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follow at Altar Bar, Hobart 16.11.2024 – Backseat Mafia
It was an evening of firsts, as Hobart’s post-rock supergroup, follow, took to the live stage for the very first time and played songs from their debut LP, Old Haunts (album review by Senior Editor, Arun Kendall, here), which was released back in May 2023. Formed by past and present members of Luca Brasi, Silver Fleet Ships, Baby Dave and Speech Patterns, follow are an instrumental, post-rock band from Hobart, Tasmania. An eclectic mix of artists was on show throughout this evening, with the night being kicked off by ambient electronic artist, Wagaan, whose broad soundscapes were the perfect opening to a great night of music. Following on from Wagaan…
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Shed Seven 30th Anniversary Tour – The Octagon, Sheffield 14.11.2024 – Backseat Mafia
Words and photos by Phil Wright What’s to be said about Shed Seven? For me, ‘brilliance’ comes to mind. With over 30 years in the business and showing no signs of stopping any time soon. With two number one albums this year alone, Rick Whitter said this puts Shed Seven in the ‘elite’ along with The Beatles, The Jam, Queen and…. Blue. This is not a ‘Greatest Hits’ tour by a long shot, this is a ‘Shed Seven at Their Very Best tour. After years of being BritPop underdogs, this York band put on a stellar performance of new and old tracks at this fantastic Sheffield venue. Admittedly, I had…
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Oswald Slain Share Debut Single ‘Happiness Is Overrated’ – Backseat Mafia
Rockers Oswald Slain have dropped their debut single, the interestingly titled, ‘Happiness Is Overrated’. The band teamed up with producer and fellow band member Ryan Rogers, to produce the track in their DIY studio built in their back garden. Mastered by Jason Mitchell at Loud Mastering (PJ Harvey, XTC, Big Special), ‘Happiness Is Overrated’ is a song that pushes back against the pressures of being happy. Reflecting on the single, vocalist and lyricist Charlie Fitzgerald says: “Happiness Is Overrated is a rise above misery and a rebellion against the pressures of being ‘happy’. The song came out of a pretty low point in my life: Final lock down, locked up at home.…
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Slowly Slowly Announce Forgiving Spree Album and National Tour for 2025 – Backseat Mafia
Australian indie rock torchbearers Slowly Slowly are turning the page to a new chapter with their fifth studio album, Forgiving Spree, slated for release on Friday, January 24, 2025. In tandem with the album’s arrival, the band has unveiled plans for their Forgiving Spree Australian headline tour, set to sweep through Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne next April. “It’s been a while between drinks—we couldn’t be more ecstatic to announce this homecoming tour. These are some serious rooms and we couldn’t think of a better way to drop punt our new album ‘Forgiving Spree’ off into the stratosphere. We are intent on making these shows feel both like huge…
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David Heine, Konstantin Kost – Freedom From Escape – Backseat Mafia
Erich Fromm‘s “Escape from Freedom” was published 83 years ago. His assumption was that modern man, having freed himself from the shackles of the old days and living freely, longs to return to the totalitarian, destructive and conformist world. In 2024, the pluralistic and individualized way of life of the so-called West seems self-evident. Boundless freedom is suggested – but we continue to flee. Utopias are crumbling and conservatism is experiencing a renaissance. At the same time, the freedom to decide “to be able to stay” in contrast to “having to leave” currently seems to represent a high value. This EP by the two producers from Germany and Ukraine, was…
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Witnessing Fleshwater’s Sweat-Soaked Grunge Revival at Crowbar – Eora/Sydney, 15.11.24 – Backseat Mafia
Walking into Crowbar for Fleshwater‘s much-anticipated Eora/Sydney debut felt like stepping out of a time machine. The barrier was already packed with young fans, and the vibe was pure 90s grunge—a rarity, but one that the Fleshwater scene kids carry effortlessly. The night kicked off with Futureheaven, channelling an emotional shoegaze edge, pulling the room deeper into a melancholic yet electrified headspace. Then came Secret World, a hardstyle-infused dose of unmistakably Aussie energy that felt like a distilled reminder of the punk-hardcore hybrid that bands like Speed have brought to prominence. Performing songs from their hit 2022 album ‘We’re Not Here To Be Loved’, with a few extras thrown in,…
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VOID OF VISION Announce Farewell Tour-‘What I’ll Leave Behind’ Marks the End of an Era – Backseat Mafia
Melbourne’s metalcore juggernauts, Void of Vision have announced that their journey is coming to an end with the What I’ll Leave Behind Australian Tour 2025. This final, incendiary run is a headlining celebration, a love letter to their fans, and a goodbye charged with the same visceral energy that has defined their music and live shows. Set to unfold in February, the tour will bring Void of Vision’s signature ferocity to cities across the country—Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth—marking the conclusion of a chapter that’s been as relentless as it has been transformative. For the band and their fans, these shows are more than concerts; they’re a…
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Gustaffson Release Cinematic New Single ‘Flowers’ Featuring Emmy-winning Composer ‘Bear McCreary’ – Backseat Mafia
Gustaffson have today released their hauntingly beautiful new single ‘Flowers’, featuring Emmy-winning composer Bear McCreary (Outlander, Walking Dead). Liverpool-born singer and songwriter Andrew Gower formed Gustaffson in 2020 with lifelong friend and guitarist James Webster. Though best known for his acting roles in acclaimed TV shows such as Black Mirror, Outlander, and Carnival Row, Gower has been writing music since the age of 15. Flowers is the second of three exclusive singles from Gustaffson’s debut album ‘Black & White Movie’, it follows the beautifully soulful ‘On Broadway’. The album, out on 15th March 2025, is produced by Elbow’s Craig Potter and features collaborations with Emmy-winning composer Bear McCreary and legendary actor Sir Ben Kingsley. The track is accompanied by an official music video, which is directed by Bafta winning director Myriam Raja (Topboy) and stars Jamie…
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Divorce – Antarctica – Backseat Mafia
Divorce have shared their new single, ‘Antarctica’, the latest new music from the band’s highly anticipated debut album, ‘Drive to Goldenhammer’, which is due out on March 7th, 2025, via Gravity / Capitol. Commenting on the new single, co-vocalist and guitarist Felix Mackenzie-Barrow says: “I wrote ‘Antarctica’ at the end of a long and deeply important relationship as a way to self-soothe and make sense of the loss I was feeling whilst touring non-stop. Thinking of the silent indifference of that vast continent at the bottom of the world was and still is something of a meditation for me. Barry Lopez describes Antarctica as “utterly remote, even as you stand…
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Live Review – Yellowcard/ Story of the Year/ This Wild Life – o2 Academy Birmingham – 14/11/24 – Backseat Mafia
Yellowcard bring the ‘Celebration of 20 years of Ocean Avenue Tour’ to UK soil with a sold out show at Birminghams o2 Academy. The doors are open and there’s an excitement in the air, its not very often we get a band like Yellowcard playing in venues this size, it feels like its been a very long time since Yellowcard performed their own tour in England excluding festival appearances so we know we’re in for a treat tonight. First up were This Wild Life, an acoustic duo who compared themselves as a “Discount store Dashboard Confessional” were on top form despite claims that 94% of the audience won’t know who…
