There’s a particular kind of joy that comes from watching an internationally acclaimed artist perform to a crowd of a few thousand people in a regional showground where they normally judge cattle. That’s Groovin the Moo in a nutshell, and it’s one of the most underrated festivals in the country. GTM has been doing its…
I was supposed to be in Lisbon for two nights. A quick stopover on the way to Morocco, just enough time to tick the main sights off the list and eat a pastel de nata or twelve. That was the plan. The plan lasted approximately six hours. What happened was fado. And fado, if you’re…
So you’ve bought the festival ticket and you’ve opted for camping. Congrats — you’re about to have one of the most fun, uncomfortable, sleep-deprived, and memorable weekends of your life. But before you turn up with a sleeping bag and good vibes, let’s talk about what you actually need to survive. This isn’t a gear…
The first time I saw Tash Sultana perform, I genuinely didn’t understand what I was watching. One person. One mic stand covered in effects pedals. A loop station. And somehow, the sound of an entire band filling a room that held thousands of people. It didn’t make sense. It still doesn’t, really. And that’s exactly…
Some of the best gigs I’ve ever been to didn’t happen in Sydney or Melbourne. They happened in pubs with sticky floors in towns I couldn’t find on a map, in woolsheds converted into makeshift venues, and in backyards where someone had strung up fairy lights and pointed a PA speaker at a circle of…
I used to think city festivals were just outdoor festivals with worse sound and higher beer prices. Then I went to Laneway and realised I’d been completely wrong about the whole concept. There’s something about a festival that weaves itself through the fabric of a city — using car parks, rooftops, warehouses, and laneways as…
Japan wasn’t supposed to be a music trip. I went for the food — because obviously — and figured I’d catch a gig or two if the timing worked out. Three weeks later I’d been to more live shows than I could count, discovered an entirely new appreciation for jazz, and had my mind completely…
I’ve seen a lot of festival packing lists online and most of them are written by people who’ve clearly never slept in a tent that’s been baking in 35-degree heat since 6am. Matching outfits and fairy lights are great for Instagram, but they won’t help you when it’s day two and you’re sunburnt, sleep-deprived, and…
Everyone knows Byron Bay as the festival town. Splendour happens, people flood in, and for a few days it’s the centre of the Australian music universe. But here’s the thing — Byron is genuinely incredible when the stages are packed up and everyone goes home. I’ve been coming back to this part of the coast…
I first heard Spacey Jane at a house party in Fremantle about five years ago. Someone had put on their early stuff and I remember thinking “okay, who is this?” Fast forward to now, and they’re selling out venues across the country like it’s nothing. And honestly? It makes perfect sense. There’s something about this…