Band Together : Music Reviews

  Artist of the Month: Vlads Our October Artist of the Month is Vlads - a band we stumbled across back in January and instantly fell in love with. Their catchy tunes grabbed our attention straight away, and after digging a little deeper, we discovered they were playing in Canberra the very next week. Naturally, we had to go and check them out. We walked away seriously impressed. Not only was their performance top-notch, but their stage presence, crowd engagement, and overall showmanship were outstanding. The lads are genuinely lovable larrikins who clearly love what they do, and that energy shines through every time they step on stage. They're also an incredibly humble bunch, always making time for their fans and taking the opportunity to connect with the people supporting their music. With their upcoming headline tour, Finding Foreverland , kicking off this month, we thought Vlads would be the perfect band to get to know away from the stage. We asked the boys(Kai , Callum, Edi...

  CHEEKY LEASH - LETS GOOOO!!! Not every day do two 37-year-olds get to say they’ve followed an up-and-coming band right from the beginning, but that’s exactly how we feel about Cheeky Leash. We loved their sound so much that last year we packed up the kids and travelled to Wanderer Festival in Pambula just to see them on the lineup. They played in a tiny caravan setup in front of what I’d estimate was about 50 people, yet somehow they were still our act of the festival. Fast forward 12 months and we were standing at The Baso in Canberra, excited to see them again. The band has exploded in popularity over the last year, but we weren't quite sure what to expect from the crowd. Canberra can be unpredictable when it comes to turnout and atmosphere. One thing we did know, though, was that when we first discovered Cheeky Leash, we had a feeling they were going to blow up quickly. Fifteen minutes after doors opened, The Baso was already looking relatively full. It immediately set the...

No Cigar: Where To Start? Smoke filled the stage and drifted through every corner of The Baso as Arthur (guitar/backing vocals), Josh (guitar/backing vocals), Sam (bass) and Ned (drums) walked on to a huge round of applause. Without a word, they picked up their instruments and launched into an unbelievable instrumental opener. Huddled together in a circle, four silhouettes played to each other while the crowd watched in anticipation, wondering which song would kick off the night. Then, almost casually, frontman Willy Ferrier walked on stage. Bang. The band exploded straight into Chantilly. The room erupted. Voices instantly joined in, shouting every lyric back at the stage. Willy's smooth vocals took over and suddenly everything clicked into place. No Cigar had arrived. From that moment on, the New Zealand outfit owned the room. The lads worked every inch of the stage, but never in a way that felt forced. They let the songs do the talking and, fortunately for them, they hav...

Mystery Jets have spent more than two decades evolving in plain sight. Across seven studio albums, they’ve shifted shape without ever losing the emotional clarity that anchors their music. A Hole To See The Sky Through feels like a continuation of that long, steady evolution — an album that looks back with tenderness while still reaching for something new. The record opens with A Hole To See The Sky Through I before moving through Black Sage, Doomsday Waltz, Godrays, Flea Joint, Long Lonely Road, Soul River, Anaglypta, and finally A Hole To See The Sky Through II. It’s a tracklist that moves with intention, each song placed like a step in a longer emotional journey. “Long Lonely Road” is one of the album’s most immediate standouts. It carries the soft ache of a 1960s ballad — that Unchained Melody kind of yearning that feels both familiar and cinematic. The song doesn’t reach for drama; instead, it lets emotion gather slowly, stretching out like a long walk home. It’s Mystery Jets at...

  The San Diego indie alt-pop trio almost monday have returned with their sophomore album, thank god it's almost monday, arriving just one year after their debut record. It was one of our most anticipated albums of the year and, honestly, it's not hard to see why. The lads know exactly how to write a hook. We first stumbled across almost monday last year and instantly fell in love with their sound. To us, they're a modern-day Foster The People, but somehow even smoother. They've crafted a unique style that simply oozes cool from the moment you press play. Over the past few months, the trio steadily rolled out teaser after teaser, releasing a string of singles from the album. The impressive thing was that none of them missed. Every track left us wanting more, so naturally the anticipation for the full record was sky high. The end result is thank god it's almost monday, a 13-track, 42-minute journey packed with infectious hooks, bright energy and effortless charm. T...

    🎤   Band Origins & Identity   • Band beginnings — Tell us a bit about how you became a band. Willy (lead singer) didn't start playing guitar until his early-mid twenties, and upon returning from London, he and Sam (bass) started jamming with two other mates. Fortunately (for us), Willy's guitar playing wasn't quite up to standard, so the others wanted to explore other options on guitar. However, Sam, hearing the potential in Willy's voice, decided to stick it out with him. They knew Josh (guitar and BVs) and Ned (drums) from school days and a shared social circle in Auckland, and immediately started jamming with them and Ned's cousin, James (saxophone). What started off as a passion project for playing at mates' parties and the odd gig in Auckland to a loyal group of friends, soon built into something much more. The release of early singles, Tickets To Space and Valium, saw the band's listenership grow and during the Radical Road recording...

Earlier this year, The Beefs landed firmly on our radar, and it didn't take long to understand why. The five-piece outfit, led by frontman Sammy Smith alongside , Lucy Washington, Christian Wright, Gory Wright & Michael Tramonte have crafted a sound that is instantly infectious. From the first listen, I was reminded of a modern-day Midnight Oil, minus the political edge, while also being transported back to the classic Aussie CD's my old man used to chuck on when I was a kid. At its core, The Great Rarier Beef is exactly what great Australian pub rock should be. It's a slightly rough-around-the-edges celebration of the golden era of Australian rock music, packed with energy, character and plenty of charm. If you're looking for a record that's unapologetically Australian and genuinely fun, this album is right up your alley. The songwriting is simple, catchy and incredibly effective. The hooks sink in quickly, and before long you'll find yourself nodding alo...

  There’s something magic about tour supports — that sweet spot where you catch a band on the rise, still hungry, still sharpening their craft, still earning every new fan. So when Dice announced their tour, we waited to see who they’d bring along. Then a name appeared that none of us had heard before: Ray and Paul, straight out of the US. James did his usual ritual — deep‑dive listening, instant obsession — but I went in cold. No prep, no expectations. And honestly, I’m glad I did, because what unfolded at The Baso was one of those rare support‑act moments where you realise you’re watching something special before anyone else knows their name. Ray and Paul walked onstage calm, tight, and clearly well‑rehearsed. Smooth players. Clean sound. Way too good to be the support act — the kind of surprise that lifts your whole day. And I needed that lift. Ray opened with a quick hello, then launched into a vocal tone that stopped the room. Warm, textured, unexpectedly powerful. Seconds ...

Lights hit, keys shimmer, and suddenly The Baso feels twice its size. Dice stroll out to a roar that’s half‑applause, half‑anticipation, and Hodgey wastes zero time — straight into Call Me for a Good Time, a perfect opener that flicks the switch from “Wednesday night” to “we’re on here”. The crowd moves instantly, like someone pressed play on the whole room. Hodge’s voice is the anchor of it all — that distinct, bluesy, soulful, deep‑throated tone that somehow sounds exactly like the record but still feels alive and loose in the moment. He’s charismatic without trying, a natural performer who knows how to let the songs breathe. But Dice aren’t a one‑man show. The lads around him bring their own flavour, and live, that flavour hits harder. Regan and Sam’s bass‑and‑drum combo is a full‑body experience — the kind that makes your chest thump and your head bop before you even realise you’re doing it. They looked genuinely stoked all night, grinning through every track like two mates who s...