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Sharon Van Etten is back with new band Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, a self titled debut album on the way and single ‘Afterlife’ as a tasty aperitif. – Backseat Mafia
The magnificent Sharon Van Etten is back after an absence, but this time with a new band. Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory have just announced their self-titled debut album, out on 7 February 2025 via Jagjaguwar, and released the lead single/video, ‘Afterlife’. Van Etten says of the new project, that sees her for the first time collaborate with her band — Jorge Balbi (drums, machines), Devra Hoff (bass, vocals), and Teeny Lieberson (synth, piano, guitar, vocals): It is with great pleasure that I get to announce my new album as Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory. The first time I have ever written songs from the ground…
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M72 Tour Hits AU and NZ in 2025 – Backseat Mafia
Metallica is dragging the heaviest metal spectacle on earth down under, cementing its legacy with a six-city sweep across Australia and New Zealand as part of their M72 World Tour in November 2025. The band have reimagined the stadium experience, throwing fans into a 360-degree concert vortex, with performances at opposite ends of the arena and the infamous Snake Pit slicing right into the heart of the stage. This isn’t just for the casual listener—the die-hards know the game. The “I Disappear” pass, allows ticket holders to chase the tour across six dates, locking in a near-mythical odyssey of mosh pits and soaring solos from Perth to Auckland. Adding fuel…
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Yours & Owls Returns to Wollongong in 2025 with Star-Studded Lineup – Backseat Mafia
Yours & Owls returns to Wollongong City, Dharawal Country, on March 1st and 2nd, 2025, continuing its tradition of showcasing top-tier talent. This year’s festival will feature a diverse lineup of international and Australian acts across four stages, promising an unforgettable weekend of music, arts, food, and entertainment by the beach. The amazing group of Headline Performers in 2025 are: Fontaines D.C. – The Grammy-nominated and Mercury Prize-shortlisted post-punk revivalists from Ireland are set to headline. Known for their introspective lyrics and cultural commentary, Fontaines D.C. has garnered significant acclaim, reigniting interest in guitar-driven music. Denzel Curry – The Florida-born rapper, celebrated for his genre-blending style, will bring his dynamic…
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Two Headline Shows Set for January 2025 – Backseat Mafia
CMAT’s music has always lived in liminal spaces: somewhere between unfiltered confessional and big-hearted pop theater, with hooks that mask heartbreak in glitter. And now, Australian audiences will get their first taste of her genius. CMAT will be heading to Australia for the first time, landing for two exclusive headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne this January 2025. These intimate gig sarrive just in time to coincide with her performances at A Day on the Green alongside The Teskey Brothers, offering fans a fleeting chance to witness her magic up close before she slips away, back into the ether. Joining CMAT at her headline shows will be singer-songwriter Ella Hooper. What makes…
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Moss Side Sauna Club Release Debut Single ‘FREAK’ – Backseat Mafia
Moss Side Sauna Club release the fuzzy and infectiously catchy debut ‘FREAK’. A perfect introduction to the Manchester-based trio (Will Brooks, Maddy Storm & Sam Craighan), the single captures a strikingly complete sound and some radiantly hooky songwriting with a grunge edge, highlighting the band as one to watch. Opening with a modulation heavy picked guitar line ‘FREAK’ wastes no time introducing its strikingly melodic vocal melody, delivered with an expressive and urgent flair. Gradually growing as the drums build, the instrumentation cuts to a swelling feedback as a delicate harmony underpins the main vocal, beckoning in the chorus. The track bursts into life as the drums explode into a…
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a shimmering tour de force. – Backseat Mafia
Dvrkworld have caught our attention for their muscular, visceral and atmospheric shoegaze/dream pop, born and bred in the farthest edge of the world in lutruwita/Tasmania. New single ‘Sinking Ship’ voyages on the cold Antarctic waters, antithetically buoyant and febrile with a fuzzy bass that eviscerates with malevolent intent before pounding drums and jangling guitars enter the fray. Tendrils of misty fog straight off the wild mountain hinterland seem to thread through every note and mix in with the shimmering guitars and the gossamer soft yet disassociated vocals. Mary Shannon says of the track: ‘Sinking Ship’ was written as an outlet to convey feelings of isolation and resignation. When withdrawing from…
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SXSW Sydney’s Grand Finale With Fest X Inner West – Backseat Mafia
Closing out the monumental week of SXSW Sydney, Fest X Inner West transformed Enmore Road into a live music playground, offering a full day of free gigs across some of the area’s most iconic venues. From midday to late, we dove into an absolute whirlwind of performances, splitting time between the three stages at Factory Theatre and the grand Enmore Theatre. Things kicked off at Factory Theatre around midday, where each stage pumped out back-to-back performances. First up was Grxce, the Eora/Sydney-based grunge-pop band we’ve been following for a while. They delivered a gritty, melodic set that balanced a fierce edge with catchy, pop-inflected hooks. Just as tasty live as…
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The legendary New Order announces Australian Tour in 2025. – Backseat Mafia
In news just in, the legendary New Order have just announced an Australian tour for March 2025, including a performance on the iconic Sydney Opera House forecourt. The tour will see them perform all the biggest hits from their impressive four-decade, 10-album career on stages across Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney in March 2025. The band says: It’s an honour to be coming back to perform in one of our favourite places. We sadly had to cancel a Melbourne show in March 2020, as a consequence of Covid and are so happy we can come back to play again. We’ve always loved playing in Australia and are excited to be…
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Ireland’s Fontaines D.C. Announce Australian and New Zealand ROMANCE tour in 2025 with festival and headline appearances, supported by Wunderhorse – Backseat Mafia
In a busy day for tour announcements downunder, the brilliant Fontaines D.C. – a band Backseat Mafia have been raving about since their phenomenal debut single ‘Boys From The Betterland’ way back in 2018 – have just announced an Australian tour in 2025. They will play five headline shows and two festivals across the country in February and March 2025. They begin their tour at Perth Festival in Perth on Thursday 27 February, before moving onto Brisbane where they will play at Riverstage on Saturday 1 March. The band will join the stacked lineup at Yours & Owls Festival in Wollongong on Sunday 2 March before playing Sydney Opera House…
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Joshua Scarratt – Can’t Get You Out of My Mind – Backseat Mafia
Indie newcomer Joshua Scarratt has shared his debut single ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Mind’. Performing on the track alongside Scarratt is primarily collaborator Nick Hinman (Fast Money Music), as well as musicians Gamaliel Rendle Traynor on cello (Fat Dog, Fat White Family, Crack Cloud) and Callum Brown on drums (Ulrika Spacek). Deep fears, heartbreak, isolation & loneliness, insecurities, performance, being too online, obsessive thinking, old and nu-love, are all themes found within the songwriter’s debut effort, but ultimately, ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Mind’ addresses unchecked thinking and fantasy, whilst also – like all great pop songs – is a love song. Speaking ahead of its release, Joshua explained: “An infatuation with someone during a journey of self-discovery – learning…
