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Short Stack is Back! Celebrating 15 Years of Debut Album ‘Stack is the New Black’ With National Tour – Backseat Mafia
Short Stack is back—and this time, they’re bringing nostalgia for one of Australia’s defining pop-punk eras. In June 2025, the Budgewoi trio will hit the road for their 15 Years of Stack Is the New Black headline tour, celebrating their 2009 debut album. Kicking off at The Tivoli in Meanjin/Brisbane on Friday, June 6, the tour will visit Eora/Sydney, Kaurna/Adelaide, Naarm/Melbourne, and Boorloo/Perth, wrapping up at The Astor Theatre on Friday, June 20. It’s a chance for longtime fans and newcomers alike to revel in the infectious energy of a record that put Short Stack on the map and defined the sound of a generation of Aussie pop-punk. When ‘Stack…
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Blissful ambient techno with a deeper trip-hop flow. – Backseat Mafia
Jacob Long’s musical journey has wound from seminal Dischord post-hardcore band Black Eyes through the deep dub rhythmics of Mi Ami to arriving, around 2014, in more greyscale/ambient landscapes with his aka Earthen Sea. From this point Long’s sound documents have mapped a pathway from home studio sketches to his first album ‘Ink’ on Lovers Rock before signing to the eminent Kranky Records in 2017. Once here it feels like Earthen Sea’s music has settled, not in a comfortable, becalmed sense, but into a period where he’s been able to re-energise and build onwards with each album release. The kinetic wave-form beats on ‘An Act of Love’ in 2017, fluid…
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UK Punk Icons Soft Play Kick Off 2025 with Australian Tour – Backseat Mafia
UK punk duo Soft Play is bringing their explosive energy to Australia in January and February 2025, marking their highly anticipated return to live stages Down Under since 2019. Known for their razor-sharp lyrics and relentless live shows, the pair has carved out a loyal fan base that thrives on their no-holds-barred approach to modern punk. Kicking off at Naarm/Melbourne’s 170 Russell on January 27, the tour will hit four cities, including Eora/Sydney’s Factory Theatre on January 29, Meanjin/Brisbane’s Triffid on January 30, and finishing up at Boorloo/Perth’s Magnet House on February 1. Following a hiatus that left fans speculating about their next move, Soft Play (fka. Slaves) has returned…
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Bluesfest Tours Announces Rodrigo y Gabriela Australian Tour 2025 – Backseat Mafia
Grammy Award-winning guitar virtuosos Rodrigo y Gabriela are set to embark on an electrifying Australian tour in April 2025, bringing their acclaimed live performances to six cities. Known for their unique instrumental performances, the Mexican-born duo will grace audiences in Brisbane, Sydney, Thirroul, Canberra, Adelaide, and Melbourne with their intricate guitar work and infectious energy. Fresh off the success of their most ambitious project to date, 2023’s album, In Between Thoughts…A New World, Rodrigo y Gabriela are ready to captivate Australian fans once again. This tour marks a return to Australian shores for the duo, whose past performances include sold-out shows at iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and…
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Live Review – 86TV’s/ Mickey Callisto – o2 Institute, Birmingham – 22/11/24 – Backseat Mafia
Following the release of their self-titled debut album this year, 86TV’s are on the road across the UK and Europe for the last time until 2026. Going into this show, I didn’t check out the support act except a couple of clips on X, and I was so pleased I’d left the full Mickey Callisto experience to unfold infant of my eyes. A lively humorous performance from the Sunderland born Mickey taking the stage without his band (as he can’t afford to pay them for the tour) so just backed with a keyboard. Each song was introduced with a tale, which took the banter up a notch, when he smelt…
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Thornhill Ignite with Explosive New Single ‘Nerv’ – Backseat Mafia
Thornhill are back, and they’re making noise—loud, visceral, and impossible to ignore. Their new single ‘Nerv,’ out now via UNFD, is a masterclass in tension and release. Packing serrated riffs that slice through the air and a relentless urgency that grips you from the first note, ‘Nerv’ is a sonic rollercoaster. Moments of shimmering, melodic reprieve only make the heaviness hit harder. “The lyrics reflect the struggle between longing and the need for self-preservation, highlighting how intimacy can be both alluring and risky. This tension shows the complexity of love, illustrating how beauty and peril intertwine in an emotionally intense dance.” – Thornhill Thornhill possess a flair for nuanced rock…
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Father John Misty accompanies new album with video for standout single Josh Tillman and the accidental dose – Backseat Mafia
Father John Misty’s new video for “Josh Tillman and The Accidental Dose”, is a stellar exercise in storytelling. Marked by a grainy piano line and his signature warm baritone, the performance pulls you into its narrative with all the finesse of a high-end barrister delivering closing argument. The song feels both intimate and grand, with Misty’s ability to sell a story and a melody in equal measure in full effect throughout. Largely autobiographical – John Tillman is Mistys real name, you can’t help being drawn in by the narrative and it’s swaying, lounge like accompaniment The video itself is essentially a live performance of the track, beautifully shot and brimming…
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MJ Lenderman Set To Bring Indie Rock Magic to Australia – Backseat Mafia
MJ Lenderman is indie rock’s new golden child, blending classic rock swagger, Americana soul, country charm, and alternative grit into something timeless and captivating. Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, the singer-songwriter and guitar maestro has been turning heads with his masterful storytelling and effortlessly raw sound. Following the release of his critically lauded album, Manning Fireworks, Lenderman is gearing up to bring his electrifying live show to Australia. Lenderman has been announced as part of Bambra’s Meadow festival, which sees him performing on 22 March 2025. From humble beginnings, Meadow has grown and developed a loyal community and reputation for presenting line-ups on the cutting edge of contemporary music each…
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Pretty Jane stretch either end of the spectrum with new understated single, Quiet – Backseat Mafia
Pretty Jane’s new single “Quiet” is a masterclass in restraint—well, until it’s not. True to its name, the track tiptoes around your ears with a hauntingly minimalist vibe, Dalrymple’s barely-there vocals aching with longing. “It’s funny, we all seem to have a soft spot for a girl talking quietly,” he quips, encapsulating the song’s tender yet melodic core. The band takes a clever approach to emotion, letting softness take center stage. “When you’re expressing strong emotions, the instinct is to go big,” notes DiVergilio, “but here, we wanted the song to feel as small and unassuming as possible.” That understated touch shines in the chorus, where Strain explains, “We stripped…
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Madeleine teams up with dub legend Max Romeo, for persuasive new single Send The Praises Up – Backseat Mafia
Madelaine’s new single Send The Praises Up, a collaboration with Jamaican reggae legend Max Romeo, is a soulful celebration of gratitude and resilience. Released on Jah Wheel Records, the track is an uplifting blend of roots reggae and heartfelt spirituality. “This song comes from a reasoning we shared with Max Romeo about how important it is to see the positive blessings in life and to let go of the negative energy that so easily enters our lives on a daily basis,” Madelaine explains. “It is a song of gratitude and praise to the Most High for the gift of life itself.” Produced alongside Natural High of the Half-Way-Tree collective, the…
