I consider it more truth though) band that sings every song about facial hair. They are great fun and I suggest you get to the Zoo on March 30th to see them. It's only $15.

Good Brisbane punk music
One of my favourite local punk/ska/whatever they want band is the Black Market. They're playing a punk show at the Zoo this Saturday (the 21st) for $10. Can't think of any reason not to go to this.

Good Australian rock music
A few years ago, Children Collide were one of my favourite Australian bands. Although not hearing much from them lately, it turns out they are still going, recording a new album, releasing a new single and touring to support it.

March 16, Elsewhere Bar, Gold Coast
March 17, the Zoo.

Bah, copycats
Spin magazine, who've been music reviewing for a long time, have decided to do the same thing I do. Twitter reviews. If you want to read my reviews, nestled between whatever else I post, check out my Twitter.

La Dispute

I feel bad posting about this tour so late, as tickets are already on sale, I already have mine, and it will probably sell out. La Dispute are heading back to Australia.

Last year they came out and played two shows, an 18+ at the Zoo and an all-ages at Burst City. It was an amazing two days. And almost a year after that tour, which blew me away, they are doing it again.

(Photo I took at the Zoo show)

Their unique style of emotional and noodly hardcore is really on display in their newest album, Wildlife, which evokes more emotions in me than anything I've listened to in years. It's a cracker. I can't wait to see those songs, as well as their awesome back catalogue, played live.

February 8, the Zoo (18+)
February 9, Between the Walls (all-ages)