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The Kid LAROI Illuminates Sydney’s Commbank Arena 16.11.2024 – Backseat Mafia
The air in CommBank Arena buzzes with anticipation, a restless energy that seems to pulse from the thousands of fans packing the stands to the arena’s walls themselves. The Kid LAROI is home, and tonight is more than just another stop on his re-routed national tour—it’s a coronation. Fresh off his seismic performance at the NFL Grand Final, where he brought an entire stadium to its feet with a soulful, spine-tingling rendition of INXS’s ‘Never Tear Us Apart,‘ LAROI returns to his roots, armed with the swagger of global superstardom and the weight of expectation. That NFL performance was a victory lap; here was a 21-year-old who didn’t just cover…
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Jack White extends his December 2024 tour across Australian and NZ with 5 new cities added – Backseat Mafia
12-time GRAMMY winner Jack White has extended his upcoming December 2024 tour, with five new cities added today across Australia and New Zealand. In addition to his two sold-out Victorian shows at Civic Hall Ballarat on Friday 6 December, and Melbourne’s Corner Hotel on Saturday 7 December, White now adds new performances in Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, and Auckland. White is touring ‘No Name,’ his sixth solo album—a gritty, genre-blurring opus dropped via Third Man Records, his musical fortress and creative playground. Registrations for pre-sale access HERE. Jack White 2024 Tour DatesThu 5 Dec – The Fortitude Music Hall (Brisbane)Fri 6 Dec – Always Live @ Civic Hall (Ballarat)* sold…
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Mulga Bore Hard Rock Release ‘Young Men’ – Backseat Mafia
Mulga Bore Hard Rock are a band born of contradictions—rooted in a community of fewer than 40 people yet channeling a sound big enough to rattle stadium walls. Their debut single, ‘Young Men’ (Younga Barla Mapa), is out now via Community Music. It’s a howl from the red-dirt heart of Central Australia. Sung in Anmatjerre, it’s a rock-and-roll love letter to their homeland and the tight-knit community that shaped them. Hot off packed showcases at SXSW Sydney and Bigsound, the track captures the thrill of their live energy—raw, radiant, and defiant. This is glam rock reimagined—gritty, spiritual, and utterly distinct—a connection between tradition and modernity, driven by the pulse of…
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Pink Bedrooms and Green Dystopias -The Duality of DOWNGIRL’s New Music Videos for ‘Horsegirl’ and ‘Dig’ – Backseat Mafia
DOWNGIRL don’t just make music—they create a world, and their latest dual release, ‘HORSEGIRL’ and ‘DIG,’ feels like stepping into a bedroom circa 1999, where rebellion, femininity, and unvarnished angst meet. In the video for ‘HORSEGIRL,’ the band takes you inside a teenager’s room, plastered with Aaron Carter, Britney Spears, Hole, and their own posters, bathed in hyper-femme pink. It’s a scene that feels saccharine and nostalgic at first glance but flips the script entirely when the femme-grunge quartet starts shredding. The contrast is electric—soft, girly visuals colliding with the raw, kinetic energy of DOWNGIRL rocking out, the pink hues weaponised to amplify their message rather than soften it. Then…
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Katie London Shares Pop-Rock Fizzer ‘12th Of Never’ – Backseat Mafia
Katie London is back, and she’s louder, prouder, and more daring than ever. Following the success of her summer EP, Feelings N Stuff, the pop-rocker has unleashed her electrifying new single, 12th Of Never. A bold track signals a thrilling evolution in London’s sound, marking a shift from heartfelt pop anthems to darker, rock-infused soundscapes. With its swagger-filled delivery and irresistible melodic hooks, 12th Of Never provides a track which would fir right in among the UK top 40. Driven forward by the biting distorted guitar lines and London’s silky smooth, charismatic vocals, the track blends its rock undertones with punching, trappy electronics to create a radiant and unique pop sound. “12th Of Never is…
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Alina Ly Shares Intimate And Beautiful Live Version of ‘Keep Me Warm’ – Backseat Mafia
Returning from a four-year hiatus, Alina Ly shares the new video of ‘Keep Me Warm’ performed live, a beautifully intimate performance which enforces the emotive nature of the songwriting. This stripped-back recording showcases Alina’s tender artistry, blending soothing pop hooks with folk-inspired warmth. Featuring Alina and two of her live band members, the shimmering picked guitar, emotive piano, and her soft yet stirring vocals capture a rich tone in a sofar sounds-esque setting. Growing throughout with its surprisingly catchy vocals the track soon reaches a euphoric guitar break before ending on the gentle and poignant last chorus. Speaking anbout the release, Alina shares: “I wrote Keep Me Warm with my…
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Irish Singer-Songwriter Sarah Hickey Shares Stunning Debut Album ‘Fastener’ – Backseat Mafia
Following a series of captivating teaser singles throughout 2024, Sarah Hickey takes a bold step forward with the release of her debut album, Fastener. A captivating blend of folk, indie and country undertones, the album is close, heartfelt and warming. Comparable to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, The Staves, Bon Iver and even singer-songwriter legends like James Taylor and Joni Mitchel, the album brings a wonderful collection of tracks which are raw, beautifully warming and emotional. A testament to her artistic growth, the album carves heartfelt tales through heartfelt toplines, intoxicating backbeats, and vivid lyricism, cementing her as a rising star in the contemporary music scene. Blending the rich traditions of…
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Brighton’s bacci pouch Shine On ‘Normal People’ – Backseat Mafia
Brighton’s rising indie-rockers bacci pouch have unleashed their scuzzy yet infectious new single, Normal People, out today. Reminiscent of the Buzzcocks with it’s buzzing, sharp tone, ‘Normal People’ is a shining example of bacci pouch’s ability to capture he energy of their live shows on record. With a driving, intricate picked bassline at its heart, the track builds a dynamic soundscape of boxy drums, fuzzy guitar melodies, and understated yet affirmingly catchy vocals. The result is a messy yet evocative 70s-inspired tone, with punk undertones woven into a sound rooted in indie-rock sensibilities. Frontman James Neighbour sheds light on the track’s inspiration: “‘Normal People describes the encounter of two people…
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LION Shares new single ‘Break The Binary’ – Backseat Mafia
LION is on a mission to shatter societal norms with their electrifying hyperpop track, Break the Binary. Featuring punchy drums, hyperpop aesthetics, and sassy vocal lines, the song captures the boundlessness of identity. With a danceable four-to-the-floor beat, it exudes confidence and celebrates standing in one’s power, encouraging listeners to embrace the infinite possibilities of existence. LION shares insight into the song’s creation, saying, “I was inspired by one of my trans pals who talked about boundlessness in one of their Insta captions, from which lyrics just started pouring out of me. I put those lyrics to an unfinished beat I had on my laptop and everything just melded together.”…
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Darkwave alt-pop sensation – Artemas at the O2 Forum Kentish Town 11.11.24 – Backseat Mafia
I principally believe we are living in a post “one-hit-wonder” era where pop music is concerned, mostly owing to the space the online world has given artists. You can have an artist, completely devoid of songs you recognise, be unfathomably popular in a way you could never have realised. In this vein, I was invited to see British-Cypriot alt popstar: Artemas play the final show of his UK tour at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town. It was sold out, as was the entirety of his tour, with a huge queue out the door on a cold Monday night. Everyone is incredibly young, scores of The Substance-esque replicas of the…
